Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 131, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 June 1913 — CARELESS SMOKER SET AUTO ON FIRE [ARTICLE]

CARELESS SMOKER SET AUTO ON FIRE

0. A. Robbins, President of -Centaur Motor Co., Almost Lost a Large Abbott-Detroit Oar.

A 7-passenger Abbott-Detroit auto, owned by C. A. Robbins, of Chicago, caught fire Saturday afternoon just after the gasoline tanks had been filled in front of the Rensselaer Garage. The gasoline had run over and one of the four tnen with Mr. Roberts struck a match, lighted a cigarette and flipped the match under the car. There was a conflagration at once and the car was enveloped in flames. It looked like a gonner but the fire company was called out and made quick response. Deputy Fire Chief Rhoades was at work in his barbershop when the alarm was sent in and he and his son, Kenneth, used three Pyrene extinguishers in subduing the flames and the result was so pleasing to Mr. Robbins that he told Chief Montgomery and Deputy Rhoades that he would pay all the expenses of Subduing the fire. Robbins was very enthusiastic in his praise of the fire company.—He is the same man who undertook to make a 'hasty get-away after forcing a buggy in which Mrs. J. A. Lucas and Mrs. Jack Reeder were riding into the ditch. He was apprehended, however, and his indifference and carelessness on that occasion cost him heavily. He will begin to think that Rensselaer is his “jonah” town. The upholstering and the paint on the car were burned and the righit rear tire suffered some damage from the flames. It will probably cost $75 to restore the damage.