BAD FIRE AT ROWAN-1904

EMERSON, TRAIN, MCKINISTRY, KERR, BAUMGARTNER, FISK, RITZ

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 11/22/2019 at 06:47:36

Evening Times-Republican, Monday, Jan 11, 1904, Marshalltown, IA, Page: 2

BAD FIRE AT ROWAN

Special to the Times Republican
Iowa Falls, Jan. 11-A report was received here yesterday that the town of Rowan, north of here in Wright County, and on the Forest City Branch of Rock Island, sustained a severe loos by fire Sunday morning. Details of the damage were meager but it was learned that three business blocks, including one bank, and a residence were totally destroyed. Call for help was made on adjoining towns but little could be done as the town had inadequate fire protection. The fire was reported as burning the business blocks located on the north side of the street.

Rowan, Jan., 11-Fire broke out in Rowan Sunday January 11 about 8 a. m. and burned the larger part of the business on the north side of the street.

A fire started in the McKinistry & Co., store or hall and was all a blaze before it was discovered. The principal losers were:
Emerson & Train, hardware, loss; $3,000; insurance, $1,600.

McKinistry & Co., general merchandise, loss; $10,000; insurance, $6,000.
Mrs. Dora Kerr, racket store, loss; $1,000, insurance, $600.
C. P. Baumgartner, barber shop, loss; $1,500, insurance, $800.
S. T. Fisk, furniture, loss; $800; insurance, $800.
Bank of Rowan, damaged $400; insured
W. H. Bingham, brick block, damaged $500; insurance $5,000.
A. C. Ritz, damaged $500; insurance, $3,000, and many small losses on the south side, mostly glass fronts.

The entire town would have been burned if the bank had not been a solid brick and the fight was to check the fire at this point.