Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1909 — EARLY MORNING FIRE DESTROYS BUILDINGS [ARTICLE]

EARLY MORNING FIRE DESTROYS BUILDINGS

Frank King’s Blacksmith Shop and Ike Glazebrook’s Front Street Buildings Go Up in Smoke.

Mrs. Chas. W. Rhoades, wife of the assistant chief of the fire department, discovered flames Issuing from the roof of Frank King’s blacksmith shop, on Front street, just opposite tho Rhoades’ residence, at about 15 minutes before 6 o’clock this Thursday morning. She promptly turned in a fire alarm and the shrill notes of the whistle piped out clearly on the crisp morning air. The fire had a good start and the dry timbers furnished opportunity for the flames to spread rapidly. The fire company made quick response to the alarm and before 6 o’clock had three hose streams playing on the flames. But the flames were stubborn, and as the rooms we e not plastered but simply cased with shiplap the fire soon enveloped the entire frame structure which extended backward to the river bank, a distance of almost 200 feet, and also the frame building which adjoined the blacksmith building on the north. The firemen faught valiantly with well-directed efforts, but the flames were not conquered until the roofs of the buildings had fallen in and much of the side walls were destroyed, 1 The buildings belonged to Isaac Glazebrook and only the sma'l whl e building north of the blacksmith shop was insured and it for only S4OO. The buildings probably cost in the neighborhood of $2,500 and while seme of the lumber can be saved, it will probably be worth about what it is worth to get it out Mr. King had about $2,000 worth Of stock and tools and carried S3OO insurance. The extent of his loss can not be ascertained at this time. His stock was largely iron and this will practically all be saved. His chief concern was about his ledger and account books which were in his safe. He was certain that he had locked the safe before he went home Wednesday evening, but when acc.ss was made to the safe after the fire it was found to be unlocked and the door open. The floor under the safe had partly given way and the safe was thrown forward in such a manner that had the safe not been locked it would have come open. Mr. King thinks it possible that the heat

sprung the door enough to cause it to open. As he had no money in the safe and there was no evidence of attempted burglary that theory is quite unlikely. The books were considerably scorched and burned about the edges, but it is probable that all of the accounts are still legible and that no loss from that source will ensue. In the small building E. J. Christman, a printer employed on the Jasper County Deipocrat, had his household goods stored. He had rented the house which Joe Jeffries is vacating on Vanßensselaer street, and was temporarily boarding at Mrs. Mattle Grant’s. His things were taken out of the room and not damaged except by water.

In the rear of the large room on the river bank several buggies were stored and also about 50 of the canvas covered coops which belong to the poultry association. These were all saved. The association owns about 100 other coops, which were rented to the Lowell association for their exhibit this week. The cold was bitter and the fire fighters had a difficult time. They wore their long rubber coats and rubber hats and the water froze as soon as it touched them, and they suffered intensely from the exposure. Mrs. C. W. Rhoades made coffee in a large pot and went from one to another serving hot coffee, and later Mrs. Grant Warner did the same thing, also serving hot egg sandwiches. These thoughtful and charitable acts mitigated the suffering and before the firemen left their work they had taken all the equipment to the engine house and hung the hose up to dry. This was necessary to have things in shape in case of later emergency. The fire company were up against a hard proposition as the buildings were all frame and a trap for fire. But the company did fine work, and again, proved its efficiency. The origin of the fire is a mystery. It probably started in the blacksmith room; possibly from the stove and possibly from a spark that had found lodgment in some flamable substance and had smouldered for hours before breaking into flames.