Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1893 — FIRE AT THE PRISON SOUTH. [ARTICLE]

FIRE AT THE PRISON SOUTH.

A Lom of *so,ooo—Eli«n*f Started la the SauUle- Tree Shops. At 10:30 a. m,, Thursday, the Claggett saddle-tree sli.tp at lip Prison South caught tire from a Gefectivc’Jlfie. and in a few moments the entire building was wrapped in flames and smoke, the conview au.l free men working there barely having time ?■> escape. The fire rapidly spread to the. UAS.ir-.-hop adjoining f&* dining hail, end to the hospital, and the ■warden had the sick and ins;;no rapidly, removed, and all the men in tho other buildings, taken fromTfifLc<dis. ¥ho great fear being that Ur** d'-nsestnoke wmtfdsuf-> locate. A relay of men under ths leader.ship of. Warden Patten and Jake Hmyser, president of the car-works, worked ;heraieally, but for a while j.t poked as if tho high wind would c:rrry the Maze to every building, and the entire prison would go. The lqss to the State wili lx* heavy. Nothing In tho Claggett liiillding was saved. Tne tailor shop is completely gutted, and the hospital is partially burned, while the roof ot the chapel is somewhat damaged, Dennis & Claggett’s loss is not known, but it must reach up to 630,000 with the maidl can not ha far short of 150,000, if It does not go over. The Claggetts carry $35,000 insurance. The convicts made no attempt - to escape.