TOWN OF OSSIAN IS BADLY HIT IN BIG FIRE.

MANY BUSINESS HOUSES ARE WIPED OUT AND LOSSES MAY REACH $20,000.

(Special to The Sentinel.)
Ossian, Ind., May 27. -- Fire which started at 11 o'clock last night in the heart of the business district of this little town, completely destroyed all the business house on Main street from Craig to Mill, put more than half a dozen concerns temporarily out of business and resulted in losses that may aggregate $20,000, with only partial insurance.
The buildings included the Hatfield block, a two-story brick structure occupied by RECTOR Bros. department store, the Ossian Business college and the Ossian News, the CRUMMIT & NORWALD barber shop, JOHN WOODWARD'S meat market, barn and ice house, F. M. SHARP'S hardware establishment and the L. F. WILSON livery barn. All the buildings save the Hatfield block were of frame, and all are a total loss. In a few instances a portion of the goods were gotten out, the heaviest losers being the SHARP Hardware and the RECTOR Bros. store.
The fire was discovered shortly after 11 o'clock by DR. E. W. DYER, who had returned from Bluffton, and was putting his automobile in his garage when he noticed a suspicious light in the wareroom of the Harfield block, which adjoined the RECTOR store. DR. DYER made an investigation, saw the blaze and turned in an alarm, but within a few minutes the fire had so great a start that the hand engine and the volunteer fire company could do nothing to stay the progress of the flames. It was not until 2 o'clock this morning that the fire was brought under control, after all the buildings had been swept from the block. The origin of the fire is unknown. The warehouse where the flames started was almost empty.

Was Pretentious Building.
The Hatfield block, the most pretentious business building in the town, was of brick two stories in height, owned by V. M. HATFIELD, who but a short time ago retired from active mercantile life in Ossian. The lower floor of the building was occupied by RECTOR Bros., with a department store. A portion of the stock was gotten out of the building, but it is believed that the loss of this firm will reach at least $3,000, partially covered by insurance. From the upper floor only two or three typewriters were gotten out of the Ossian Business college, and the loss here will be about $500. The office of the Ossian News, a weekly newspaper owned by JAMES H. KEEFER, was completely destroyed, and the loss will be $4,000, with but $1,500 of insurance. MR. KEEFER saved nothing but his office desk and his records. In an addition to the Hatfield building were the private offices of J. H. KEEFER and ROBERT HATFIELD, where additional loss occurred. Only the walls of the Hatfield building remain.
Fire spread quickly from the brick Hatfield building to the frame structures adjoining it. HATFIELD & NEWMAN had a few pianos and organs in the first of the frame buildings. They were gotten out. The CRUMMITT & NORWALD barber shop fixtures, in a building owned by MRS. MOUNT, were gotten out, but the building went down in ashes. JOHN WOODWARD'S meat market was next to fall prey to the flames, and his large barn and ice house at the rear also went up in smoke. MR. WOODWARD'S loss will be close to $3,000, with only nominal insurance.

Where Loss Was Heaviest.
The heaviest individual loss is that of F. M. SHARP, hardward dealer, who occupied a two story frame building and carried a stock valued at $10,000. Only a few stoves were gotten out of the building. MR. SHARP carried insurance, but only to a small amount.
Everything was gotten out of the L. F. WILSON livery stable, except the grain and hay stored there for feed, but MR. WILSON'S loss will be about $1,500. Before the fire was under control the flames leaped across Mill street and damaged the residence of B. B. JOHNSON to the amount of about $200.
Offers of aid in fighting the fire came from Huntington, Fort Wayne and other cities, and Zanesville showed its good will by sending its chemical engine, the machine being drawn to Ossian by means of a large automobile.
It is believed here today that all the firms burned out will quickly make arrangements to resume business. MR. KEEFER, publisher of the Ossian News, left for Fort Wayne early today to make arrangements to have his newspaper printed there until a new outfil can be purchased, and he announced that the paper would appear this week on time, as usual.

The Fort Wayne Sentinel Indiana 1908-05-27
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!