, 1884-09-27


About 2:3O Thursday morning fire
was discovered in the rear Of A. J.
Puffer's restaurant, next to Ned Har-
ris' saloon. The alarm WIS given by
the night watchman, which brought
the citizens Of our little town out en-
masse. Five minutes after the first
alarm the engineer had steam up In
the engine, and In a very few min
utes two streams were playing upon
the destructive element. By this
time the restaurant was all aflame
and had caught the adjoining build
ing, the Central hotel, occupied by
II. Thornton, and In less time than
it takes to tell it, fell victim to the
flames. 1t then caught in the build
ing occupied by p. Carr, the tailor,
and c. Hanson's shoe shop; the next
prey to the flames being ]. w. Will
sons saloon. During this time
high wind was blowing which added
much to the fierceness Of the fire.
McCauley d CrOssler's secondhand
store and Young 4 StOrer's barber
shop were the next to burn. The
flames now were leaping heaven
ward and attacked the walls Of Dus-
enberry & Stencils building, and
for time it looked as though this
large structure would have to sue
cumb. The fire kept running along
the wall Of the brick; the cracking
Of the tin roof bursting loose could
be heard above the roar Of the flames.
1t veered around the corner of the
store and soon the warehouse Of d.
4 s., stable belonging to Mrs. Geo.
Wagner and the Out-hOuses Of the
Columbia hotel were ablaze, attack
ing the hotel from the rear. The
hotel being constructed Of combusti-
bic material was soon doomed and
after burning with intense vigOr for
about 80 minutes fell In with a crash.
The Chinese wash house on First
street, below the hotel, was burned
to the ground. The intense heat
caused by the burning Of the Column
bia set fire to the wooden cornice of
Days brick, and but for the strenuous
efforts on the part Of the firemen the
building would have been destroyed.
The loss Of numerous windOw-lights
and the damage done to carpets and
furniture by water will be cOnsidera-
BILE. During the excitement follow
ing the crash Of the hotel, fire was
discovered in the cellar Of Dusen-
berry & Stencils store, and but
for the timely and effectual work
performed, 1t would have burned to
the ground. The street was alive
with spectators, shivering and shak-
ing in the chill morning air. The
fire boys worked with vim and en-.
ergy that was most highly commend
able, and all through the intense
heat kept the water pouring on the
flames. Dayton can well be proud
OF her fire company, and but for
their hard work the fire would have
burned the entire Of Main street.
The ladies of Dayton followed Anna
Bellies suggestion and set Il lunch at
the engine house, where steaming
hot coffee was handed to the fatigued
firemen. Without a doubt, the fire
was the work of an incendiury, and
should the dastardly coward be
caught, summary punishment should
be his reward for endangering the
prosperity Of Dayton. The losses,
as near as we can learn, are as fol-
lows: A. ]. Puffer. stock and build
ing, $1,000, insurance about $500; II.
Thornton, furniture and fixtures Of
Central hotel, Sl4OO, insurance 500;
p. Carr, tailor shop, Sl2OO, insurance
500; J. w. Wilson, building and |
stock, $1,000, insurance S3OOO; VIM.
Kinney, Central hotel building,
$500, insurance $1,000; Young 4 Sto-
rer, bath tubs and fixtures, 800, no |
insurance; Dusenbery Il Stencil, Co
lumbia hotel building, $500, inSur-
ance $500; J. Y. Ostrander, damage |
to hooks by water, $50, fully insured;
NJ. p. Charles, furniture and fixtures
Of Columbia hotel, $500, insurance,
$3.50; Mrs. George Wagner, barn,
about 500, no insurance; Hop Lee,
China wash house, $3.50, no insurance;
l.. f. Harris, damaged about $3.50,
fully insured; Mason Taylor, damage |
to building about s25, fully insured;
Dusenbery's warehouse and its con-
tents, $4,000, insurance $500; ]. il.
Days loss on buildings occupied by
p. Carr, McCauley 4 Crossler, nd
Young 4 Storer, $500, no insurance.;
Days brick, damaged by the water,
about $1,000, fully covered by insur-
ance.