Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1906 — DISASTROUS FIRE. [ARTICLE]

DISASTROUS FIRE.

Old Hershman Building: Near Depot Burned. LOSS $6,000, PARTLY INSURED. Hendrixson Barber Shop Burned and Old Foster Hotel Badly Damaged By Flames Wednesday Night. A disastrous fire occurred near the Monon depot at midnight Wednesday night, and as a result the old C. E. Hershman store building was completely destroyed and the south part of the old Foster hotel is badly burned, so that it is practically beyond repair. The Hershman store and stock of goods had lately been traded to C. E. Jolly of near Francesville, who was that day moving here, and the stock, which was invoiced in the trade at $3,300 was nearly a complete loss, as he had no insurance on goods and but little was saved from the store. Mr. Jolly’s household goods were being placed in the James Fisher house, near by, which be had recently bought, and it was not damaged. The part of the store that used to be occupied by Mrs. Hershman’s millinery store was occupied by Sam Hendrixson, the barber, and be lost everything, the quilts of their beds being on fire when they awoke and made their escape in their night clothes. Sam had 1600 insurance on bis furniture and barber fixtures. The building and lots were valued in the recent trade to Mr. Jolly at $2,500, and there was 1800 insurance on the building. The old Foster building was owned by C, E. Osborne of Wanatah, and there was SI,OOO insurance on this. The south part of this building was occupied by H. C. Reed, as a hotel and restaurant, and the north part by Rutherford’s butcher shop. The latter lost nothing,the meats and fixtures being taken out without loss. Mr. Reed lost some little property, but bad no insurance. The fire was first discovered about 11:45 p. m., and is supposed to have started from a tile flue in the Hendrixson barber shop. By the time the fire company got on the ground the Jolly building was too far gone to save, but they managed to prevent much spread of the fire. The entire loss will probably be in the neighborhood of $7,000 or SB,OOO.