USA > Iowa > Carroll County > Manning > History of Manning [Iowa] a true record of the early surveys municipal history, and the business enterprises > Part 7
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A THIRD ATTEMPT AT INCENDIARISM, was made Sun- day morning, July 5, 1883. The fire was discovered about 1:00 o'clock a. m. The building was occupied by the Farmers & Traders Bank, in front, and the Monitor office in the rear. The fire was discovered in the rea .: room, where the Monitor office was. Mr. Lisk was the party who gave the alarm. Some one had filled a tobacco bucket with shavings and saturated them with kerosene. He then placed them well under the building, out of the way of observation, and fired it. There
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was also quite a quantity of paper cinder found at one place under the building, and a bundle of old papers had been removed from Callison's Hall, which indicated that the fire bug was well acquainted with the surroundings and intended to make sure work. The fire had scorched the end of the building and extended under it to the distance of twenty feet or more, charring a 2 x 6 joist half off. The damage to the building amounted to about $25, and to the Monitor office about $6. The principal damage to the latter, was the pieing of type. As to the motive for setting the fire, there were several opinions. But the most commonly expressed opinion was,- that it was an attempt to suppress the Monitor.
THE AMERICAN HOUSE FIRE, was discovered in a closet under the stairway, about 4:00 o'clock, Wednesday morning, October 29, 1894. The cause was unknown. The roof of the building was blown off by an explosion of the accumulation of gas in the attic. The .oss sustained was about $400.
THE FIRE IN E. C. PERRY'S STORE, broke out about 5:00 o'clock, Sunday morning, March 4, 1884. Mr. Perry, who occu- pied a room over the store as a sleeping apartment, discovered the fire and gave the alarm. He had been awakened by the smothering sen- sation caused by the smoke. The fire was beyond control, in Perry's building, before water could be brought to bear on it. E. L. IVES and A. L. WRIGHT were THE HOSE TEAM on this occasion, as they had the hose cart on the scene before. the other people had arrived. When it was discovered that Perry's building could not be saved, the efforts of the firemen were turned towards, saving Hoffmann & Schoop's Store. The goods were all removed, although they were damaged to the extent of about $400.
"It was while at work saving this building from the fury of the leap- ing flames, that F. W. Arney inhaled some smoke and gas from the effect of which he was confined, for some time, to his bed. To MR. ARNEY is GIVEN the CREDIT for saving the adjoining building and possibly the entire block. He slid down the south side of the roof, adjoining the burning building, which was covered with ice, and with one hand holding the hose, he dropped to the eaves, and with the other hand played the water in such a manner that the siding was but slightly charred. If the boys holding the hose had loosened their grip, Arney would have met his doom in the firy pit."
Perry's loss was estimated at $7000. He carried insurance to the amount of $1500.00 on the building and $2000 on the stock.
SMITH, GRINNELL & CO., sustained a heavy loss by fire, November 13, 1888. It was only by the most determined efforts of the fire company, that the fire was confined to this building. Never had
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the boys done better work than was done on this occasion. The whole. block was threatened, but by almost superhuman efforts the fire was extinguished, while the two small buildings on the north and south were hardly scorched. The building was insured for $400 and the stock for $1900. Mr. Smith, who had rooms in the buick part of the store where he resided, lost everything, and carried no insurance. Only a few pieces of furniture were saved. The stock was valued at $3600. Mr. Grinnell, a member of the firm, lost all of his tools which were valued at $300, and on which there was no insurance.
THE MOST DISASTROUS CONFLAGRATION IN MANNING occured May 8, 1891. It was discovered, about 2:00 o,clock, Saturday morning, in the Brunnier building. I quote, in part, a description of the fire as chronicled in the Monitor, issued May 14, 1891. "The wind was blowing a terrific gale from the south, and as the building referred to was located next to the corner on the south end of the block, the flames swept on with a furiousness that cannot be des- scribed, leaping from one building to another in quick succession, totally demolishing the buildings in Block 5 in less than an hours time. No one ever witnessed a fire that spread more rapidly and destroyed more property in the same length of time.
The first building on the south was a frame structure (as were all in the row except two), one story high, owned by John Albert, the front part being occupied by him as a saloon, and the rear by C. F. Rosenberg as a residence. Albert managed to save one pool table, and Rosenberg got his family and a very slight part of their clothing out.
The next building to the north was also a one story and occupied by J. Brunnier with a large stock of general merchandise of which not a solitary article was saved.
