Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-04
BIG FIRE AT GAINESVILLE
TWO HOTELS AND MANY STORES
LAID IN RUINS.


The Loss over 100000 and the In
surance HeaYy-Several Towns Wiped
Out by the ResistIess Forest Fires,
and Hundreds of People Homeless and
in Mourning for Roasted Relatives.
GAINESVILLE, FLA, May "a fire
broke out in the Varnum Hotel at 3
O'Clock this morning, and when discover
ed had enyeloped the upper and rear end
of the building, and in remarkably short
space of time the entire building was
wrapped in flames. The dodgers had a
narrow escape from death, many of them
rushing through the smoke on to the bal
cony and jumping down into the street.
Several seminary cadets dropped from
the balcony to the sidewalk. Several of
the sleepers were not aroused until the
flames were burning the door handles.
IND escaped with difficulty. Mrs. Gen.
Narnum was rescued from the balcony
Dy means of ladder. Bucket brigades
were formed, but were unable to save
the adjoining building, and the entire
west SIDE OF the square was soon leveled.
Inc greatest excitement preVailed-men,
women and children hurrying to and fro,
removing goods and furniture to the
square. At one time the heat was so in
tepse that fears were entertained for the
court house. Clerk Carlisle offered 500
10 any person who would mount to the
roof Several volunteered, and with the
aid of wet blankets the fire was kept off.
The flames swept away building after
DulldIng. fortunately a light wind pre-
vailed and the Arlington Hotel was saved
after desperate fight. At ) O'Clock every
building on that side of the square was
IN ashes. All around the square mer-
chants removed their goods from the
stores, and 1t was believed that the entire
business centre of the town would be
burned. The origin Of the fire is not
known. At O'Clock, as the guests were
going to breakfast, the Arlington was dis
covered to be on fire, flames bursting from
the Kitchen roof. The fire made such
rapid headway that attention only was
turned to the saving of furniture and sat
uratlng the buildings on the opposite cor
ners. Fortunately the immense trees
shielded the office of the Transit and Pc
ninsula Railway, else the entire north
SIDE Of the square would have gone.
IN an hour nothing remained of
the hotel. To L. &. Dennis, of the
Arlington, the loss is $25, 900, and the
Insurance $4,000. The loss on the Var
mum Hotel is $4,000, and the insurance
$1,000. Endel Bros. & Berlaheim, cloth
lers, lose very heavily. The Florida
Southern Railroad office and freight house
were burned, but the loss is not known.
Il. Martinez, cigar dealer, loses Sc, 1000.
HIS insurance is $3,000 M. Z. Schmed-
Ing, Photographer, loses 800. He has no
insurance. Ziegler a. Pheifer, grOceTs,
lose $4,000. Their insurance is 81 900.
Chestnut 81 Clinton, grocers, lose $4,000.
Their insurance is $2,250. Lawrence
Davis, baker, suffers an entire loss. DR..
G. p. Thomas loses Sc, 900, and has no in
Nlvs D..
loses 81, 800, and has no insurance. NJ.
Endel & Bros. lose probably 5000, and
have insurance of $11, 900. F. X. Miller's
loss is $4,000, and his insurance
$1,000; L. w. Dawkins, barber,
loses 800; Mrs. Brooks loses
on buildings $4,000 and has no in
s1rance. The following companies are
losers: New York Home, New York I'm
derwriters, Germania of New York. and
the Liverpool, London and Globe. Busi-
ness is entirely suspended and the danger
of further fires is feared. Two fire COM
Canies from Palatka arrived by special
traln In the afternoon and returned home
this evening. The city will be patrOled to-
night by the Gainesville Guards. Nothwith-
standing the fire the citizens will give the
officials of the Savannah. Florida and
Western Railway and the press of Savan-
nah reception on Tuesday at the Plant
House. Mr. L. G. Dennis proposes to re-
build brick hotel Immediately of 200
rooms. The stores Will all be rebuilt of
brick.
There is a rum6f afloat that a child was
burned to death in one of the buildings.
The fire is supposed to have been started
by tramp who was elected from the
Varnum House last night.
THE BLAZING FOREST FIRES.
ASHLAND, PA, May 3.-The danger
fs.stg
over. Four farm houses, with their out
buildings and stock, were DESTROYED. An
old man named WesthOffer, living near
here, is missing, and is supposed to have
perlshed in the flames, as his house was
burned. From As to 30 square miles of
timber land have been burned. The dam
age to property in the entire burned dis
trict is estimated at $4,000.
SHENANDOAH, PA, May 3.-The fire
is still burning and has so far extended
over about two miles of country. The
prompt action Of the people has saved the
houses in its course.
READING, PA, May 3.-The Blue Noun
tains, along the northern border of Berks
county, are now on fire in every direction
and serious danger is apprehended. The
destruction of woodland is incalculable
but no farm houses or barns have vet
been burned. The fire spread from
Schuylklll county, and the people are out
fighting the flames.
CATTLE SURROUNDED.
WILLIANsPORT, PA, May 3.-The latest
reports here show that the forest fires in
various places have been extensive and
very destructive along the Philadelphia
and Erie Railroads. From DriftWoOd
west to Kane heavy fires We're in progress
during last night. Many cattle are re-
ported surrounded by the flames and a
number of fishermen had great difficulty
in getting out of the burning territory. A
large territory in the western part of
Lycomlng county was burned over, but
the loss is not very heavy. In Tioga
county the fire was general. Large guam
titles of timber were destroyed along the
line OF the TfOga Railroad, as well as
many houses, barns and other buildings.
The town of Thompson was wholly de-
stroyed, including the saw mill. The loss
is over 100000. Seventeen houses were
burned in ArnOt, entaiIing an additional
loss of $l50,O00. Two million feet of lum-
Der were also burned The fire was fierce
about Morris and Antrim. Considerable
pine timber was among the property
burned in different parts of Tioga county.
The saw mill of Andrew Kaul, at Spring
Run, Elk county, was destroyed, with
100000 feet of lumber. He had
no insurance. The saw mill, logs and
lumber of DR.. L. M. Otis, at Heml0ck sta
ton, i'll the same county, were also
burned. The loss is about $4,000 and the
insurance $4,000. Reports from Centre
and Clearfield counties to-day say that
the loss is not as heavy as was at first re-
ported.
THE WORST IN FIFTY YEARS.
Mt. CARMEL, PA, May 3.-The severe
windstOrm and fierce forest fires that WIS.,
tied Northumberland county yesterday
partially ceased about midnight. To-day
the mountains for many miles are burn
ing and smoking terribly. Farm fences,
cord wood, railroad sills and other Valua-
BILE property were destroyed. The loss
will foot up thousands of dollars. Yes
terday the forest fires were the most dam
aging seen here within half a century.
EMPORIUM, May 3.-FOrest fires in this
section yesterday swept over at least 50.-
600 acres, destroying, as far as ascer-
tanned, four large mills and some thirty
other buildings, besides an immense
amount of lumber and logs. The people
everywhere were fighting the fires. The
heat was intense, the air suffocating and
the atmosphere so filled with smoke dur
ing most Of the time that the sun was
totally obscured. The loss in mill prop
erty, lumber, ETC., will amount to S1O0 900.
The damage to standing timber cannot be
estimated.
ON LONG ISLAND.
BABYLON, L. l., May 3.-Forest and
meadow fires are raging to-day at various
points at the east end of Long Island,
L I