The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-08-17
Terrible condagration
Ten Buildings Destroyed
From s35,ooo to $4,000 Worth Of
Property Destroyed!
About rs Men Thrown Out of
Employment!

One of the most disastrous fires
that has ever visited our town, oc-
Cured on Friday last. A little after 3
O'Clock in the afternoon fire was dis
covered in the roof of the wood shop of
the extensive Carriage Works ofMerts
s. Riddle, on Main street, and the
alarm being sounded, in very few
minutes several hundred people were
on the ground, but the fire had made
such headway as to render all efforts
to save the building hopeless. There
was considerable delay in getting the
steam fire engine to work, some ff-
teen or twenty minutes elapsing be-
fore sufficient steam could be raised
to get the machine to working. But
the Hook and Ladder Company and
the old hand engine were promptly
on the ground, and a powerful bucket
brigade was formed, and an hands
turned their attention to preventing
the spread of the flames and to the
saving of as much of the valuable
contents of the endangered buildings
as possible; and right nobly did the
firemen and citizens labor to that end,
and many, disregarding their own
personal convenience and safety,
worked till they were completely
overcome with the heat and exhaus-
ton and dropped down st their posts.
For time hopes were entertained
that the fire might be confined to the
building in which it originated, but
theswat in the reservoir near the
scene of the confagration gave out,
and the bucket men were driven from
their positions ON the surrounding
buildings by the intense heat of the
fire, and the flames soon communicat-
ed to the dwelling house just west of
the wood shop, to the pump factory
of Messrs. Lowe & Wait and the
foundry, the machine shop of Knapp
Brothers, the trim shop of Merits &
Riddle, the barn and carpenter shop
of w. r. Alcorn, and the barns of
VIM. L. Goodman and Mrs. M. b.
Skinner, all of which were entirely
consumed. The large and commodi-
ous brick blacksmith shop of Messrs.
Merits s. Riddle, was on fire in sever
al places, but by this time the steamer
was got into operation and such a
food of water poured uponsthe burn
ing building as to compel the flames
to loose their hold, and Che building
was saved from destruction, but in q
greatly damaged condition. 81 -ssiiss.lI
The fire is supposed to have origis
mated from q furnace In which one Of
the workmen had built a fire of light
stuff for the purpose of melting some
glue, the sparks from the furnace
lighting upon the roof which was
very dry, and igniting it. g
In all there were ten buildings
burned and the loss is very heavy
Therloss Of Messrs. Merits 81 Riddle
on buildings, lumber, tools and mate
rials is estimated at about $40, 600 !;
that of Lowe g& Wait, at $l3, 900 /;
Knapp Brothefs, s., 300; VIM. RAJ
corn, on building, tools, and damage
to house and furniture, $1,000; VIM. L..
Goodman, barn destroyed s4O0; Mrs.
Skinner, barn destroyed. and damage
to- house, and furniture, 500. The
only insurance was $3.50 on the barn
and property of Mr.. Alcorn 500. on
that of Mr.. Goodman, and enough on
the dwelling and furniture of Mrs.
Skinner to cover the damage on them.
Some seyenty-fve men or more are
temporarily thrown out of employ
ment by this great calamity, but we
are glad to learn that the suspensions
Of business on the part of Messrs.
Merits s. Riddle, and of Messrs. Lowe
g Wait, will but for q few days.-
The former gentlemen have made ar
rangements for resuming their bust
ness for the time being in such rooms
as they, can fit UP for the purpose in
their other buildings, and are prepars
ing toserect a new, large and conmo-
dioss building on the burnt district,
at an early day. .s,s...5 lsl ,sssss,s
.sMessrs. Lowe 8 Wait have. conf
menced. the erection of temporary
buildings for CARRYING on their busi-
ness near the hub factory, and viii be
running again in a few days. We
learn that they purpose to rebuild