Mrs. C. A. Benson owned the two story building adjoining. The lower floor was occupied as a saloon, and the loss to the occupant was small. G. M. DAILEY AND FAMILY BARELY ESCAPED WITH THEIR LIVES. They occupied the upper story as a resi- dence. The family was not aroused from slumber until the flames had almost reached them. Egress through the door and thence down stairs had been cut off by the flames, and they, desponding, rushed to to the building farthest from the advancing flames, thinking that they would meet their doom together. A happy thought suggested itself to Mabel, the daughter. There were windows in the west end through which they could pass to the wooden awning and jump to the ground. A window was raised by Mr. Dailey, and Mabel opened another. Mr. Dailey told his wife and daughter to follow and he would catch
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them, jumping at the same time. Mabel followed and was caught in the arms of her father, but Mrs. Dailey being blinded by the smoke, thought that Mabel was still in the rooms and made a desperate effort to find her. She had given up all hopes of being saved- in fact, wanted to die with her daughter- when Mrs. Dailey's brother, M. Hire, called frantically for her to jump, that Mabel had been saved. This command was obeyed, and she was saved, but not before the flames had reached her and fearfully burned her so that her life had been hanging in a balance for several days. She is now on the way to a very slow re- covery. Miss Mabel's feet were considerably burned, and Mr. Dailey received a fracture of the patella. Their househould goods and clothing, also an organ, were consumed.
The next building was occupied by the post office on the first floor, and J. C. Engleman's law office on the second floor. POSTMASTER CARPENTER MADE AN ATTEMT TO SAVE A FEW EFFECTS. He got in all right but was soon surrounded by the firy enemy, and was lucky in leaping through the flames and escaping with burned hands and singed hair and mustache. All of the mail matter, fixtures and goverment matter was a total loss with the exception of a little that Mr. Carpenter saved. Mr. Engleman's loss was total.
The next building was owned and occupied by L. L. Lightfoot as a restaurant and bakery. They also had living rooms in the building, and MR. LIGHTFOOT AND FAMILY BARELY. ESCAPED with their lives, not getting enough clothing to complete their toilet.
Dr. G. M. Barber sustained a complete loss with the exception of a show case containing brushes.
Karsten & Dethlefs, who carried a fine line of general merchandise, also sustained a complete loss.
John T. Jay was the owner of the next building north. It was two story, being occupied on the first floor by W. F. Eckles as a sa- loon, and in the second story by Miss Lena Lohmeier, for dress making and residence. Miss Lohmeier lost all of her household goods and barely escaped from the burning building.
The Heffelfinger building, occupied on the ground floor, by him, as a jewelry store, and the second story, by Mr. Dillingham and family as a dwelling in the front rooms and by Seth Smith as sleeping apart- ment in the rear, was the next. Mr. Heffelfinger lost all of his stock which was covered with only $500 insurance. Previous to this he had carried $7500 insurance, $7000 of which had expired only ten days previous to the fire. Mr. Dillingham lost all of his household effects. Mr. Smith managed to get several trunks out, however, he sustained quite a heavy loss.
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Now comes the bricks owned by C. D. Dewing. One was occu- ed by John T. Jay as a clothing store, and the other by Ives Brothers, general merchandise. Mr. Jay estimates that if he receives the insur- and in full on his stock, his loss will not be much over $1000, as goods to the amount of about $5000 were saved. Ives Brothers stock invoic- ed at about $12000 .- of which, about $3000 of goods were saved. The second story of these buildings were occupied by Dr. Eckmann as an office; F. A. Bennett, sleeping apartments; Strong's hotel and Knights of Pythias Hall. Dr. Eckmann lost everything and carried no insurance. Mr. Bennett had just furnished his rooms with fine carpets ance furniture, and commenced to enjoy his bachelor quarters. The intrinsic value of his loss is small, but he had many relics and keepsakes which he prized highly.
Strong's hotel was the last building in the row. It reached to the alley on the east. and was a two story frame. The building was own- ed by Mrs. H. B. Barbee and cost not less than $3000. The house had twenty two guests, all of whom had hair breadth escapes. After seeing them safely out, landlord Strong set about getting his goods out, but he was not very successful, owing to the large number of persons who had no time to assist him. They preferred watching the flames and criticizing every act of the firemen, however, there were a number of willing hands and quite an amount of goods was saved.
Tank & Hoffmann sustained a heavy loss in coal and shingles that were situated just east of John Albert's building.
