Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1911 — A MIDNIGHT FIRE ALARM. [ARTICLE]

A MIDNIGHT FIRE ALARM.

The shrill screeching of the siren fire whistle at the light plant disturbed the slumbers of the city at 12:45 Saturday morning. Fire in some unaccountable manner had broken out in the old Nowels brick store room north of the railroad, where a general stock of merchandise owned by E. V? Ransford and valued at spine $3,000 was stored. *. The flames were discovered by the night force at the Babcock & Hopkins elevator, who fought the fire as best they could until the arrival of the fire company. The stock was badly damaged by fire, smoke

and water before the flames were extinguished. How the fire origi-nated-Is a mystery, as no one had been in the room so far as Mr. Ransford’s son-in-law. Geo Thornton, knows since the Thursday previous. Mr. Ransford himself had not rettfrned from his Washington trip. It is said that the rear door or the room showed signs of having been tampered with, and the fire may have been caused from parties who may have broken in the store room and stolen a part of the stock and set fire to the rest to cover up their work. There was insurance on the stock, enough to fully cover the loss. Had the fire got a good start it would probably have made quite a cleaning out of the numerous old frame buildings and sheds in that locality, and probably have taken the elevators and the Donnelly lumber yard.