Telegram Herald

DISASTROUS FIRE IN IOWA.
Business Blocks and Forty Residences in
What Cheer Entirely Destroyed

Des Moines, Ia., Aug. 4.-Fire early
Sunday morning destroyed one-half the
business portion and forty residences of
What Cheer, Ia. The fire originated at
W. B. Armstrong's meat market and is
supposed to have
been the work
of an incendiary. The alarm was
sounded shortly after midnight, and the
flames were not under control until 3
o'clock. The fire department was pow-
erless because of lack of water, and
nothing saved the entire north half of
the town except a change in the direc-
tion of the wind. From Broadway three
blocks north on both sides of Barnes
street everything was swept away,
including the opera-house, Crescent
supply store, the Harlem and Parrot
block, the buildings occupied by J. H.
Leathers and T. G. Funk, general mer-
chants, and many other business houses.
At least forty residences were burned.
The largest losers are J. M. Barnes, Dr.
Haggin, J. I. Leathers, E. G. Goetscher,
F. W. Funk, and J. H. Robinson. The
Presbyterian church was also destroyed.
The total loss is estimated at $100,000.