The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-10-10
cRAND tIAVEN'S ILL-LUCK.
The Little Michigan City Falls = Sictisn
to tho Fire FIend- Forty -One buildings
In Ashes Tho Loss Estimated at $780,

khe Little Mlcnlgan lily 1hHs ssCtsun
to the Fire Fiend- Forty -Onc buildings
In Ashes Tho Loss Estimsted at $780,
900.
GRAND HAVEN. Mich. Oct. >. About 12:D
Tuesday morning FIRE was discovered In
the rear Of Ms y SIayton's store on Wash
ington street Four hours later the blaze
had burned itself ont. after destroying
from $50 80 to ssoo.UJo worth Of property,
represented Monday night by four of tho
principal business blocks in the city. Tho
disastrous cenfiagration started In some
unknown manner. and had ii been seen In
time could easily have been cxtinguished
Nearly every one In town was asleep,
however, and before the fire department
had reached Inc spot the fire had obtained
4 firm hold on the entire store. From
there it soon extended TO Henry
Eaar's drug store and lric Mulis
meat market The flames shot SO high as
to reach the co-nice OF the Cutter
House on the east side OF Mull's store. Tho
roof was a mansard, and soon became
ignlted ut the lower portion The alarm
was immediately given to the soundly-
sleeping guests and they were quickly
aroused, but several of them had narrow
escapes with little OF their clothing and
baggage.
A perfect gale was blowing from tho
west. which drove the flames into tho
bui ding. and in q very short time flames
and smoke were pouring from every win
dow OF this magnificent structure, in
which were situated the First National
Bank, Pfaff's insurance agency, the signal
service and the Western Union telegraph
and y. l. Beaudry dry goods store.
Grand Rapids aud Muskegon were wired
for assistance and both responded prompt
~. but before they arrived the fi-e had
crossed the street, burning Mrs Jones'
millinery store. Mrs Squire resi-
dence ana with difficulty was kept
from the sanitariuai Then crossing
Third street 1t swept the First Reformed
Church and parsonage. the Cutler livery
stable and all the buildings in the block.
including the residence Of II. I Potts. Of
the Courier Journal, and the bath house be-
| longing to Charles Congcr, editor OF the
Evening Tribune.
BY this time the Spring Lake frcmen
were on hand and the Grand Rapids and
Muskegon companies had arrived. bnt the
Muskegon company's hose was too large for
use upon ths Grand Haven hyd ants
Grand Rapids acted nohly and did
much to assist In controlling the
fire. which. however. spread through
south of Washington street. taking all the
residences as far as Fourth street. includ-
! ing that OF Mrs Cntler. and burning the
Unitarian church and the telephone ex-
change.
] Crossing Columbus street, between Third
and Fourth streets, the flames swept ont
all the residences upon tho north side an
| far as Fifth street including the Methodist
| Episcopal church. the residences OF
A. s Kedzie, OF the Herald, and Postmaster
Sanford. The vigorous efforts OF
the county officials and the isolated sit
uation of the jail and courthouse did much
towards saving these buildings from flames
The total number Of buildings destroyed
is forty lone. while the loss Is estimated at
fully s5oa.ooa Some of the losses and in
surances are US follows:
i II. Gutter. los, s.5l.uDl, insurance $4,000: Re-
/ formed church. o,s N5,aao insurance ss.0U:
I n. / Beaudry. loss &ia,.oa insurance $3.50:
Mrs. S.ayton. loss sS0o0. insurance A.eO0;
Pfalrs agency carried policies for So. .O00. Dan.
/ haTs Sl4,5o0 S..n.ord s.a6io
1 The bank resumed business III the Amer
loan Express office at noon. The contents
of the vault in the First National Bank arc
supposed to be in safe condition. Many
families have lost their I'll, with no in
Burancc.
IL Is pointed ont that these sufferers are
among those least able to bear tho loss and
that imlnediat. aid Ii therefore needed
The mayor has been directed by the coun-
Gil to issue an appeal to the publ c. Tho
appeal is chiefly for money to aid in re-
building burned h0me. His honor will re-
ceive contributions
/ lGrand Haven is the county seat OF Ottawa
County and is situated on Lake Michigan.
at the mouth OF Grand river. II has =
population OF some 6.fOo people. Two
railroads enter the place-the Detroit Grand
Haven Milwaukee and the Chicago
& Western Michigan-occupving separate
| derots. The Goodrich line Of steamers aso
touch there. At one time Grand Haven hal
| large lumber interests. but Of late years ths !
trade has been reduced. The principal bus
ness now is the manufacture OF agriculture III
| implements and wooden-ware.l