The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-05

BIG FIRE
At NEWPORT
The Post Office and Seven
Buildings Destroyed.
NtENtlAslsN was TIE CAUSE.
Narrow Escape Of Postmaster
Duff and Others-Rescued
from the Burning DWELL
ings With Difficulty.
Wilmington Fire
men to the
Rescue.
NIENslAslsN was TIE CAUSE.

From Staff correspondent, Postmaster
w. Lewis Duff and John Ford had mar.
row escape from being burned to death
about 3 O'Clock this morning. About
that time Willis F. Groome was awaken.
cd by loud noise and on seeing bright
light come in his window he jumped out
Of bed and discovered the post office on
fire.
He did not wait to dress but jumped
out the window, rad across the street and
called to Duff that the house was on fire,
Duff opened his bedroom door and called
Ford As he did so, the flames flashed in
his face and he dashed to the window with
nothing on but his pants and night clothes
His face and hair were badly singed.
By that time there were over 100 persons
on the scene as they, too, had been awaken
ed by the noise of the coal oil tank ex.
plosion in Duffy's store. The flames
darted from every window in the house
and 1t was soon evident that the place was
doomed. AS Newport is without any fire
service telephone message was sent to
Wilmington to Chief Welde for relief and
the Water Witch and Liberty Companies
were dispatched here on special train.
The fire spread to the houses Of Captain
Thomas Draper, James Mahan and Thos
J. Lyman, on Market street, and Fred
Potts, Charles Ware and vacant house
on James street.
Everyone worked with will to rescue
the people and furniture from the houses
in danger, Mrs Thomas Lyman. who
was belfast, was carried from the burn
ing building with difficulty as the flames
were screening. the rescurers, she was
later removed to this city and an equal
experience was had in the case of John f.
Potts.
Wien the fire companies arrived from
n nj thnv ban n
ting water as the creek was frozen and it
was low water besides From the creek
to tho scene of The fire it is about 300
yards.
CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
The cause of the fire Is attributed to an
incendiary who used the torch to cover
the tracks Of burglary. The staple was
pulled from the cellar door and found by
II. B. Miller lying in tho middle of the
street. Tho watch dog was tied by some
one on the porch and it is the supposition
that the thieves ransacked the store and
then started the fire which caused the oil
tank to explode.
Silns Faulkner and Harry Baldwin pass.
ed tho store at 1. 10 o'clock and there were
no signs of fire and no strap gers were seen.
But q team was noticed some time before
that going toward New Castle
TIE LOSS.
The post office building was owned by
VIM Duff, father of the occupant and was
valued at "a, 900 on which there was an in.
surance of $500.
W. L. Dutf's loss on stock and furniture
amounted to $S000 on which there was
5000 insurance. The six dwellings be.
ionged to the Isaac Miller estate and were
valued at $1,000, on which there was an
insurance of $500.
tnn Of
some mail NATTER and the mail bag KEYS
so that Newport is without any mail mat.
ter as no reply has been received from
Washington. Duff's Life Insurance policy
for $1,000 mortgage for $1,000 and bills due
him by customers amounting to over $1,000
were destroyed in the fire.
ACTION BY CITIZENS.
Mine Host Sturgeon, Willis Il. Groome
and other citizens furnished refreshments
to the half frozen tiremen who worked
herOically. Willing neighbors offered
their houses to occupants of tho burning
dwellings.
All morning the residents were gathered
around the scene Of the fire discussin the
narrow escape of the town, which had no
protection from fire, only q few chemical
eXtlnguishers last night, which were of
no consequence to battle the flames
with.
Cranstun and Justis furnished the coal
to tho fire engines. Postmaster Duff in
conversation with REPUBLICAN, reporter
stated that he owes his life to willis f.
GroOme. Fortunately his wife and child
were visiting in Wilmington, or they
would have persisted in the flames as it
would have been utterly impossible to
have gotten them out as he would have
persisted himself if he waited minute
longer.
can get my insurance policy, hut the
bills owed me by customers will have to be
to their Judgment. have not yet decd-
ed where | will locate the post office, but |
trust all my good customers will deal with
the man who saved my life. Willis f.
GrOomc. The insurance is in the Farmers
Mutual. Colonial and Chester County
Mutual, formerly the Doe Ran.
While battling with the fire Harry
Wclch of the Liberty fell off the roof and
spraincd his ankle, He was attended by
DIR. Springer
The people of Newport return their best
thanks to the fire laddi3s for the efficient
services rendered.