Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-05-23
SWEPT BY FLAMES.
The Best Portion Of Muskegon
Mich, Reduced to Ashes.
Twenty business Blocks and $50 Dwell
ings Destroyed-Loss Estimated at
Half n Million Dollars-Ncarly
Two Acres of Buildings
Burned at Linesvllle, Pn.

MUSkEGON, MICH, May lS.-IhlS city
suffered second visitation from the
flames Saturday evening Fire started
at $3.50 o'clock in the Laukowell hotel
barns from some unknown cause, and
aided by strong wind, with lightning
like rapidity, swept ten blocks up Pine
street, one of the chief business streets
of the city. Then by sudden shift in
the wind, the flames were driven to.
ward Terrace avenue, one of the finest
residence streets in the city. where they
swept unchecked and burned with un.
abated fury towards the southern edge
of the city. Twenty-Five blocks were
devastated as if swept by hurricane OF
fire. Pine street business houses for
ten blocks are entirely wiped out.
Among the more valuable blocks
were the Pine Street house, the Phila.
bourn block. ReclSerman's drug store,
Matthew Wilson's residence, Sedg-
wick's wholesale store, McMichael's
shoe store, the LauEowell hotel. The
residences of S. f. Outhwaite, 1. A.
Miller, occupied by VANITY and Man
ming, of the Morning News; Peter p.
Steketee, Alexander Van camden, the
elegant Fleming residence, and others
were reduced to ashes. The 500, 900
court house was Quilted, but it's public
documents were saved.
Prisoners in the county Jail which
occupied the basement of the court
house were liberated. Several cows
and horses were burned, and little
child, who was stopping at the Laulxo-
well, is missing. The loss cannot be
accurately stated, but will probably
reach half million dollars. BY 9
o'clock the fire reached the southern
district of the city, where there is more
space between the houses, and the fire.
men succeeded in reducing further pro.
gress of the flames. AS the high build.
ings burned there was great danger from
flying firebrands, and the firemen were
obliged to continually shift their posi-.
tions.
Twenty blocks of business houses and
dwellings are in ruins. The total num-
ber of dwellings burned may safely be
put at $50. A conservative estimate
places the total loss at $500, 900. Total
insurance unobtainable. Many of the
burned places had no insurance. Hun.
dreds of families are thrust upon their
friends for accommodations. Many fine
dwellings but recently completed are
gone. Judge Dicllerman lost nearly his
entire law library in the court house.
Britton Bros lost machine shop and
half dozen houses; no insurance on
them. Dynamite was used in some in.
stances to clear buildings.
Among the sad instances connected
with the fire was the death of Harry
Stevens, assistant postmaster, and son
of Postmaster Stevens He was very ill
with pneumonia and the flames made 1t
safety. He died amid the crash of fall
ing houses while being removed.
MEADvILLE, Pa, May 1S.-At II
o'clock Saturday a special call for the
aid of the Meadville fire department
was received from Linesville, twenty
miles west, the message stating that a
huge fire was raging in the heart of the
town. fire engine was quickly dis
patched by special train to the scene.
The fire threatened the entire town
with destruction. Building after build.
ing was wiped out and fierce wind was
blowing.
<hIISi VIC iIllN VI lllt
fremen the flames were confined to one
building and were soon under control
Daniel Fowler, Meadville fireman,
fell from a veranda and sustained a
compound fracture of the ankle. -Four
stores and three dwelling houses, all
wooden buildings, were consumed
The losses are estimated as follows:
Mclean & Schanack, hardware, $40, 600,
small insurance: II. NJ. Hughes, dry
goods, $2s, 900, small insurance; Cram &
Allen, monuments, $1,000; J. III. Law.
renee, dwelling, 5000; A. NJ. Fenner,
building and billiard room, $7OO; DIR.
Kent's house, $1,000: Lumber & Bow
man, groceries, $4,000, insurance So, 500;
&C Schancl, residence, So, OO0 The loss
to the Bowman and Rankin blocks and
contents is about $4,000. The fire
started in the basement of Mclean &
Schanack's hardware store and was
caused by the explosion of gasoline.
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POISONED THE FAMILY.