Block 5 facing Main Street, in 1881
William McManiman. an engineer on the Milwaukee, HAS THE UNANIMOUS THANKS OF THE CITIZENS OF MANNING, for the part he took in notifying them of the fire. Had it not been for the shrill screech of his whistle, a number of the occupants of the block would have been burned to death. He was running an extra, east bound, and had just pulled the trottle to leave town, when he noticed the fire and tooted the whistle. thus awakening the people.
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The night watch had been severly criticized for not noticing the fire and giving the alarm. His excuse is,- that HE WAS AT LUNCH. We wish to be as charitable as consistant in cases of this kind. When we look back to the origin of the fires that have ocurred in the history of the town, there have not been more than two that have not been ACCREDITED to INCENDIARISM, and the latest one is no exception.
As an illustration to show how hard the wind blew, a barn of Joseph Prosch, located a half mile north of the scene of the conflagra- tion, was set on fire by the burning shingles and destroyed."
The following table is a general summary of the losses sustained in this fire :-
Loss
Insurance
Owner
Building $2000.
Stock
Building
Stock
John Albert
Total-
$ 700.
$1000.
None
C. F. Rosenberg
Total-
$ 500.
$ 400.
J. Brunnier
$1000
Total-
$8000.
$ 500.
$4000.
Mrs. C. A. Benson
$1200
$ 500.
G. M. Dailey
Total-
$ 500.
$ 500.
None
W. F. Carpenter
Total-
$ 300.
$ 250.
J. C. Engleman
Total-
$ 600.
None
Mrs. Pepper
$1200.
Unknown
L. L. Lightfoot
$1500.
Total-
$2500.
$1000.
$1000.
Dr. G. M. Barber
$1200.
Total-
$4000.
$ 750.
$1200.
Karstens & Dethlefs
$1000.
Total-
$6000.
$ 700.
$3000.
Lena Lohmeier
Total-
$ 300.
None
W. F. Eckles
Total-
$1000.
None
J. T. Jay
$1000.
Partial-
$3000.
$ 500.
$2000.
U. S. Heffelfinger
$1500.
Partial-
$5000
None
$ 500.
F. Dillingham
Total-
$ 200.
None
Seth Smith
Partial-
$ 300.
None
Ives Brothers
Partial-
$9000.
$5500.
Dr. Eckmann
Total-
$ 800.
None
F. A. Bennett
Total-
$ 300.
None
Knights of Pythias
Total-
$ 400.
None
Mrs. H. B. Barbee
$3000.
$1500.
H. Strong
Partial- $2000.
None
There were minor losses, such as the loss of Tank & Hoffmann, damaged store fronts, etc., which we have not mentioned above. All losses, in the above summary which were not real property, were plac- ed under the head of stock.
As a result of the fire, we find the following changes and improve- ments to have taken place, and note the course pursued by some of its unfortunate victims :- The building on Lot 7, Block 5, owned by John Albert, was rebuilt in a two story brick. Mr. Albert died before the building was completed, and the same passed into the hands of Honnas Wunder, who rents it for a saloon, which has been occupied in succession by,- A. L. McEnturff, Graves & Moreau, Claus Edens, and John Hansen who occupies it at the present time.
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J. Brunnier rebuilt a one story brick. Immediatly after the fire, he rented a building on south Main Street, owned by J. A. Mills, where he stocked up and continued to hold his trade till his new build- ing was completed.
Mrs. C. A. Benson sold her building to Tank & Hoffmann, who erected a one story brick, which has been rented, ever since, to Jens Hansen, for a saloon.
The post office building, owned by Mrs. Pepper, was also sold to Tank & Hoffmann who erected a one story brick, and rented the same for a furniture store.
The Lightfoot building was rebuilt by Mr. Lightfoot, into a two story brick, and occupied by him as soon as completed, continuing in the same business as before the fire,- hotel, restaurant and bakery.
Dr. Barber, also, built a two story brick. He bought the Schroeder Brothers' stock soon after the fire, and continued business in the same building till his own was completed.
Karstens & Dethlefs rebuilt a one story brick, and during the pro- gress of its construction they continued the business in Lot S. Block 4.
The next lot. owned by Stouffer & Jay, was sold to P.B. Stouffer, who conceived the idea of putting up a small building to be rented for a post office. With this object in view, he bought an extra NINE FEET OFF FROM LOTS 12, 13. 15 and 16 to be divided as fol- lows :- Lot 12, owned by Dr. G. M .. Barber. one foot; Lot 13, owned by Karstens & Dethlefs. one foot- this placed them one foot over onto Dr. Barber's original lot; Lot 15, owned by Stouffer & Lewis, four feet; Lot 16. owned by C. D. Dewing, three feet. This extra nine feet was to be added to the north and south sides on his own lot, No 14, which he purchased of Stouffer & Jay.
