Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 233, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1912 — FINE RESIDENCE OF G. E. MURRAY DAMAGED [ARTICLE]

FINE RESIDENCE OF G. E. MURRAY DAMAGED

Fire Discovered ait Night Caused S3OO Loss to River Street Property Being Remodeled. The fine residence of , Postmaster George E. Murray on River street, which has recently undergone extensive remodeling and which was not yet occupied, was discovered on fire at about 10:45 Friday night. The fire /department was soon on the scene and by means of chemical engines succeeded in extinguishing the flames, which made, a stubborn fight before they relinquished their hold. During the day had been started in the fire place and it is presumed that the fire started from this, although workmen were quite certain that the fire was in a perfectly safe condition, when they left the house in the evening. The fire started in the dining room, the hardwood floor being burned through and the rafters. beneath being burned. When discovered smoke was issuing from the house in about every direction and it was feared the entire building was doomed. The doors to the house were all securely locked, which prevented anyone from entering an# doubtless had the good effect of keeping a draft from fanning the smoking timbers into a flame that hardly have been mastered.

Leaving the doors closed, the firemen, directed by Chief Montgomery, entered through the basement and crawled beneath the floor and made .their fight from there, succeeding with difficulty in conquering the stubborn 'fire. The damage is estimated at S3OO to S4OO. During the time the house has been undergoing remodeling Mr. Murray and family have lived in the Dr. H. L. Brown property acrosk the street. They had hoped to get into their own home within a week. The fire will considerably delay them, however. The loss was covered by insurance in S. C. Irwin’s agency.