The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-05-01
BURNING OF THE GENEsEo
HOUSE.



with furniture and contents. What par
ticulars we are, at this writing, in posses
sion of we learned from Mr.. Thos. j.
Lamb, of Albany, N. Y, a commercial
traveller (boots and shoes) who was at the
house during the fire, and who arrived at
at the Harper House III this city by this
mornings train. He says:
went to bed about half past 10 o'clock.
before the arrival of the western train.
| They run bus to the station for passen
gees from the western train which arrives
about IL O'Clock, | heard it when it
drove up and dropped asleep soon after.
After awhile L was awakened by noises
and loud talking and had an impression
that there was a chase after a rat No
alarm was given. After awhile | smelled
smoke and got up and opened my door,
The hall was pretty full ,of smoke. just
then one of the proprietors. Ira Mil
| Ter, came to the door opposite mine anG
called his wife, saying there was fire In
the back part of the house and she had
better dress herself, but there was no
necessity for extra hurry. | began to
dress and very soon Miller returned and
told her to hurry out as quick as possible
No alarm had been given then. [ seized
my satchel and hurried out-none too
sOoD, for the house was all in blaze.
This must have been about 1890 or l
clock In an hour and half the house
and ali its contents were destroyed, the
front and side walls falling in-the back
wall standing. Women came shrieking
from the house with only their night
clothing and blankets wrapped around
them. Of course the scene was
very exciting. There we're thirteen
strangers, commercial travellers most
| house, besides the family and the regular
boarders. Those who had trunks lost
them. They seized their satchels and
niture or property was saved from the
house--or very little, if any There
seemed to be no fire department in the
village. There was little thing about
the size OF a churn, into which some
water was poured with bucket, and by
crank or break thrown out through
small hose, but so trifling an affair could
do nothing and it was abandoned, and no
effort was made to stop the fire. | sup
pose it was of no use, for they had moth
|
be even a ladder of any sort to save the
people with. The stable was not burned.
Some small out-bmldings near the house
were torn down, but that was all l saw
done to prevent the spread of the flames
Burd Miller, the unmarried son of the
proprietor, had a fall and tainted, He
was somewhat injured. One cattle dealer
claimed to have lost $1,000 In money.
! bu H. - = u:
| went to the railroad station house and
waited for the o'clock train and came
here-glad to escape with my life.
Thanking Mr.. Lamb for his story we
lid him good morning.
| The Geneseo House was a large three
story brick structure, built some II or Is
years ago, at cost Of some $4,000 to
$4,000 and owned and kept by Mr.. Will
liam Miller, and his sons Ira and Burd
Mr.. Miller was aided some by subscrip
tons, in building it, as property owners
in that locality were determined to keep
business in that part of the town. Their
old hotel, kept by Mr.. Hutchins, latter,
wards of this city, had burned and they
made the mistake Of trying to keep theil
, village up on the hill. The house never
paid, and was heavily mortgaged. What
insurance there was on it we cannot now
state MIR. Lamb says he heard some one
say $40, 900 but whether on building OF
furniture, or on both, he did not know.
LATER.
Upon the arrival of the acc0mmodatior
train from the east reporter for this paper
interviewed Mr.. John Raser, a couducto
, on the c., r. |. & p. road who lives il
Geneseo. He said he arrived home abou
II o clock and proceeded to his house ant
went to bed He had only been asleel
/ a snort time when he was awakened by til,
ringing of the bells. He arose and pro
ceeied to the GeneSeo House. but the fir,
, had gained such Roadway that it could no
be extinguished by the inefficient fire en-
r ginC5 Tor small force pumps) owned by tn
G city. The fire originate d in the kitchen
The hotel was entirely destroyed. How
ShO uiC OliBAhdeCO 10 q A49 SIcI IL wa
either from the stove or the work Of al
I in:endiary. Nothing was saved from tn
building belonging to the proprietor, and
number Of guests only escaped with th
clothing on their persons. Burl Miller, sol
Of the proprietor. fell down stairs an,
severely injured his shoulders and back
but M hopec vrarn hroEap
The Harrington Tor Old CentraD Hous
was burned several years ago, and tn
Geneseo House was the only regular hote
n the city, There are. however, severa
restaurants and private boarding houses
The loss on the building and contents
: about $4,000. Insured, but for wha
: amount Mr. Rasor did not know.
e Assessors Meeting.
i The assessors for the various towns j
s this county. except those from Moline
# Hampton and Buffalo Prairie, met in tn
IS supervisors room at 10 o'clock this morr
e ing to agree upon an equalized rate of a!
sessment throughout the county.
Assessor n. Dorrance, of Port Byron
was chosen chairman, and Assessor Jane
Taylor, Of Edgiugton, secretary.
The assessment will correspond with th
= equalized rates of the state board
= equalization for 1876. Following are