Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1908 — AN EARLY MORNING BLAZE. [ARTICLE]

AN EARLY MORNING BLAZE.

W. Hans’ Ice House and Hemphill’s Storage Building Scorched. \A fire alarm was turned in Friday morning at 4:30 and a number of people got out of bed that otherwise would have staid there an hour or two longer. A fire had been discovered in the rear of T. W. Haus’ ice house on Front street, and was making good headway when discovered by James Bullis and his brother. It was undoubtedly of Incendiary origin, as the building was empty and had been for a year or two. It seemed impossible to get an alarm turned in, but after a long wait one was sounded. The entire back of Haus’ ice house was destroyed and the roof on the main building is considerably damaged. His loss will reach S3OO, with no insurance. From the ice house the fire spread to M. L. Hemphill’s storage house, where he keeps his horse stocks, and the roof and ceiling of this building is so damaged that it will have to be made loss will amount to S.L|O and is no insurance, although all his other property is covered by insurance. Several sets of stocks that were stored in this room were carried into the street, and the damage to them will be such that they may have to be repainted. A burning brand, it is supposed, also set fire to the shingle roof of Christie Vick’s fruit store, two blocks east of the fire, and a small hole was burned in the roof.