The 1909 Fire

Denison Bulletin – April 28, 1909

DOW CITY IS DAMAGED

Fire Monday Morning Takes Three Buildings

Post Office and Two Lunch Rooms Go and Odd Fellow's Big Building Damaged

A fire at one o'clock Monday morning burned the two lunch rooms and the post office in Dow City and caused large damage to the Odd Fellows building occupied by the drug store.

The total loss by this interest is in the neighborhood of $5,000, with insurance that nearly covers it all. Postmaster Wiggins is the heaviest loser in the post office, his loss being a thousand dollars with insurance of but $425 on building and fixtures.

All the mail and all the supplies in the post office went except what were in the safe. The safe lies in the cellar hold now cooling, and it is hoped that when it is opened the contents will not be damaged.

The big two-story Odd Fellows building is a hard looking sight, and while it was saved by the heroic work of the firemen and citizens, still it was damaged terribly and stands as a scarred and ghastly testimonial to the stubbornness and courage of the fire fighters. The roof was all on fire, and the large square front is gashed and charred. In fact, the interior of the upper story was well on fire between the plaster and the siding and the outside stairway was burned almost off.

On the north side of the fire limits, next to the post office, was Jo Best's hardware building, which is veneered with one layer of brick. The firemen kept the water on this wall steadily and it proved strong enough to check the flames on that side. However, had there been any wind, the west side of Main Street would have been up in smoke from the drug store building to the depot.

It is always a direct question how such a fire starts. In this case there is no good guessing. The nightwatch, Mr. Baber, evidently did not see the start of it, as the alarm was first given by Drayman Daughenbaugh, who lives back of Cole's feed store. He happened to turn over in bed and met the glare of the fire in his face. Jumping out of bed, and without clothes on, he rushed to the street to give the alarm, as the flames were so high and fierce that he thought the whole town was on fire. He got others started, and soon the fire bell was clanging away from the blows of a hammer that Dave Bremser climbed up the bell with, as he could not ring it any other way. Then the Methodist church bell got busy and soon the whole town was out and at the flames.

Those who got to the fire first say that the flames were largely in the rear of the H.A. Rudd lunch room and spreading over the rear of the post office building. Both buildings burned like tinder and it seemed no time until they were enveloped in a winding sheet of flames. The smaller lunch room building of A. H. Harper, occupied by W. C. Roll's cafe, soon caught and added to the fierceness of the flames, and then all hope was given up as to the big drug store building.

During the progress of the fire the hose companies had two lines of hose laid and with 70 pounds of pressure had good strong streams playing on the fire, and but for this the whole side of the street must have gone down. The engine and pumps were kept at work and the pressure remained good until the Arion hose team arrived and a third line of hose was attached. This soon sent the pressure down and when the flames were most threatening to the drug store building, a little stream only could be had. But in a few minutes the pressure was on again, and then the fire was soon headed off.

The losses and insurance carried tally up about as follows, although this is not authentic, except as to insurance:

Mr. Wiggins, loss on post office building and fixtures. $1,000. Insurance $425.

H.A. Rudd, on restaurant and lunch room stock, $1,200. Insurance $1,000.

A. H. Harper building, $1,200. Insurance $800.

Odd Fellows, loss on Roll's lunch room building and hall, $2,000. Insurance $1,450.

Mart Goddard, drug stock, loss not stated. Insurance $2,100.

The Odd Fellows and Rebekahs had insurance on their paraphernalia to the amount of $400 but the loss is not figured.

Most of the policies on these losses were written by W. V. Whaley. The adjusters are expected any day and for the sake of the town and business generally it is hoped they will hurry and permit the debris to be cleared up.

NOTES OF THE FIRE

Incidents Seen and Heard When the Flames Roared.

A freight on the Northwestern rushed through town as the fire was highest. The men evidently reported to headquarters that the town was burning down, as the authorities sent word to Denison and asked if additional help could be rushed to Dow City.

The Arion fire department responded to a call for aid right quick, driving a team over with their outfit as quick as they could. Their hose leaked and didn't do much good, but their willingness helped.

It is told that Walter Bryan went to bed in the building a half a block in the rear of the fire at 12:30 and saw nothing then indicating a fire. When he got to sleep he knew no more till morning when he came around to the lunch room to get his breakfast and found only the ashes.

Many people came in from the country to see and help.

Mr. Rolls got a good deal of his stuff out of the building and is trying to serve something to eat in the Swatman grocery.

Postmaster Wiggins lost everything in the building. When he got to the fire and opened the front door a rush of hot air drove him out and in an instant the flames swept through the office. The rural carriers had quite a pack ready for delivery, and all this is gone, with the rest of the mail then in the post office. The post office was opened up temporarily in the Butterworth meat market Monday morning, with cracker boxes and improvised racks for the mail.

Postmaster Wiggins will immediately rebuild on his lot, putting up a brick building there that will hold him safe in the future. The Odd Fellows will eventually rebuild on the lunch room lot, but they can't say when. Mr. Harper's lot will probably be for sale. In the end the town will not be a loser by this fire.

A number of automobile parties were in town Monday, several coming from Denison and others from Dunlap and surrounding towns to view the fire.