Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 284, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1916 — FOUGHT FIRE SUNDAY MORNING [ARTICLE]

FOUGHT FIRE SUNDAY MORNING

Blaze Threatened Destruction of .McKay Laundry Building—Able Work bv Firemen.

Fire threatened the total destruction of the building occupied by O. H. McKay’s laundry and Mrs. Eva L. McCurtain and family, at about twd a. m. Sunday morning. Only the prompt and efficient work of the fire company halted the blaze before it had time to gain much control. The building is owned by Dr. H. L. Brown. The fire started m the upstairs flat occupied by Mrs. Eva L. McCurtain and her ’tfevfcn children. Mrs. McCurtain was aroused at about 2 o’clock by the blaze, and dashed to the rear of the flat, where the fire started, and to get some money whfch she had in the cupboard. The blaze had gained considerable headway and the fire company was called immediately. The hose was not used and the fire company, after a hard fight, was able to put the fire out with the aid of their chefnical extinguishers. This method was used, in order that the McKay laundry room below would n<ft suffer from water. The furniture in the bathroom and a small living room was almost all destroyed as was the clothing helong-r ing to the children. The interior of three of The rooms "suffered" from the fire and smoke and the damage will amount to quite a little. Mrs. McCurtain is the mother of seven children, five of whom are quite small, and the misfortune with which she has met will work considerable hardship upon her. Two new pairs of shoes Drfdttging to the little ones were burnt up, as was most of their other clothing, and frs. McCurtain had considerable of a task this Monday morning in outfitting them :n order that they might attend school. She has had more than her share of misfortune and this case should attract the attention of the charity board, and would be very thankful for any' aid that might be extended to her and no family is more worthy of aid than this one. In fighting the fire before the company arrived, Mrs. Mccurtain was burned about the head and face, and her hair also caught on fire. The origin of the fire is unknown, but it is the belief of Fire Chief Montgomery that it started from the starched clothing hanging in the bathr room, which had been ironed only a short time beforehand that gas was formed which broke into a flame.