Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 109, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 1912 — PARR CREAMERY AND STORE BURNED SUNDAY. [ARTICLE]

PARR CREAMERY AND STORE BURNED SUNDAY.

Fire Thought to Be of Incendiary Origin Caused Big Loss to Unfor* tunate Village.

Another destructive fire visited Parr Sarly Sunday morning, causing the total destruction of the creamery and of the Gangloff building, which was occupied by Perry Griffith’s restaurant\and barbershop on the ground floor and Ed Gilmore’s poolroom upstairs.

The fire is believed to have been of incendiary origin. It was discovered burning at 4 o'clock in the morning by little Bonnie Greenfield, who immediately informed her father and then others were aroused and soon the entire population of the village was at the scene of the conflagration. There was no means at hand for conquering the blaze, however, and the creamery was soon enveloped in flames which had been communicated to the Gangloff buildings adjoining and in a short time both buildings were a total wreck, with practically all their contents. The creamery was hullt by a company composed of Parr business men and farmers from the surrounding country. There were upwards of fifty shareholders. The building was dedicated on June 4th, 1910, with a big picnic and has been in constant operation since that time. It is said to have recently got down to a paying basis, and under the management of the present officers and superintendency of Jack Wilson, the present buttermaker, the plant is said to have been making money. Like all new concerns of the kind, its running expense was far top high for sometime after it was started. Mr. Wilson was doing the work that two had formerly done and was giving the best satisfaction ang' it is a great misfortune that the fire should have occurred just as the creamery was getting on a paying basis. The building and the buttermaking machinery and all equipment is said to have cost about 14,000. There was about 450 pounds of butter stored in the creamery and all was destroyed except one large bucket, containing about 50 pounds. There was about 14,400 insurance on the creamery and contents. It is the Intention to rebuild, practically all the stockholders agreeing to that plan, and it is possible that the building plans will start within a short time. In the interim cream is being taken in at Parr for Shipment W. L. Wood is handling the cream in the name of the creamery company. Jack Wilson will remain there and have charge bf the business again as soon as the same is reconstructed. The 2-story frame building was the property of Mrs. A. Gangloff, of Rensselaer. She secured it in a trade with Ed Price, several months ago. Perry Griffith conducted a restaurant and barbershop on the ground floor and had built up a good business. His loss was about |SOO, on which he had .■

MOP insurance. On the upper floor Ed Gilmore had a poolroom. He carried no Insurance and his lose was total. There have been several mysterious fires in Parr during recent years and people there do not hesitate to say that there is a strong.'indication that they are of InconiMnry origin. Public suspicion does net 1 seem to rest on any one person, however, and there seem no motive for the fires. Sunday was an ideal day and many Rensselaer people autoed to the scene of the fire. / Babcock ft Hopkins, .whese elevator at that place was dtolroyed by fire about two years ago, the building having been ignited by-a.spark from a railroad engine, plan, to begin reconstruction within the next two weeks. The regularly employed hands at the Rensselaer elevator wffl do the building. Considerable grain to now delivered at Parr and tbs small movable elevator used there stoto-the fire was inadequate to handle IL