Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1909 — Town of Ambia Has a $30,000 Fire Tuesday Evening. [ARTICLE]

Town of Ambia Has a $30,000 Fire Tuesday Evening.

A fire at the town of Ambia, near Lafayette, Tuesday evening, caused a loss of about $30,000. The residence and barn of Dr. Edward Randall, were burned, the fire starting from a five gallon can of gasoline, which the doctor kept in his barn and which is supposed to have exploded. The firethen spread to a two-story brick block belonging to Mahlon Boyer, and the block was destroyed. Three business rooms In the building were occupied by enterprising merchants. D. H. Yeoman and L. Strong were glad to learn that the property of their relatives, the Yeoman boys, \yas not Included in the loss. The fire department of Hoopestown, 111., was called and made the trip to Ambia on a special train but did not reach there until the fire had secured such a start that it could not be conquered. The lower floors of the Boyer building were occupied by the Thos. Cuffey hardware store, the Thos. Cassoway grocery and a bowling alley and pool room. Part of the stock was saved. The upper Btory was used by a number of lodges—the Modern Woodmen of America, the Royal Neighbors, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Woodmen of the World. All lost all of their paraphenalia.