Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-09-24

WHITEHALL, Mich, Sept. 19.-Flames
broke out at an early hour this morn
ing which, famed by a gale, spread
rom building to building and block to
block until the business portion of the
city was swept away and thirty dwell
ings laid in ashes, rendering homeless
nearly 200 persons. The calamity
the heaviest that has fallen since the
great fire of 1881, when two-thirds of
the town was wiped out.
The FIRE started in the vicinity of
Mears' barn. The origin, owing to the
excitement, it is impossible to learn.
The wind was blowing fiercely, and, ow
ing to the infammable nature of the
materials of which the surrounding
buildings were constructed, spread so
quickly that in q few minutes it was be-
yond the control of the local firemen.
The appliances, too, for extinguishing
large blaze were limited, and call for
assistance was sent to Muskegon, six
teen miles distant, the department from
that city responding promptly. The
light was against too great odds, how
ever, and blackened, smoking pile of
ashes half mile in length marks the
extent of the confagration.
There is great confusion, and 1t is i'm
possible to get complete list of the
losses and insurance. Careful estimates,
however, show that the losses will ag-
gregate 100000, if not a greater sum.
Among the sufferers are the following:
Lyman Covell, brick block, loss, $50, 600;
insurance, $4,000.
nj. B. Covell. brick store, loss, Sc, 900; in.
sured.
E. NJ. RuggIes' Opera House; loss. $751;
900; insurance, $4,000.
E. M. Ruggles' roller skating rink; loss,
1900; no insurance.
E. III. Harwood's stock of liquors.; loss,
$1,000
Harwood's two brick stores and furni-
ture; loss, $4,000; insurance, $4,000.
Lyman CovelPs drug store; loss, 81, 900:
insurance, 81, 500.
E. J. Smith, Whitehall store; loss, So, 500:
insurance. $1,000.
M. Green, brick store and contents; loss,
$4,000; insured.
Reed & Sons, stock of clothing; loss 81
700; no insurance.
Masonic and Odd Fellows Hail, con-
tents: loss. 1000; insured.
National Bank; loss $4,000; insured.
Whitehall Clothing Company store; loss,
$4,000; insured.
French, stock of clothing; loss, 81, 200; in
sured.
DR.. Johnson. dental parlor furniture
ETC.; loss. S1.500; insurance, $500.
James Williams, furniture and fixtures:
loss, $500.
Frank Marigold, stock of jewelry; loss,
$4,000; insured.
Among the losses on dwellings are:
Struthers, $1,000, insured; Lavill, Sc, 900,
insured; Postmaster John Chapman,
loss 500 with $500 insurance; NJ. B.
Covell, five dwelling houses, loss So, 900,
partly insured. Mrs. Rogers, w. John
Smith, T. S. Watson, w. Con-
ley, Charles Hanish, William Glenn,
Herman Olsen, Charles Mckenzie, Gus
Nelson, DR.. Lamb, John Haverkate, DIR.
Pitkins and Staples and Covells losses on
stores, houses and contents vary from
SIS, 900 to $50, 900. About twenty dwell
ings are yet to be included in this list.
The fire seems to be of incendiary
origin. Engineer Human, of the
Whitehall fire department, found tea
spoonful of sand in the box in the fire.
engine, and the gasket was missing
from the suction, having been taken out
by someone. The fire was under con-
troll at noon to-day.
The fire has caused temporary stop
page Of trains at this point on the Chi
cago & Western Michigan Railway. as
trains cannot pass through the tunnel.
Passengers are being transferred around
the fire, however, and in a few hours
the tracks will be cleared.