Rea & Koontz Building Fire 1898

Recorded in the 1 Mar 189 issue. and found in another column on same page fire was on the night of Feb 24th, gleaned from a "card of Thanks from Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Koontz

That Fire Fiend

Dr. Wiseman, Dr. Rea and J. H. Koontz were heavy loosers in the recent fire.

Dr. Wiseman lost a valuable library, a stock of medicines, instruments etc., while Dr. Rea lost his office building and contents, consisting of a large supply of medicines, instruments, a valuable library, one medical book being over 200 years old.

Mr. Koontz not only lost his building, but he lost several hundred dollars worth of household goods.

He was engaged in the school chart business, and had several hundred dollars worth of charts stored in the building, which with patterns, plans and specifications for new charts, were all swept away.

This is a great loss to Mr Koontz, as it really destroyed his business, which has taken years to establish, hence he will be compelled to commence over again. This loss cannot be estimated financially as it means years of hard study and expenditures, and what is worse than all the rest he lost his home.

None of the above named gentlemen had a dollar's worth of insurance, and consequently should receive the hearty sympathy of our community.

Just how the fire originated is not yet solved, and all manner of surgestions and comments are made relative to the matter.

It was a myraele [miracle] that no lives were lost, as Erza Koontz and his sister Maude occupied rooms in the second story as sleeping apartments. Mrs Koontz discovered the fire first, as she occupied a room upon the first floor. When she awoke the fire had gained great head-way. With great presence of mind, she thought of her children, and immediately rushed up stairs and called her son Erza, who with courage praiseworthy, rushed to his sister’s room and dragged her from her bed, the quilts upon the same being already afire, and carried her to a place of safety.

The fact that the children were saved from being cremated is one of the great things to be thankful for, and so long as life lasts, the actors in the firey drama of that awful night of peril, will not forget the ordeal they passed through. - - Mar 1, 1898

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Insurance agents were in town Wednesday and satisfactorily adjusted the; claim of John Osborn, who lost his boot and shoe stock in the recent fire Mar 8, 1898

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Card of Thanks.

We beg leave to express our heartfelt thanks to the good people of Culver, who, on the night of Feb. 24th, so prompt to responded to the crv for help, and who so heroically battled with the fierce, flames, to save all that human power could save, from being destroyed It is most gratifying to know and to realize that our misfortune has touched that choral of sympathy that lies in the breast of everv human being and was made manifest in such a substantial way by our friends Especially do we thank the ladies of the Ladies Missionary and Aid Society as well as the ladies of town and vicinity, for their kind remembrance of us. Such acts of kindness gives us new courage and makes us feel that life is still worth living. Respectfully Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Koontz Mar 8, 1898