Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-11-04
Extensive ConAagration.
The lie Claire lIause On Fire


guest In the LeCIsire House, Who had risen
early, in formed Mr.. Gi!lett. one of the proprie-
tors of the house, that he felt sa,itfed that the
building wss on FIRE, as be had for sone time
ex,eri.peed the sufocs,iDg sensation Of inhal-
ing smoke. Mr.. Gillet at once com n need
locking around the building and finally dis
covered the fire IN tire boot sDd shoe store OF
l. ). Orlway, next door aboye the LgClaire
House en,rsoce. He at once proceeded 10
give tie alarm TO the boarders and guests of
the house, a.d then rai.ed the alarm on the
stree,s Ia very fe " ninutes quite crowd
bad gathered, the back door Of the store was
burst open, but l. was impossible to TO enter
owing 10 the thick smoke which came rushirg
u.. L orch was ascsr'ainsd, hocever. TO
satisfy Mr. Morris, who effected the entrance,
that the fire had made considerable progresr,
aud that Il would rsquIre extraor dinary exer-
{. MS 10 save the baiijing. and possibly. the
whole block. IL. closed the door to preveb.
the air getting to the hrr, and proceeded 10
sssi in removing the furniture from the
rooms Wiling hanGs we're found TO lay hold
ard soon most Of the .if els 10 the eecond and
thiii alo,ies os tho hotel were eafely removed
aud stored in buildings out of the way Of the
fire or carried up TO Third eiree.. This wa.
not ac ompiishcd. howev r. until much dam
| age had be. n done by fire and water. Before
the engines had arrived on .he g!eund the
flames bad up through the wooden parii.
tions nearly to the roof az ] tne lath haf to'be
stove of TO a'Io y the water TO sch the tlaues
/ ne tire was finally drowned ont, but not be-
fore it had completely gntted Oraway's stcre,
turned ont the hnor and cut of some OF the
store.
TIE L1ssEs
Mr. Ofdway estimates bis stock at some
thin over five thousand dollars. lie did Lot
save anythin,. HE book- notes and accounts
were 81 TURNED lie was insui In the
Hartford Insurance Company for 81 0O0, ard
in the ManhIttan for 81 900.
Gillett, W"rt- & Co, Of the LeClaire Nouae.
looee ia damage on turniture. ETC., about one
ousani dollars insured in The l. riard for
s4o0
patnam Rogers, attorneys. r.xt door
above Oriwa,'s. removed ti.ir very fine of
fce furniture, and, save siight damage and
trouble. lose nothing
5 H. starr bookseller and dealer q iTuit
removed u oat Of his stock safely. ard suffer
but Sigh, l. ss-s25 will cover it all.
The luildng belongs to the LeCialre estate
aud was fully Insured in he II ua.
ORIGIN OF TIE FiLE
The fire appears to have originated 10 the
northeast corner of Ordways store Jh're
had been no fire in the store slce SATURDAY
night, and the place where the fire started VS.
considerable distance from the stove. II is
v.ry difficult TO arrive at correct conclusion
regarding the matter. 1t may have been tie
work OF an iDcendiary, who e.fecie ed an en-
trance, set fire going and left to watch bis
opportunity where it broke out to plunder
That the fire had teen slowly burning seme
hours, there is no doubt. Mr. NJ Neil, who
occupied the room directly over the spot where
the fire originated felt the heat in h room,
some hours before; could not sleep. but al
trIbu,ed it TO fancy. he clcseness OF the
), ofe room prevented it's burning rapidly iih
b, 'sht b.uzs.
1SCIDrSTs ETC
Ofe o. 'thusiastic individual procured lorg
ladder. eli, rbed up TO room IN the third story,
81 zed a phot, graphic a!tum and fine tooth
comb, aud desc en- ded With great rap:dity to
the earth.
Much credit is d ,e to Mr. O. S. Mcneil who
stood st The front door OF Ordwa5s store ana
prevented The wild crowd from burst, og II In
which wonld have gi'en air to the flames, ana
and sent them rolling up the light woode
When the engines arrived, Sir |
Mcneil ordered the door to be opened.