Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-03-20
L O,OOO worth of Property
DESTROYED by Fire.


in this place on last Sunday morning.
The sufferers were Messrs. TRUEsDELL &
TOWNSEND, who lost about $SOOO.Oo in
the fire which happened on the night of
February 2sth, by the burning of their
furnishing room on Main Street. The
building burned on Sunday morning was
their workshop, located South Of the
Canal, on Fulton Street. 1t was one Of
the most thoroughly fitted up cabinet
making shops il this part Of the country,
having a large amount of expensive
machinery in the way Of planers, lathes,
saws, &c, driven by steam power. In
addition to the machinery and tools, It
was the repository of the winters labor Of
eight or ten workmen, none of which
work was saved. The value of the prop
erty destroyed is not far from $I2, 000.-
They had $4,000 insurance in the Midas
Insurance Company of Cleveland. Their
aggregate losses by the two fires is very
heavy, yet in defiance Of hs discourage.
ments which have befallen them, Messrs.
Truesdell & Townsend commenced yester-
day morning the work of erecting q new
workshop. Their shop occupying the
same site was burned in 1860, and was the
starting point of the very disastrous fire
of that year. Of a truth these gentlemen
have had to pass through q fiery ordeal.
They are among our very best citizens,
and have the warmest sympathy Of this
community in their losses.
INCESDIARIsN.
The belief seems quite general that the
late fires were caused by incendIarism.
The fact that in each instance the fires in
the stoves had gone a hours before the
fires broke out in the buildIngI, strength
ems the suspicion that the disasters were
not accidental occurrences. Since the FIRE
three weeks sgo,special care had been taken
each night by Mr.. Truesdell, to examine
the premises, and see that the fires in the
stoves and at the engine, were entirely eI-
Hence the conclusion that
last fire, especially, was the act of q
hend, seems warranted by circumstances.
Various rumors are aiost about d~isreputa-
characters being seen in that vici nifty
soon after the alarm was gwen, but there
has been nothing tangible gotten hold of.
$500 REWARD.
In view of the strong suspicious of in
csndiazism pervsding, the town authorizes
announce by hand-bill, and advertisement
in this paper, that q reward of $500 wall
be paid for the arrest and conviction of
the person or persons guilty Of the crime
of setting fretO the building dsstroyea on
Sunday morning. - cASEE
NARROW ESCAPE.
The carriage warehouse OF Mr.. II. G.
BELDEN, IN the North side of the street.
and Immediately opposite the building
burned, was in imminent danger Of also
being destroyed. The wind, fortunately,
from the West, and the roof of sur
rounding buildings were covered with
now It was only by the most diligent
application of water with pals, that Mr..
6elden's property was saved.
STORMY MORNING. /
Those of our readers who were no: call
ID from their beds early Sunday morning,
an have but little idea Of the severity Of
he snow storm that then prevailed. The
Eind was strong and cold from the West;
he streets were rough and dificult to pass
over. There was, therefore, considerable
lelay in getting ready to battle with the
/
h FIRE DEPARTMENT. !
When the engines arrived at the canal, !
10. 1 found their hose too short to reach ;
be fire, hence was Of little use. No. 2 :
ucceeded after awhile in starting 3 stream.
t was apparent TO all that things were !
good deal out Of joint. We don't know !
Tho. or if any one is 10 blame. Probably 2
be best was done that could be under the
circumstances. But our eiti- !
ems should begin to realize that q more :
thoroughly organized fire department. is 1
ne Of the things imperatively demanded. o
We would suggest that a competent Chief :
ing1neer of the Fire Department should 3
E either appointed by the Council or f
losen at the Spring election. It is nee t
ssary to the more successful employment =,
those mea the town already has, that !
Fire Department be made . matter Of il
consideration. Men who have '
Ie1r thousands and tens of thousands Of n
worth of property exposed to the v
frequency of fires, should feel 8 c
'rresponding interest in protecting thsm-
Ives from the raVages Of the flames, and =
't consider large OUTLAWS in that direction Q,
n waste of mooav II