The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-01-17
FIRE AT HUNTINGTON.
The Elegant Residence OF Mrs. e. p. wilson De-
stroyed BY Fire.

Special 20 inc fudJhd NtHs-
HUNTINGTON, january Is.
The pine woods of Huntington were
were before, and it is devoutly to be
wished they may never be again. The
beautiful house of Mrs. E. p. Wilson,
the largest and finest house i'm the place,
was burned to the ground between and
0 o'clock, and there is nothing remain
ing but a mass of smoking ruins.
The family and guests were chatting
in the bright, cheerful parlor, when their
attention was suddenly arrested by an
unusual sound. and the party rushed to
the door and saw the flames bursting
from the roof above them. There had
been neither fire nor light in that upper
story, and the origin of the fire cannot
be explained. There are various con-
lectures concerning it, but it is likely to
remain a mystery. The probability is
that there was some defect in the kitchen
chimney, where there had been a fire
all day, and which was on that side of
the house on which the fire first APP
peard. The house was built as all these
Southern country houses are, entirely of
pine, and there being nothing to arrest
the progress of the flame, it spread so
rapidly that, in a few minutes, the
whole building was ablaze.
Everybody in the neighbOrhood has
tened to the spot. and many came from
a distance, allured by what was more
than forest fire, and all set to work
with a will to save as much as possible
from the destroying flame. Though
there was no fire brigade, no organized
band of men to take charge of the prop
erty, yet by intelligent instinct as it
were, all worked together with an en-
ergy and determination worthy of all
praise. There was no noise, no sound of
voices. Everybody seemed to feel a per
sonal interest, and was intent upon do
ing the utmost. Consequently, much of
the silver and furniture, few books
and little of the china were saved, but
the house contained so much that was
valuable in the way of books, china,
clothing and ornaments of every de-
scription that the loss is very heavy.
The little rescued seems nothing COM
pared with what was destroyed.
The loss of this elegant house, this
home of hospitality, is a very great loss
to Huntington. but we hope that Mrs.
Wilson will have heart and courage to
rebuild, and we are.certain that every
body will lend helping hand.
The house itself was insured very
nearly to Its full value, but there was
not the least insurance on the furniture
or any of the valuabies As there is no
fire engine in any of these new towns i'm
Florida, and all the houses are built of
pine, which will start n confiagration as
quickly as gunpowder, there ought to be
some provision made in every house for
such an emergency as this. There is
generally a sufficient water supply, and
a hose could easily be arranged to
play upon any part of a burning build
ing. A better appliance perhaps would
be to supply the house with Babcock's
extinguishers, very much used at sum-
mer houses in the North. These explode
with the heat, and contain a fluid which
flows out and extinguishes the flame at
once.
To the few spectators who were I'M
able to render any assistance this con-
hagration was magnificent sight.
The orange grove in the rear and the
towering pines around We're brilliantly
illuminated, but all thought of the sub
Unity was lost in the awfulness Of the
scene. The excitement was intense, and
marked by profound silence. In haste
to get this off in the first mail this morn
ing all other matters of interest must be
left for my next letter. f. NJ. F.