The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-19
BIG FIRE At RONESDALE.
The Fair City Visited by a Disastrous
Conflagration.
specialto he Scranton TtBun.

HoNEsDALE, May 1S.-At $3.50 o'clock
this morning fire broke out in tho Pc
ter block aud before it was finally put
out did considerable damage,
The building is large, double frame
structure. and was occupied on the frat
floor by Charles Peterson, jeweler, Oh
one side, in whose store lie tn. Western
Union telegraph wires, and on the
other by J. B. Nielsen, toys ana fancy
articles and Mrs Nielsen, millinery.
The second floor is occupied by the
Exchange club and the third floor a
lodge room. Under the steps leading
to the lodge room the club has a small!
locker The fire originated about these
steps,
At l3O a m. this morning the club
room was vacated and locked. All
then seemed safe. At 2 am. a Della
ware and Hudson watchmau passed by
and, smelling smoke, looked ABOUT, but
saw nothing Sitting down on the op--
posite side Of the street, he watched for
further developments. At24j a man
came ont Of the hallway that leads to
the club and lodge rooms aud went up
street.
At 3 sop. m. Mr.. Bauman, who lives
next 10 the Petersen block, detected
smoke in his room, but for some mo-
msnts could see nothing OF the fire.
Going out in front, however. he saw
tae FIRE blazing away in the lodge
rooms The cry of fire was raised and
at 40 the alarm sounded In a few
moments the firemen were on the
scene. IL was raining hard and there
were frequent flashes Of lightning, For
blocks away the smoke was suffoca-
ting.
The fire was first attacked through
the parlor OF the Exchange club and
from the main stairway, its centre
seemed to be at the head of the lodge
stairs
The back part of tho lodge room was
entirely destroyed, and the room badly
burned. The iron roofing held the fire
in. The Exchange club reading room
is wreck, Nearly everything in the
parlor, including the piano is de-
stroyed or spoiled The pool table is
scorched, and together with the bill
lard tables is badly soaked with water
The insurance Office OF G. W. Lane was
more damaged by water than fire.
Nearly the entire stock Of +. b Milisen
a. wife was ruined by water. A large
part of the jawelry aud other property
OF Charles Petersen was taken from
the building to places of safety. The
parts OF the building not destroyed by
fire are thoroughly watOr-soaked.
The origin of the fire ia q mystery.
The stairway leading to the lodge room
forms partition. separating the read
ing room and parlor OF the Exchange
club Curtains hang in either doorway.
II the fire had originated under the
stairway 1t would naturally have eaten
its way into the parlor and burned out
the stairway walls The parlor is not
burned aud the walls only charred at
the bottom Everything at the top is
burned out, showing clearly that the
origin of the fire was at the top of the
stairway.
The insurance on the buildings and
stock Is as follows. Mrs. Lottie Peter.
sen, Lane building, Bsuman's agency.
1000, Russells agency, $500;
Charles Petersen, stock and fixtures,
Russelrs agency, $1,000; Mrs. J. A.
Kraft. building, Russells agency,
81, 500, Bsumsn's $1,000, J. b, Millsou,
stock, Russolls agency, 5000. Bauman' $
agency, $1,000; Mrs, Millson, stock,
Baumsn'S, $500; Exchange club, Bau-
mans, $500, & W. Lanes agency, $500;
G, W. Lane. Office fixtures, Blunan's :
$3.50; Knights Of Honor, $500, Farn.
hams agency