Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-06-12
FIREI PIREII

on Wednesday night last, in the rear
of the second story Of the store OF JoHN J..
RoBERTsoE, In the apartments occupied ny
A. ALBERT as Photographic gallery. When
discovered, the flames had made considerable
progress, and were issuing from the south
western roof They soon spread across the
rear of the building, and burned away the
cornice on Center street, threatening the Hen
dry store on the opposite corner, and causing
some uneasiness for time for the fate Of the
building adjoining It, occupied by HENDRY g.
KING as a drug store, the Telegraph oflce, and
other wood buildings between them and the
Fisk House The wind from the south was
pretty high, but fortunately the rain that had
fallen just before, seemed to prevent ready
spreading Of the fire. As the wind was in the
direction of the Fisk House stables. and the
sparks were strewn around the buildings land
lord Field thought it prudent TO remove his
horses Being in the upper story, and that
portion of the story where the fire took, being
divided off with several partitions, IL was not
a little difficult TO get directly at II with the
water from the engines. Yet, though the
flames clung pcrsistently to the inside Of the
building, 1t was socn perceptible that the con.
test with the streams Of two engines was an
unequal one. In something less than two
hours the fire was almost entirely out The
damage to the building was the destruction Of
about half the second story, burning through
the floor, and pretty much consuming the roof
raftcrs and plate tmbcrs The Photographic
goods-iramcs, pictures, albums &c.-in the
| nra
! So with the stock of boots, shoes, &c, of ]. p.
ROBERTSON & Co., which were all removed
So, also, was the stock of G. Z. Fox, in the
adjoining building. CHARLEY ROBERTSON,
accompanied by LABAN SHERMAN, were sleep
ing in the st0re-room; and though awakened
by an unusual noise and the falling of the
plaster in the back room, under where The fire
took, il was some time before they got up to
discover their situation. The alarm given, the
rally was a general and prompt one. The
engines were both promptly upon the ground,
the Lake Erie a little in advance. She was
stationed at the cistorn opposite the fire, willie
the Protection took up her position at the large
cistern in front of the Clarendon House.
Never, perhaps, did fremen do more valiant
service; and the efficiency of the Fire Depart
ment of Ashtabula needs no stronger indorse-
mcnt than that afforded on this occasion.
| Without needless noise or bluster, but with
intelligent foresight and sound Judgment, the
work was done The companies were full
and Chief Engineer MORRISON and the Fore
men and assistants were all on duty. Some
names are mentioned as especially efficient
but discrimination, where all did so well
would be hardly fair. The Center street cis-
tern, at which the Lake Erie stood, was drawn
dry before the fire was out, and she was swung
round TO another upon Main street. The Pro
tectiOn, however, found "Morrisons broken cis-
tern" too much for her, and when the order
was given TO stop playing the supply was yet
good, so that those who had laughed at tho
9Tdnd dborti0n, now laughed from the other
corner of their mouth They were candid
enough, however, to own the justice of taking
back what they had before said of its merits
1t redeemed itself.
Although the books, desk and some of the
cases were removed from the Telegraph office
but little interruption in consequence was
suffered.
The loss on Mr.. RoBERTsoN's building, upon
which there was no insurance, WILL it is
thought, reach some $500 or $1,OO Mr.
ALBERT's stock was fully insured in the NORTH
American of New York, his policy being fol
$500, of which Capthin L. W. RICHARDS is
agent.
With reference 10 the origin of the fire there
seems 10 be no definite or satisfactory idea
! There had been no fire in the building during
the previous, or even many preceding days
The gallery has been shut up for some two
weeks, on account of the absence of the pro-
prietor at the Boston Convention of Photo
grarhcrs. The rooms had undergone a cleans
ing during WrGnt sday, but further than this il
is not known that there had been any commu
nlcati1n with the premises.