People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1896 — FIRE AT FAIRBURY, ILL. [ARTICLE]

FIRE AT FAIRBURY, ILL.

Spontaneous Combustion Starts a Blaze Which Eats Up 8250.000. Fairbury, 111., April 15—Spontaneous combustion among the oils and paints in the basement of the two and one story brick buildings, covering 100 by 150 feet at Locust and Third streets, caused a fire which destroyed nearly $250,000 worth of property in about thirty minutes Tuesday. The buildings were owned and occupied by Walton Brothers, with a stock of general merchandise, while the second story was occupied by offices. The fire spread rapidly and nothing whatevei could be saved. Even the occupants of the building had to flee for theii lives and many had narrow escapes. The injured: Stoller, John A.; injured by jumping from a roof. Swarm, Sydney; received burns and also injured by inhaling smoke. Through the excellent system oi water-works and heroic work of the fire company, assisted by the Chenoa department, which, although twelve miles distant, was on hand soon after the fire broke out, adjacent property was saved. The loss falls heaviest on Walton Brothers, but the others in the Walton building are heavy losers, as nothing could be saved. The insurance and losses are as follows: Walton Brothers’ building. $30,000 stock, $170,000; total loss; insurance, SIOO,OOO. J. R. Rayburn, dentist, office fixture,? and tools,$1,500; insurance, SBOO. Robinson & Farr, real estate, office fixtures, S3OO, no insurance. E. M. Phillips, photographer, office fixtures and apparatus, $1,500; insurance, S7OO. Phelps & Moberly, real estate, office fixtures, $250; no insurance. Carraithers & Agard, attorneys and insurance agents, office fixtures and library, $1,800; insurance, S4OO. Dr. Dan Brewer, library, office fixtures and physician’s implements, $2,000; no insurance. Jay Tyler, barber and baths, $759; insurance, SSOO.