Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1902 — Had Quite a Fire. [ARTICLE]

Had Quite a Fire.

The Rensselaer Steam Laundry Burned. 1 ~r. _—: ' *' The Rensselagr steam laundry, situated ou Milroy street, at the end of the creamery bridge, and belonging to F. C. Lageu, was destroyed by fire between 11 and 12 o’clock on Monday forenoon. Phil Lagen, brother of the proprietor, was trying to thaw out some frozen pipes by burning under them a doth dipped in coal oil. The ooal oil gave out and he poured some gasoline cn the cloth, Evidently there still remained some fire in the cloth, for the gasoline blazed up into Lagen’s face and ignited that in the cap also. The large quantity of gasoline in the can, said to have been over two'gallons, spread the fire so quiokly that the whole interior of the building was blazing before the fire alarm oould be sounded. The desk in the office and 8 basket, fnl or two of clothes was abmt aU that was saved The firemen were on hand as quickly as possible, but owing to the loDg distance to the nearest hydrant no water could be thrown until cart No. 2 arrived from near the depot; when a stream was turned on and the fire was soon pnt out. Only the shell of the bnilding was left standing and the laundry machinery is probably totally ruined. The boiler and ” engine are probably not muoh damaged. Mr. Lagen estimates his loes at $2,000. There was an insurance II'OOO on the property, in S. C. Irwin’s agency. Mr. Lagen hopes to rebuild as soon as his insnranoe is adjusted. In the meantime he will oontinue to gather and receive laundry, and will send it out of town to be laundried.