Greene, Iowa
F.
W. Vick Hardware Store Fire
July 1904
The building occupied by
F. W. Vick as a
hardware store was partially destroyed by fire
last Friday afternoon. About four o'clock in the
afternoon a fire was discovered in the small
building back of Mr. Vick's store used as a tool
room and storage room for gasoline, but he was
fortunate in having no gasoline on hand at the
time. The fire company responded promptly
when the alarm was sounded and were at work in a
few minutes. There was a good supply of
water in the tank and the company soon had the
hose doing effective work from three of the
hydrants as well as the hand pump. Through
some error the water was shut off near the tank
for a short time which gave the fire a new
start. It was feared the fire could not be
gotten under control and the entire stock of
hardware was removed from the main building and
the household goods from the upper story.
By five o'clock the fire was extinguished and
many of the willing workers assisted Mr. Vick in
placing the stock of goods in the old opera
house owned by Mr. Hunter. The household
goods were removed to the building recently
occupied by Mrs. VanIngen as a millinery store.
Mr. Vick carried $500.00 insurance on the
building which will probably place the building
in as good shape as it was before. The
lower story is damaged but little. The
necessary repairs will be a new roof and a
complete overhauling of the upper story.
He carried no insurance on his household goods
and the greatest loss will be the breakage in
the removing. A piano was badly broken in
an unsuccessful attempt at removal and badly
water soaked afterwards. He carried a five
hundred dollar policy on the stock and the
principal loss here will be the tools and the
gasoline engine in the building in which the
fire originated. The tools were invoiced
at $500.00 about two years ago and the engine is
valued at $175.00. The fire is supposed to
have been started by children playing in the
repair shop.
The Iowa Recorder, Greene, IA 6 July
1904
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