Joe King Almost Suffocated

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press onSaturday, April 21, 1907.

Joseph King, the well known shoe man, narrowly escaped suffocation when the fire broke out in John Kuster's meat market on Congress street (now Michigan Ave.) shortly after 2:30 o'clock this morning. It was from Mr. King's rooms above his shoe store that the alarm was turned in to the fire department.

Smoke from the burning meat market, which was gutted and an entire loss, poured into Mr. King's bedroom. He has been lying very ill for several days. The smoke was so thick that the light could not be distingushed from the bedside. Mrs. King and her sister, Mrs. Bourke of Jackson, were there. Frank Minnis, Mr. King's traveling salesman, was dummoned and assisted in getting Mr. King from his bed to fresh air near a window. It was a long time before the rooms could be freed of smoke.

Today Mr. King complained of soreness in his lungs. They feel as if they were raw. The effect of the smoke may be very serious, taken inconjunction with the illness which has afflicted him.

Mr. Kuster carried $700 insurance with John P. Kirk's agency. The insurance will probably cover the loss. The origin of the fire in unknown. The fire department did good work, else the fire would have spread and done damage to adjoining stores.

It is a strange coincidence that just one year ago today John Kuster Jr. accidentally cut off his fingers in the meat market.