Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, May 10, 1896

Damaged By Water

Mr. Nyenhuis Wanted the Firemen to Stop But They Wouldn't

By the explosion of a lantern in a storeroom in the rear of the store of G. J. Nyenhuis, Nos. 250 and 252 St. Joseph street, damage to the amount of $1,200 was done. William Nyenhuis, son of the proprietor, was in the store-room shortly after 9 o'clock last night and set the lantern down beside a barrel of gasoline. There was a loud explosion and some of the gasoline caught fire.

William tried to extinguish the flames and in doing so burned his hands and one of his feet quite badly. Finding that he could accomplish nothing in this way, the young man ran out into the street calling for a policeman. Officer Rendeland (?) heard the noise, and seeing smoke coming from the shed, pulled the box.

Much of the damage to Mr. Nyenhuis was by water that was poured upon the contents of his store-room. He ran out among the firemen two or three times frantically crying that the fire was all out and that there was no need of their deluging his stock and damaging it in that way. The fireman continued to hack away at the building with their axes just the same and the water continued to pour upon the tinware, agricultural implements, bicycles, and whatever else he had stored within. There was no insurance and his loss was consequently heavy.