, 1876-07-29
CONFLAGRATIONS.
A Serious Disaster at Grand Rap.
ids. Mich, Yesterday.
One Man Burned to Death and
Another Seriously Injured.
Narrow Eacape from Death Of a Great
Many People.
A Sf1ty.Thousand.D Dollar Manufactory
at Belott Destroyed.



GRAND RAplps, Mc.l., July 23-0nr city vas
vlsitcd by bne Of the most terrible fires which
eycr occurred here, though not tho most dieas-
trous In It's destruction Of property, Just before
o'clock tl,ls morning. 1t caught In SONG small
o,t-budtngs or rubbish In tho area IN the rear
Of tho Lyon Block, near tho foot of Monroe
street, and spread With wonderful fapltlltS to
tho rear Of tho Lyon Block, the Dotslord Block,
and the Rathbun House. A long, low wood
s!!cd, son,c wooden platforms, and stair
cases aldel its spread, aud, before
the alArfn Was given. the cntlre rear
Of the buildings named wcro In flames. Espo-
cially was this the case with tho Rathbun
House, which is bull. Of wood in that part.
The Hromcn worked gal'antly when called,
however, and soon conquered tho fire. prevent
Inc tho destruction Of any Of the structures.
Tic Watcr-Works proved Invaluable, and the
fire wa literally drowned out hy fourteen or
fifteen powerful streams Of watcr from tho
steamers.
So sudden was the Orc that one young
mau, an occupant Of tho fourth story
Of tho Botsforl Block, was burned to death.
Ills name was Edward T. Parisll. III
cscapct from the building once, and went back,
either to alar1n some one else Or TO savc sonc
ot his property. ...-
Another young man, Charles Il. Thompson,
bookkcepes Of the Western unlon Telegraph
Company here formerly holding that position
IN tho Detroit ol1lcc). happened to be staying
with young Parish over night, and was caught
by the flames and smoke, and 60 bat1ly burned
externally nnl internally that the CHANCES are
that ho cannot recover.
F. ". Peck, who WIS nominated for Shcr-
1T on the Republican ticket yesterday, mar
,fn ~, In In In trut
somewhat burned. He hung 10 third-story
window, fully 40 feet from tho ground, until
rescued Ly the hook and ladder company.
Several others escaped by ladders from tho
third story.
Several OF tho girls employed In the l.athbun
House were III the fourth story Of tho Bots
forl, but they all escaped, fortunately, TN
harmed.
Thrre were moro than a score Of persons
sleeping iu the upper stories of the Dotsford
| Block, which was used as part OF the Rathbuu
| II0use.
Tlnt part Of the Rathtun House proper
which wus most dctnaged by fire WIS
also occupied BY guests and employees, and
they were alt rousel In time to save tlcIr lives
One Of the cilambcruluIds, With rare presence OF
mind, acs from room to room awnkinE ting
slccpcrs or else noremust have been Emothsrcd
| to death by the smoke aud hot air.
| Much of the damage to the buildings and
their contents WIS from water, hence aecl,ratc
details Of losses and insurance cannot well be
given.
Autisdcl owncr, and lcontents, L. S10, 900 ormoTc,
insurance on bot1s, S13, 600, Tic loss on the Lyon
Block Il from Il 500 to 81 600; lnsura nee, 90 500
I The loss On furniture and contents to Mr. T. II.
Lyon, Of Sweets Hotel, ow1'cr Of the block, is
$4,000 to ST.. 900; insurance, $1,000. The
damage to tho Foster Block Is 500 to $500 by
SasS ss}, E. D. sio1 T. ay so : Co., os Il e stts
mere, as their stock, worth 5ooo, was literally
touting in water; insurance, $3O, O,OM. Williams,
Sears d Co., baAers IN the BotsfoEd Block, lost
nsafassd siask a M Bleod lS ie
In the Botsfori Block. lost $1,000; insurance,
5000. Coldrcn. Wing e. Co., lntllineEst In tho
Lynn Block lost on goos g al ~ furnitn5e W. n res
sse as1s9 of SFs5 %t stS,f xas soGas r.
Levitt, tn the Lyon block, dealer In toys, fancy
guosls, notions, ETC., lost $500 to $4,000; III.
insurance, $1,000. krcckel s. Bcrtscll, boot and
9s sifFs ~ ea sH saeen sn
rnnt, In the Lyon Block, lost $500; Insured.
Several iasnllIes-nlcn with only u wifc-nnd
single mon lad rooms IN tho Botsford Block
Insurance, This loss covers that Of pcrsoiIal
elects of tho employees Of tho Rathhun House
In tile fourth stury. Among such losers wcro
r. ". Peck, $. A. Kennedy, Charles Parish aud
wife, S. ". Ostcrhout and wife, Hurry Bissc1
mud wife, T. b, Littlefu1l and Wife, Archibald
Mcdonnell md wife. Thcsc lost from $50 to
$500 zach. w. T. Smitl. and wife, In the Lyon
Block, lost $500; not insured.
Had not our city been provided with water-
4 works, model, fuEl-patd Fire Department, and
fire-alartn telegraph, all introduced com|ura.
lively recently, tho fIru must hnyc destroyed
from quarter to Il half million dollars in prop
| Crty,