Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-08-01
The Chardon Fire.

ChardOn was dlscOv ert't about 2 O'Clock
breaking out in two places; one in tn,
rear OF j. .. Teed's harness shop, ant
the other i'll the rear of Carlin u Par
Kers grocery store. Underneath til,
stairway attatch.d to J.. J. Randall.
store were found shavings saturated
with coal oil, and appearances indicated
an attempt to fire the shavings, which
for some reason had failed. Coal oil
was in flames running on the ground
near where the flames burst out. The
conviction is that the fire was set; in
truth, the circumstances are such as to
terly preclude any other suppositio,
Had there been water at hand few
buckets would have extinguished the
flames, but the Village of Cbardon is, as
regards water and fire extinguisbing APP
Paratus, utterly helpless. A fund had
been raised for the purpose of bringing
water from springs up on to the square
ny means Of hydraulic rams, but the
project was yet in its inception.
" hen the alarm was given, of course
the village was astir and in state of
excitement that only can be imagined.
Men, women and children, many of them
IN bare feet, rushed to the scene, and at
once taking in the situation as to the
irultfulnsss of attempting to stop the
flames, directed their energies to tie saw
ing OF the movable property. The wind
blowing stiff from the northwest when
the hire burst out, and had it continued
IN the same direction the large hotel,
owned and kept by Mr.. Benton, on the
south side of the square. would have
gone, and had that been burned there is
no telling where the flames would have
topped, The hotel was saved by the
exertlons OF the citizens, in particular
were the women cool, sensible, and ener-
getlc, mounting the roof of that building
and spreading wet carpets and blankets
to the very caves Miss Knapp, who
had dwelling and millinery store ad-
joining the hctel, moved her goods and
furniture to the rear yard, and strange
to say, her goods caught fire and were
all destroyed, without any one in the
excitement seeing the disaster, while her
house and shop escaped.
The most strenuous efforts were made
to save the Court House, the people feel
ing that IN case of its loss the question
of the County Seat would be more com.
with Chardon's chances less
III the contest. During the fire the wind
moved to the south east, and when the
flames reached the Court House the wet
carpets, &c, which had been spread MP
on the root, were licked mp like tissue
paper; and in about half an hour after
the fire reached the building, the roof
fell in. The safe was removed, and
previous to that the records, papers &c,
of the Clerks, Treasurer's, Auditors,
and Recorders offices were all saved.
The Jail WAS also under the same root,
but as a criminal is rara dcis in Geauga
County, there was no prisoner to escape.
The loss of the Court House was very
deeply felt, as the prosperity of the vii
lage very much depends on its having
the public Offices there.
There was very little insurance up
Dn the property; most of the buildings
were wooden, and the rates of insurance
had been raised to 10 per cent. premium,
20 that most policies had expired, and it
is probable there were not SIC, 900 insu-
rance OH the property. The whole loss
has been estimated at 100000, exclu-
sive of the Court Honse. The largest
oss is by L. J. Randall, who had Two
stores burned and most of their contents.
In these stores were a quantity of wool
md cheese. Mr.. X. was sick on his bed
out before the embers of his store had
lied out, he sent word from his bed that
he would rebuild if the others would.
low much MIR. X. was insured we have
lot heard.
The next loss in size was Kelley Bros.
merchants, their stock being mostly
Their loss is about s2OO,OO0, |
IN stock and building. Mrs. Kelley the
mother who had her dwelling house in
he rear of the store was also burn
d out. Weaber, boot and shoe store,
burned, stock partly saved; loss about +
4, 200. The Chardon Democrat build
ng owned by j. o. Converse, in which
'uilding was the Post Office, was burned.
The front of the building was actually
ut ont and the presses removed, while
he women saved the type, and the DEM
crat-pbenix like-will rise from its
shes this week, not losing publication
lay. If there is subscriber in Arrears
o that office, now is the time to paw
p.) The loss will be some $4,000 or
3 900. The contents of the Post Office
vas saved, the Post Master, MIR. Con.
erse, seeing to the public interest as
Tell as his own.
The dry goods store of S. Squires was
urned, but his stock, in part, saved:
is loss, from $1,000 to $4,000: Coon's
rug store nearly totol loss, the pecu.
ar nature of the stock making it diff.
ult of removal loss not known, prob
bly, from $4,000 to $1,000. The drug
tore of DIR. Nichols was also DESTROYED
nd little saved, owing, in part, to the
.ar the people had to the conbustlbles
lside. Clark & Parkers grocery store.
,ss On stock small. Tucker & Clark,
ROGERS, stock partly saved, loss
nknown. Joel Adams, shoe store.
ock partly saved, loss on stock
bout 81 1900. Rush & Harrison. hard
are, stock partly saved, loss consid-
-able bat how large is not known.