Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1902 — Latest From Wolcott. [ARTICLE]

Latest From Wolcott.

J. J. Montgomery returned from his trip to Woloott, this morning. He says the great fire was even worse, and a harder blow to the towD, than previously stated. Tbe loss he thinks will be muoh more than SIOO,OOO and the insurance is relatively very small. Our previous account he says is practically entirely correct The rapidity with whioh the fire spread especially after the front blew out of the Spencer drug store, was frightful. For instance the Ferguson hotel, which was the farthest away of the burned bnildings, was reaohed so quickly, that almost nothing was saved. A. Leopold & Son did not save nearly as much of their stook as was reported. In fact the fire spread so quickly that few of the merchants were able to save much of their stock. The Leopolds’ losses will be fully covered by insurance, but Mr. Montgomery thinks the majority of the losers have only a small insurance.