The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-11-21
LOCAL MATTERS.

The Fire Fiend-The Engine House,
Two Engines and Three Hose Carts
Destroyed.-About o'clock on Wednes-
day morning last, hre was discovered issuing
from the belfry and roof Of the engine house
on CroRhan street, where the steamer Nc
Pherson and the hand engine City Of Fre-
mont, with their hose carts, were kept. H.
Hodes, who discovered the FIRE endeavored
to raise the alarm, but could not
get into the engine house, as the
front doors were barred, and the side door
which, it was understood, should always be
left unlocked, was locked. He was soon after
Joined by George Zeigler, and together they
managed to burst open the side door, but the
smoke rushed out so thickly they could not
enter TO unbar the front door. That sealed
the fate of the engines, as before enough per-
sons assembled to force open the front doors
the Bre had reached them and cut of all OF
portunity. Meanwhile they entered the frame
building adjoining, to draw out the hook and
ladder trucks, when they found the back end
of that building on fire, and the trucks blsE-
ing. The trucks, however, were pulled out
and saved in a damaged condition.
By this time the fire had spread rapidly,
and the Court House bell, and the Catholic
Church bells rang out the alarm. Crowds Of
citizens gathered, but it seemed at first as
though nothing could be done, SO used were
they to depend upon the engines in case Of
fire. An effort was made to form line and
S-,L LyYol ol-afu oh
were plentifulIy furnished, but it was dis
couraging undertaking, as many seemed dis
posed to do nothing but look on. Others sn-
deavored to pull down the frame buildings
that intervened between the fire and Tyler's
brick block, but the fire continued to spread
until it had enveloped the truck house,
Keefe's saloon and Rhinecker's barber shop
Fortunately, at this time, the hand engine
from the east side was brought over, and soon
had stream of water playing upon the fire,
doing very effective service. This, together
with the fact that the side walls OF Rhineek-
er's barber shop were of brick, and the roofs
of the adjoining buildings were covered with
snow, prevented the further spread of the fire,
although the building adjoining, belonging to
Mr.. Horn, was several times on fire.
The property destroyed was almost a COM
plete loss to the owners, there being no in
surancs on any but Keefes saloon and stock.
The loss as near as we could gather was as
follows:
Engine House, $4,000; steamer, 400; hand
engine, $500; three hose carts, 81 900; $500
feet of hose, $4,000; truck house and contents,
$500; Ksefe's saloon and stock, $4,000 Gnsur-
ed for $l,7OOG Rhinecker'E barber shop, $500.
Besides these losses the buildings of ]. Horn
and H. Hodes were damaged considerably in
the effort to pull them doWn,and considerable
of Hodes' grocery stock was scattered and
destroyed, Horns building was occupied as q
saloon by Mr.. Renter, who also lost consider
able of his stock, which we underEtand was
covered by insurance. It will probably cost
81 600 to repair the buildings and replace the
loss of stock. The loss all told will reach from
SIS, 900 to s2O,O0e, on which there is insurance
of about $1,000.
The fire is supposed to have been the work
of an incendiary, as no fire had been used in
1 b4o DulAu4uk 4OA bONGEhA hOoAng huOu6A NAoAd
is bare possibility that it may have resulted
from spontaneous combustion, as when first
discovered the fire appeared to have started
from the cupboard where the oils, &c, were
kept, which had been built in a window COM
municating with the hook and ladder room,
and through which the fire evidently COM
munieated TO that building. The fact of the
side door, (which it was understood should al.
ways be unlocked,) being locked, and a win
dow beyond being open, would suggest the
conclusion that the ineendiory had locked the
door on the inside and made his escape through
the window. The fire has besn a serious one,
virtually leaves the city unprotected from fire
but the prompt action of the Council in order.
ing two new steamers and 5000 feet of hose tc
be purchased, will in a short time, place US il
a better condition then ever TO subdue con
fagration.