This transfer effected Lots 12, 13. 15 and 16 as follows :- The store front of Lot 12, formerly, twenty five feet wide (as were all of the lots in this block which fronted on Main Street ), now contained the south twenty four feet of that lot; the store front of Lot 13, now, con- tains the south twenty three feet of Lot 13, and the north one foot of Lot 12; the store front of Lot 16, now, contains the north twenty two feet of that lot; the store front of Lot 15, now. contains the south three feet of Lot 16, and the north eighteen feet of Lot 15; the Stouffer lot (14), contains the south seven feet of Lot 15. the whole of Lot 14 and the north two feet of Lot 13. making the front thirty three feet wide. The one story brick building that he had erected is 33 x 70 feet. with two front entrances. The south side and front was partitioned off into a room 12 X 40 feet, which was fitted up for a post office and has been occupied by all of the succeeding postmasters for that purpose.
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J. T. Jay bought the Heffelfinger lot owned by Stouffer & Lewis and erected a one story, brick, store building. After the fire, he mov- ed his stock into the Wright building, on Lot 7, Block 6, till his new building was completed.
Ives Brothers moved their stock to the Norris building, where they made an invoice, preparatory to adjusting their insurance and closing out the stock.
C. D. Dewing rebuilt two one story bricks on the lots owned by him, and also another on the lot adjoining on the north, which he bought of Mrs. Barbee.
Mr. Strong discontinued the hotel business and started a restaurant on Lot 4, Block 8, which he continued during the summer, finally closing out and moving to Audubon, Iowa, where he again launched in- to the hotel business. At the present writing he is in the same business in or near Spirit Lake.
AN ATTEMPT, TO BURN BLOCK 6, was made about 9:00 o'clock, Sunday night, April 16, 1882. A hole was cut in the shiplap of the Dou building, just to the west of the window on the north side, into which the incendiary poured a quantity of kerosene oil. He also found an opening under neath the sill of the window on the west, and here kerosene was again used. When his preparations were all com- pleted, he touched the match and vanished, but the prompt attention of the fire company and other citizens saved the building, to which very slight damage was done. The wind was blowing a gale from the northeast, and if the fire had not been discovered when it was, there is no telling how much damage might have been done. The Dou build- ing is what is now Lewis & Grau's block.
THE FELDMANN FIRE, occured on September 18, 1893. On Thursday morning, at just 4:45 o'clock- as chronicled in the Monitor- the fire bell awoke the citizens of Manning from their slumbers. The whole town was illuminated by the fierce flames which were con- suming the Manning bottling works, owned by G. Feldmann, and located in the south part of town. When the alarm was given, the building was almost consumed, and nothing could be done to save its contents. The plant was a fine one, and contained all the latest machinery and devices for manufacturing and bottling summer drinks, and was doing a large and profitable business. The building contained several thousand dollars of choice liquors, a carload and a half of beer, and a large quantity of glass ware and other supplies. The total loss was in the neighborhood of $15000, with an insurance of $3250. No wonder the thirsty inventive genius has turned his energies towards appliances for consuming smoke when such things as th.it go up in it.
The residence of G. Feldmann was saved only by the hardest exertion.
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The fire was THE WORK OF AN INCENDIARY. There had been no fire in the building for three weeks previous, so it could not possibly be laid to the negligence of the employes.
THE FIRE OF 1895, for a time, threatened the destruction of the entire business portion of the town. On Wednesday afternoon of September II, eight business houses were totally destroyed, and a number of others were badly damaged. At just 3:00 o'clock, smoke was seen issueing from the roof of the Free Press office which was lo- cated on Lot, 6, Block 7. The aların was given by Herman Grau and in a very short time the hosecart and a large crowd appeared on the scene. The hose team started out in excellent form, with six men at the ropes, but the two leaders, evidently, having overexerted them- selves in getting to the hose house, lost step in the first quarter and stopped by the wayside to "steam up" when they completed the run and did some excellent service at the scene of danger. As the fire was between the ceiling and the roof, access to it was not easily gained, and when the water was turned on, the roof was in a flame. The crowd carried out considerable property, and no one appeared at all alarmed at the prospects. When the building on both sides had caught fire, the danger was plainly seen, but there was no adequate means for prevent- ing the spreading of the flames. A strong wind was blowing from the south west, and the flames were carried from building to building with incredible fury. When it became evident that the buildings could not be saved, many persons husied themselves with carrying out goods.
