The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-04-09

A Jew minutes before nine O'clock Las, r.,
day morning 1t was discovered tina, -. ,0s
Hotel was on nre The alarm was De0a
soon men, women and children and
black-gathered from all quarters of III. a.. '0d
the former to do all they could 70 Hv-
the fire and save property, and the latte, ,
on in sorrow as the beautiful Leon-,h. :" ook
the people Of Tallahassee-was bein. p''ue Of
away by the devouring flames. '"ep
The fire originated between the a.,
and plastering of the kitchen, and h.a ~ fOot
considerable Roadway before it could \. ~aoe
Every effort was made, with the annl;. So"
hand, to arrest Its progress THIRTY =.
hand grenades and all that could he d.. "ty
buckets and the short hose used abou, ,ho WIN
made no impression on the fire, and in H.. .Vel
an hour and n half from the time the s,.,r "iA0
given the magnificent building was hu,a.'
the ground.
Its destruction was not due to wsn,ot
on the part Of the hotel force or of IN. ~, 0H
Tallahassee. for business was susnena.t
schools dismissed, and all worked heroic.n "s
extinguish the fire and to save everyrbra
about the building, while Colonel Rivers r. -au
out the Seminary cadets to guard the .,'.,
piled in the streets. e
Of the goodly number of guests n,...
dOmiciled at the Leon all ESCAPED with ~.
fects.
Everything belonging to the lessee NJ -,
Lee, was taken from the building, excen, a.
$500 worth of provisions. "'
portion of the windows, blinds. caro.,.
niture, &c, was saved, but of course morn ~',
damaged. The value of the hotel and fu-n;,n'
was over $4,000, only partially covered h.,
surance. The parties owning msjori,v NJ ~.
stock are ex-Mayor Edward Lewis, Co)onsl IL.
A. Henderson and Mr. NJ Lvely Colon., -
T. Myers. Major l.. d. Ball. Mr.. r B Corn.
r. & J. Munro and Bradford d Ross had sm.n
amounts in the company
On Tuesday the people of Tallahassee
garded the burning of the Leon as a great c,.,.
ity to our city, and it is said that many sbsd,s..
as they watched the scething flames ran;dlr a.
vouring that once beautiful and elegant s,uc,n..
While some looked on and wept, Others ,urn.I
and walked away-they could not look a, n.
work of desolaiion so ressilessly going on
The fire was a calamity if the hotel !. MI.
be rebuilt. But before noon on Tuesdav-xh;r.
the ruins were yet ablaze, Mr. R. S. william.
who is never respondent, and who il ,lv,v,
ready and willing to do his part in any ruA
work, had prepared list and was ssIici,iDs
subscriptions to be gwen as bonus 10 any Nor
son who would rebuild on the same site and
larger hotel must take the place of the Leon,
The Leon was built in 1889 and leased to Dr.
Howerton. who run it successfully two winters
Last summer it was leased by Mr.. J. NJ Lee the
company in the fall putting in $1,000 worth Of
new furniture, carpets, improvements, &c. Mr.
Oglesby, who had charge of the Leon is first.
class hotel man in every pect, with few eouals
and no superiors. He is thorough gentleman
and by his pleasant and affable demeanor had
made many friends in Tallahassee, and was fast
making an enviabe and lasting reputation for
The Leon. Persons who have Travelled or.
tensively say they found few hotels better fur
nished and none better kept than the Leon and
we are told that every room had been engaged
for next season.
THE LEON
was the pioneer of large new hotels in Middle
Florida, and we append list of the original
stOckholders-all philosophical and enerprs
ing men who gave cheerfnlly of their means %
inaugurate the enterprise and make it success