Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 206, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1918 — FIRE DAMAGES M’KAY LAUNDRY [ARTICLE]

FIRE DAMAGES M’KAY LAUNDRY

EARLY MORNING FIRE RESULTS IN CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO BUILDING. At 4 o’clock this morning the shrill whistle at the city light and power plant was sounded announcing that there was a fire in the city. The number 32 was blown and the fire company hastened to the corner of Washington and Weston streets, where they found the frame building occuied by the McKay laundry enveloped in flames. The fire seemed to have started on the outside of the north end of the building, and Mr. McKay feels that it was the work of an incendiary. Charles Jacks, who was at the Mam garage, just a block west of the McKay building, was the first to see the fire an'd tume din an alarm. Nightwatch Richards had just left the garage, where he had been talking with Jacks, and had gone west from the garage and away from the scene of the fire. , . . The frame building seemed to be very- dry and the flames spread over the building, but the quick work of our fire department saved the front part of the building. The building is badly damaged and the laundry equipment is also badly damaged. Mr. McKay estimates that his loss will be more than SSOO, and th: 3 is not covered by insurance. The building is the property of Dr. H. L. Brown, the dentist, and it is insured to cover the amount of the loss.

W. L. Frye was one of the first to reach the scene of the fire and knowing that Charley Collins was asleep in the upper story he called to Collins and succeeded in waking him just in time to escape from the burning building. The fire did not reach the front of the building and. Mr. McKay was able to save his large stock of automobile accessories, helping . hands assisting in the removal of -the goods to the street. .. . The timely and efficient work of our fire department prevented what would have otherwise been a very serious fire and one which might not only have completely destroyed the landry I (building but the adjoining building. ' The scene of this fire is the Old Republican building, erected about thirty-five years ago by George E. Marshall, at that time publisher of the Republican. (The lower story was used for the printing office until the consolidation of the Republican and the Journal in 1908, when the office was moved to the present quarters. The upper story was occupied by Mr. Marshal and family as a residence until he erected the residence