The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-01-10
TWO MORE FIRES.
Burning of the Robinson House,
zoe Worth or Property Ds.tr.ysa

saO. zoe Worth OF Property Destroyed.
On Friday mo, ming last, at fOuI
O'Clock, the alarm OF fire rang
through our city. It was at the hour
when people generally sleep the
soundest, and it Vas some time before
a crowd was gathered around the rap
idly burning Robinson house. re- -.
The lire seems to have started IN the
wagon shop of Harrison Malone,
across the alley west of the Robinson
house. The west addition to the
building was of pine, and from the
wagon shop the flames were easily
communicated to THE frame part Of
the building. 8Ir. Malone arrived
among the first, after the alarm, asld
found the fire ia his shop burning be-
yond control, and tho fire rapidly
licking up the frame part of the hotel.
This was two stories, and contained
the dining room on the first floor and
twelve sleeping rooms above. Before
and the flames were eating their way
through the stone part of the build
ing, having crept in there through the
west windows. It was a sad comment
on the city that not thing could be
done to stay the progress of the 6smes.
With q hook aud ladder company,
even. the stone part of the building
could have been saved, IL not the frame
part also. Here is property enough
destroyed in one fire, and In less than
two hours, to have paid for the neces-
sary apparatus for good fire depart
ment. There was little wind astlr at
the time, and there would have been
no difficulty Ia defeating the destruc-
ton of this property. 1t is now hope
that some efficient means will be pro-
vided tor the suppression of fires at
once. = =
Thirty or forty feet south of the ho-
tel stands the residence of J. C. Hall.
This, il wus thought, would be burned.
Fortunately it, like all other buildings,
was wet with the rain and sleet of Il
day or two previous. The roof Was
soon reached by several citizens, and
covered with wet blankets and quilts,
which saved It from the devouring
element. :
The stone part Of the Robinson house
was erected in 1857, we believe, by a
joint stock comp my, tor a boarding
house for Normal students. It con-
tanned AN office and sixteen sleeping
rooms, besides the basement, which
WAS used for billiard room
and saloon, wash rooms, kitchen, etc.
1t was purchased and opened as ii mo-
tel by the Messrs. Hunt. In NOvem-.
Der, 1869, Col. Robinson bought it, and
Immediately erected the large frame
addition on the west end, and made
other improvements. It cost him, al
together, s29,OOo.T IL was Insured for
5000 and the lots are valued at S2,-
600, 50 that Col. RnbInson's loss Il $l5,-
900. One policy OF % 600 had expired
konly few days before the fire.
Messrs, Hankla & Peter, the pruprio-
tors, had purchased the turniture for
81 800 at the time they took charge of
the hotel, last summer. They added
about $4,000 worth OF furniture. On
this there was no insurance. About
one fourth of it was saYed. Loss, So
225. Total loss, SIS, 220.
The shop which was occupied by
Mr.. Malone was owned by gentle
man in Ohio. The building was prob
ably worth S4oO or $500. Mr.. Malone
lost all his tools and considerable sea-
soned wagon timber. besides two wa
CONS which were ready for painting,
and some other wagons left for repairs.
The loss. here was not less than 81 900,
SO that over $4,000 worth OF property
was wiped out in that short hour and q
half, Mt arly all of which ought to have
been saved, and could have been say.
ed, had we, as q city, made the least
preparation for such a calamity.
There can be no doubt but that the
I fire originated in the wagon shop OF
Mr.. Malone, md that gentleman, as
well as othersis,. ofthe opinion that Il
was set on fire. The attempt to burn
the Robinson house a few months ago
strengthens this opinion. He believes
his shop was burned to make sure
work Of the Robinson house. Ths
evening before when he left there was
but handful of Goals in his stove,
which he raked to the center Of the
stove and covered as usual. He alsc
raked away from the vicinity of the
stove, as usual, the shaSings. He
licked his door and went home. Wher
he srrived after the alarm, he found
the door open and the shop on fire OF
the side next % the hotel,
The walls OF the hotel stood dreaFJ
and charred until the middle OF THU
week. when they fell in, aud all Their,
Is of the Robinson house Is 3 pile o
blsckened rocks.
. ANOTHER FIRE.