Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1890-12-18
AN INCENDIARY FIRE.
J. II. sTEI.I.E's RI:sIDENCE DE.
sTROYED.
The Fire Alarm Does Not Work
smoke Was Detected One Morn.
ing Last week-The Cellar Door
Found Open.

7 The residence OF J. B. Steele, manager
of the Battery Park hotel, was totally
destroyed by f,e last night. The loss
was about $500, partially covered by
insurance.
/ Between one and wo clock Mrs. Steele
was awakened by smoke. Mr.. Steele was
not at home and his wife and her cousin,
Mrs. John Boyden. OF Worcester, Mass,
who has been living with Mrs. Steele
for several years, were the only occupants
/ of the house. There were no servants on
the place. Mrs. Steele at first supposed
the smoke to come from an open wood
fire in her room, but got up and
went into the library, adjoining,
where there was coal fire. There
was nothing wrong there, but on
going across the hall into the dining
room, she found it full of smoke. Seeing
that there was no smoke on the second
floor, she at once concluded that the fire
was in the basement, and went through
the snow, with great difficulty because OF
the drifts, to thr house OF Ben Collins, a
rolorcd servant who lived across the
street He was walked and went to give
the alarm. He tried three boxes, but all
tailed to work and the bell could not be
rung. Mrs. Steele returned to the
house after waking the man
and on going into the dining room
found the floor oi that room burning. A
number of ncighbors and some OF the
iircmen to whom the news could he sent,
went to the house, but all their efforts
were without avail as the building was
too far gone and was soon a complete
rum.
Nothing whatever was saved OF the
contents of the house with the exception
ii Il few articles of clothing, covering and
other small things which were gotten out
when the fire was first discovered.
The loss on the house and furniture is
placed. by Mr.. Steele, at $500. There
was So, $50 of insurance on the building
This was in the Hartford fire insurance
company aud the furniture was insured
in the Home insurance company oi New
York, for $500. Both policies wer,
: issued by +. J. Aston.
Mr.. Steele is decidedly of the opinion
that the fire was of inccndiary origin
One morning last week. when the family
Hol UP 9NTS. StCtlC lNNa'h' SUM-
at the house. as of kerosene which hat
been lighted but had gone out. Or
going to the basement, the door o
which was not locked, there wer'
signs of some one having been there, bu
no traces of fire could he found. This
however. made her careful aud since then
the cellar door has been locked with I
paddock ou the outside. Last night sh'
got the KEYS from their place in tn
kitchen after she found the smoke and o'
going to the door OF the basement ioun'
it had been pricd open. The flames wer
opposite the door. Mrs. Steele say
she locked the door Yesterday after
noon, when looking after her flowers
She is oi the opinion that the tire wa'
started by the same person who was Il
the cellar last week. hut does not know
who il was. Mr.. Steele had sent wor,
during the day by one oi the bellboy
from the hotel. that he would not b
home at night, because oi the big crow
at the hotel and It is thought that til
inccndiary asccrtaincd this fact.