The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-05
FINE RESIDENCE BURNED.
Fire Originated In Some Cnknowu Man.
uer in the House Of Luther Keller ON
Clay Avcnuc-LOss Over $4,000.

Fire Originated In Some Cnknowu Man.
uer in the House Of Luther Keller on
Clay Avcnuc-LOss Over $4,000.
Luther Keller's residence. on Clay
avenue. near the corner OF Vine street,
was partially destroyed by fire at day
break yesterday morning. The rear
part of the house will have to be re-
built. and the remainder. where the
flames did not reach but which was
soaked with water. will have to be reno
waited. The entire loss will approxi-
mate $4,000. About two-thirds of the
damage resulted from the destruction
of the household effects. Mr.. Kellar
having spared no expense In the fur
nishings.
The flames originated In the pantry
on the first floor from some mysterious
cause Mr.. Keller does not know what
to think about II. There was no kero-
sene OIL In the pantry, nothing more In
tiammable than eatables. He remarked
that "a mouse and box Of matches
might form combination which would
warrant the supposition that the cause
Of the fire could be explained In that
way.
The servant girl, whose sleeping
apartment Ia on the second floor d.
rectly above the pantry, was awakened
by the smoke and she called Mr. kel-
Ter. He hurried down stairs but was
almost overcome while trying to get
to where the fire was burning. His first
thought was to get his little daughter
out, who was sleeping upstairs. Mrs.
Keller was not at home, being away on
visit TO relatives In Portland. Mr..
Keller got his child out and took her
across the street to the residence Of
Colonel H. NJ. Boies.
An Alarm Rum In.
Meanwhile the colored coachman.
who had been summarily jostled out Of
bed, sent in an alarm Of fire from the
box at Clay avenue and Vine street.
Without any delay the Relief Engine
company Of Petersburg was on the
scene and got a stream of water on the
flames. Mr.. Keller. knowing the plan
of the house, directed the efforts Of the
firemen.
The fire burned fiercely in the pantry
and ate its way upstairs. The first
story Of the residence Is brick. The
flames fed on the woodwork inside for
time and finally broke through the
ceiling. When the fire company ar
rived the blaze had begun to find its
way arOunu tHe cOTneTS OI UHe llTSt
story.
It did not take long to subdue the
fire, but the building was almost entire
ly destroyed In the rear part and every
article of furniture and clothing was
ruined. All of Mrs. Kellar's clothing
and the baby's clothing were destroyed
by the fire, and much of Mr.. Keller's
effects were burned UP.
The house had just been refurnished
and redecornted. The carpets and
furniture had cost more than $4,000.
besides there were costly paintings,
works of art, pieces of bric-a-brac, and
so forth. The ceilings and walls We're
very recently decorated in stereo re-
lief and frescoed.
Mr.. Keller viii Rebuild.
Mr.. Keller intends to begin without
delay to rebuild. Enough of insur-
ance was carried to go good way to-
ward relmbursing him for the damage.
Mr.. Keller is temporarily at the home
Of Attorney NJ. w. Lowry. The insur-
ance, amounting to $4,000. was car
ried In the following agencies: !. l..
Post, Robertson & Hitchcock, George
II. Birdsall and Charles Schlager Mr..
Keller lost a valuable draught horse
yesterday that died through sickness.