The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-08-18

The past week mas Deen unusually uo-
table for destructive fires. They had been
exceptionally few week before, and the fire :
fiend seems TO have put in extra efforts to
make up for lost time.
Vineyard Haven, on Vineyard Sound, a
noted watering place on the Massachusetts
coast, was almost totally wiped out by fire
on Monday 1t originated in the harness
manufacsury OF X. w. Croker, and quick
ly swept through the city. There was 40
fire apparatus IN the town. and the element
had free course. The territory burned
over embraces about fifty acres of the
heart of the village. The loss will fall
little short of 100000, and strikes almost
a death blow at this ancient village. 1t
leaves hundreds of people homeless many
of whom are thrown upon the charity OF
their neghbors. The town was at the
time full of summer boarders from Wash
ington and elsewhere, and probably 200 OF
them were burned out.
A, Atlanta, Ga, early on Sunday morn
ing, the kimball House, hotel famous as
a monument Of the reconstruction era, was
discovered to be on fire. The flames quick
" ran through the fiume and hallway un-
ill the entire building was sheet OF tire.
To those on the streets the frequent ap.
pearance of startled guests at the fourth
and fifth story windows sent shudders OF
fear. This, however, was needless, tor Mr..
Scovile the proprietor, with the energy
for which he is remarkable, put all his
forces to work arousing the guests. The re
suit was that, though the immense SIX story
building burned with such rapidity as to
be a heap of ashes wi,hp an hour, not a
single person WAS killed or even scorched
There were IN the hotel over 300 persons,
and US they rushed down, women in night
gowns and men in equally scanty clothing,
they presented most unique appearance
on the sidewalk.
The hotel was built by II. j. kimball,
and was owned by Robert Toombs, John
Rice, Joseph T. Thompson and others. 1t
cost 100000 and the furniture $4,000.
The Gate City National Bank was located
in the basement, as well as drug store,
tobacco store, etc, which are among the
losses. The total less is fully 100000,
while the insurance is not over 100000.
The fire is thought by Mr. Culbertson,
agent of the hotel company, TO have been
of incendiary origin. In the vaults Of the
Gate City Bank was 100000, the safety OF
which is yet matter of doubt.
On Monday the Hotel Devon, on the
line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, eight
miles cast of Philadelphia, was burned to
the ground. The hotel, which was built
mainly for rural summer resort, was
opened May Goth by the Cramp Brothers
as lessecs, and was owned by Lemael G..
Coffin, of Philadelphia. One hundred and
twenty-five guests and about one hundred
employees we're In the house at the time
the fire broke out The building was val
ued at $4,000 and insured for $4,000.
The barn of Mrs. Rust, three.quarters OF
mile from the scene of the conilagra,ion,
caught fire from flying cinders and was
destroyed.
The Passayant Hospital at Milwaukee was
burned on Tuesday morning at O'Clock
The old building, adjoining the new
structure, was still in use us hospital,
and twenty patients therein had narrow
escape as the roof took fire from the burn
ing building. The hospital was just under
roof, and valued in Its present condition al
$4,000. The loss Is estimated at $4,000
with no insurance. The building was un'
der the charge Of Architect Charles Brick
ner, Of Fort Wayne. DR.. Passavant Is In
P,,.sburg, where he has similar 'nstitu-
ton. He also has hospitals Of Cleveland
| and at Springfield, III. Plumbers were 81