Flames!  Eleven Business Houses Destroyed at Red Oak, Iowa.
 

Chicago, December 23 -- A Times special says an extensive and destructive fire broke out in Red Oak this morning, which, is is supposed, was originated by incendiaries.  Eleven important business houses were destroyed, and a number of others considerably damaged.  Estimated loss, $85,000 and only partially insured.

Destructive Conflagration at Red Oak, Iowa.

Council Bluffs, Iowa, December 23 -- Fire at Red Oak at 2 o'clock this morning, destroyed the entire east side buildings of the public square, which were built solid with frame.  The fire broke out in a one-story building belonging to H. Hopper, Newark, N.J. and occupied by D. J. Jackerson as a wareroom.  The fire, notwithstanding the perfect calmness of the sky, spread rapidly, and in about two hours that whole side of the square, excepting building in which was the drug-store of Whelock & Clarke, was in ashes.  The Hopper building was insured in the Keokuk State Company for $500.  Next south was a good two-story building, owned by W.F. Johnson, of Ottumwa, and occupied by Lewis & childs, hardware; no insurance on building; loss $3,000.  Lewis & childs' loss is about $6,000; insured in the
Commercial of St. Louis for $1,000.  the next two were one-story buildings.

    The first was owned by H. A. Thompson, and occupied as a warehouse by Lewis & Childs; loss on building, $600.  Second, owned by Mike Osborn and occupied by Mrs. H. P. Lewis as a millinery store.  Loss on building, $500; no
insurance.  the corner building was owned and occupied by Joseph Fisher as a grocery store.  Loss, $2,000; insurance on building, $1,000, in the Mercantile Company, of Chicago; on the goods, for $1,900, in the Commercial, St. Louis.  A building (two-story) next north of the one in which the fire originated was owned by Whittier & Osborn, and was a harness manufactory.
     Loss on building and goods about $3,000; insured in the Mercantile, of Chicago, for $1,000, and in the Globe, of Chicago, $1,000.  Next, a one-story building, owned by T. W. Crandall.  Loss, $4,000; no insurance. Occupied by J.M. McLean as a dry goods store.  McLean's loss, $500.  Two building and one stone house, owned and occupied by Isaac Payne as restaurant and tobacco store; loss about $2,000; some insurance on goods. The next building was a one-story frame, owned by T.W. Crandall, was torn down to prevent further spreading of the fire.  Wheelock & Clark's drug
store was the corner building.  The goods were carried out in a hasty manner and damaged to the extent of some two hundred dollars.  The loss of Mr. Jakerson, who .... [remainder cut off]

~ transcribed by Sharyl Ferrall for Iowa Old Press