Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 284, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1917 — Ford Automobiles Destroyed By Fire Sunday Night. [ARTICLE]

Ford Automobiles Destroyed By Fire Sunday Night.

A Ford automobile, the property of M. C. De Muth, who is the local agent for a Toledo, 0., fertilizer concern, was destroyed by fire Sunday night at about 11:30 o’clock. Mr. De Muth had driven to the Monon station and when he attempted to start the car preparatory to come to town he discovered he was out of. gasoline. After securing some gas he lighted a lantern in order that he might see to fill the tank. It was then that the machine caught fire. How the blaze originated is a mystery, but it is presumed that some gasoline had been spilled on the lantern Which was ignited by the flame in the lantern. The car was soon a mass of flames and there was no chance to put out the fire. The entire body of the car was destroyed, causing a loss of approximately $l5O, which was covered by insurance.