Every one thought that the fire would be checked when it reached the corner of Fourth and Main streets, where stood the two story brick building, owned and occupied by the First National Bank; but it did'nt. The flames from the adjoining building, crept in at the doors and win- dows, and in a few minutes the interior of the bank represented the appearance of a firy furnace. The heat grew so intense, that the Reinholdt building, on the opposite corner, east, caught fire, and for a time, the safety of the city was in serious danger. If the fire had once gained a foothoid in these buildings, on the opposite side of the street, and spread to the lumber yards of Tank & Hoffmann, the result could not have been foretold.
At this juncture, numbers of merchants in the blocks north of the fire, began making preparations for HAULING THEIR GOODS TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. Wagonloads of merchandise, office furniture and household goods blocked the streets and alleys. At several places, a block or more distant from the fire, one could see household goods heaped up on the sidewalk, while the manager of the place was striving in a vain hunt for an unemployed dray, or team and wagon of any character, that would carry goods. The sight was a
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most terrible one, but the people had no time for the spectacular side of the affair, and every one hustled. When the goods were carried from the hardware store of C. H. Reinholdt, men, women and children, all did what they could to assist in the work.
The chief efforts of the firemen were concentrated on the Reinholdt building, and that a successful resistance to the fire was made at this point, was due to THEIR HEROIC EFFORTS, un-protected, a man could not have withstood the heat half a minute, but they worked wrapped in wet quilts and blankets. It was half past five when the fire was gotten completely under control,- two and a half hours after it had started. While the firemen were working on the Reinholdt building, extensive preparations for fighting the fire were made, on the lumber yards, east, and on the brick block, north. The lumbersheds were covered with sheet iron, as also, were the doors and windows of the corner brick, adjoining, on Block 5, so that not an inch of woodwork was left exposed. Rooves were covered with salt and a hundred buckets of water were placed ready for instant use.
Following is a complete LIST OF TITE PROPERTY DE- STROYED OR DAMAGED BY THE FIRE:
The two story, brick, owned and occupied by the First National Bank, was completely destroyed. It was one of the best buildings in the city. The banking firm occupied the ground floor. The basement .. was occupied by W. B. Parrott, dealer in butter and eggs. The second story was occupied by the Manning Odd Fellow and Masonic Lodges. They all sustained total losses.
The first building south of the bank, was a two story, frame, own- ed by A. Cloughley, of Omaha. This and the contents were also de- stroyed. The building was occupied on the ground floor by Ferguson Bros'. restaurant. The second story was occupied by Mrs. Jane Carroll, as a residence. Ferguson Brothers had taken possession only the day previous. They, having bought out the restaurant stock, and just completed the transaction.
Next to the restaurant, was Nuppnau's meat market. Mr. Nupp- nau owned the building, and used the first story as a meat market, while the second story he and his family occupied as a dwelling.
The fourth building from the corner was owned and occupied by Peter and August Dethlefs, hardware dealers. The loss to this firm was one of the heaviest sustained by the fire. The basement and the first floor were crowded to their greatest capacity with hardware and machinery. Only a few dollars worth of goods were saved. The front rooms on the first floor were occupied by Dr. A. W. Blakeslee, who used them for dental parlors.
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The next building, the Free Press office, a one story, frame, was owned by G. W. Laflar. A portion of the office fixtures and furniture was saved. The files of the paper were lost, also the reversable, double acting, ball bearing, automatic, rapid, manifold, stone crushing, print- ing press. It is generally understood that the (printer's) Devil had it in for this press, and no little surprise was manifested when it was learned that this relic of the ages had succumbed to the ravages of the flames.
Peter Wacker, who occupied the sixth building as a saloon, sus- tained a total loss. The building was owned by Marie Stoppelberg. It was a one story frame, with a sheet iron, imitation brick front and coated with sheet iron on the sides.
The blacksmith shop of John Vossbeck was also covered with sheet iron, but this was no protection against the fury of the flames. It is generally supposed that the fire was caused from the sparks that issued from the steam engine that was used in the shop. The building was one story and owned by Mr. Vossbeck.
When the eighth building, the wagon shop of Adolph Cook, was destroyed, the fire reached a vacant lot, and was compelled to quit business in that direction.
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