River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-05-21
MUSHROOMS MISFORTUNE.
Flames sweep Away Fourteen Blocks of
Fine Business Houses and Elegant Resi-
dences In the Michigan City. Causing a
Loss of Over 100000.

MUSHROOMS M'SFOh ONe.
Flames sweep Away Fourteen Blocks OF
Fine Business Houses and Elegant Resi-
dences In the Michigan City, Causing a
Loss of Over 100000.
MUSHROOM, Mich, May 1S.-Fourteen
squares in the heart of this city, in
Guiding much of the best business and
residence property. covering from
thirty-fve to forty acres of ground,
were devastated Saturday afternoon by
fire which ceased only because moth
ing remained in its path. Stores, resi-
dences and public buildings were
swept away like chaff. and when
at last the conflagration ended
property valued at over half a million
dollars had vanished and hundreds OF
people were homeless. A strong wind
was blowing and the flames spread
with such appalling rapidity that many
people barely escaped with their lives.
Citizens whose houses were not de-
stroyed promptly came to the relief OF
the unfortunates, and all found shelter.
Fire started at $50 o'clock in the
Lankawell hotel barns, just off Pine
street, from some unknown cause, and,
aided by a strong wind, swept away
ten blocks upuPine street, one OF the
chief business streets of the city.
Then, by sudden shift in the wind,
the flames were driven toward Ter
race avenue, one of the finest residence
streets in the city, where they de-
stroyed many houses. BY Q o'clock fire
had reached the southern district OF
the city, where there was more
space between the houses, and
the firemen succeeded in con-
siderably reducing the progress
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
positions. The Grand Rapids engines
were put to work as soon as they ar
rived.
The total number of dwellings burned
was 275. The total loss is S625, 900. The
total insurance is about S275, 900. Many
of the burned places have no insurance.
Hundreds of families are thrust upon
their friends for accommodations.
Pine street business houses for ten
blocks were entirely wiped out Among
the more valuable structures were the
Pine Street house, the Philabourn
block, EclSerman's drug store, Matthew
Wilson's residence, Sedgwick's whole
sale store, McMichael's shoe store,
the Lankawell MOTEL. The resi-
dences of S. f. Cultivate, 1. A. Miller,
Peter p. Steketee, Alex. Van Zanten,
Mr.. Fleming. James Hutchinson, DIR.
Van Derlaan, 4. Mueller, j. r. Brown,
Justice Williams, Reynolds, Danforth
& Behren's planning mill and the Ger
man Evangelical church were de-
stroyed Judge Dickerman lost near
ly his entire law library in the court
house. Britton Bros. lost their ma.
chine shop and half a dozen houses.
There was no insurance on them. FIRE.
quent reports from exploding boilers
were heard. dynamite was used in
some instances to remove buildings.
Other streets which suffered severely
were Terrace, East Concord, East Hart
ford, East Diana, East Delaware, East
Ionia, West Ionia, Apple and Spring
streets, and East Muskegon and East
Webster avenues.
The 500, 900 courthouse burned. Pris-
oners in the county Jail, which occu-
pied the basement of the courthouse,
were liberated. Several cows and
horses were burned. A large portion
of the dwellings burned were owned by
mechanics, upon whom the loss will
fall with special weight. They were
generally all insured for about one-hali
the value of their houses.
1t was not an hour after the fire was
first discovered in the blacksmith shop
on Pine street before two whole
squares had been swept clean by the
fiery hurricane. The first house OF
any pretensions to burn was
the residence of Matthew Wilson, a
wealthy lum herman His residence
cost about $40, and was elegantly
furnished. Carvers had just completed
terror. The splendid furnishings. car
pets, tapestries, statuary, ETC., were
thrown pell NELL into the drays,
and the costly bric-a-brac was
buried beneath the plebian trappings
of the humber people.
The courthouse viii be Immediately
rebuilt All the books of record are
in the vaults and the probabilities
are that they are safe. Building
will commence this morning, and
il is believed that within six
rr'onths almost all the houses will
be replaced. The Morning News has
opened subscription fund, which has
already grown to goodly proportions.
The fire was under control at
o'clock. A number of business men
VINO were uninsured are penni-
less, but will start again with
assistance already offered. The fire
is the most destructive known in north
ern Michigan since 1871, when the same
and the city of Peshtigo was destroyed,
shortly after the burning of Chicago.
Among the sad incidents connected
with the fire was the death of Harry
Stevens, assistant postmaster, the son
of Postmaster Stevens. He was very
ill with pneumonia, and the flames
made it necessary to remove him to a
place of safety, and he died while be
inA carried through the streets.
lMuskegon is situated on the Muskegon
river about miles from lake Michigan an6
about 40 miles by water northeast OF Chi
cago. IL contains eleven churches, two
national banks, several factories, ma
chine shops. numerous steam saw
planning and other mills. Lumber Ii
its chief article OF export, and about
10000 600 feet are sawed there annually. Sew
eral lumber merchants in this city are interest
ed in the industry and many steamers and
sailing vessels ply between there and Chicago
The city has population of 15.0O0l
DIsbanded the Company.