The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-22

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The general impression Of all who live In
that suburb, as well as those at Montgom-
cry, nearby, Is that the house was fired
from malice. The incendiarism, If it be
such, was evidently of the most vicious
Kind, II being generally known in that sec
ton that Mr.. Pascal Strong occupied the
front room on the upper story, and the fire
came at a time when ID might have been
supposed that he was alone, as his COM
panion had gone into the city during the
day.
Mr.. Strong said he had an impression
that something was wrong before he re-
tired. About midnight for the second
time his three dogs began whining and
bowling, and he took his gun and went
around outside but discovered nothing
This he thought he heard repeated again,
but paid little attention TO il.
Another and one of the strongest evil
denceS Of incendiarism is that when Mr..
Strong made an examination of the place
when the fire had gotten in its best work,
he found that all of the faucets from the
artesian well were turned on and the
water flowing, thereby weakening the
flow. which might have been used to
some extent in fighting the flames, had
the fire been discovered earlier.
queer feature is that this is the fourth
time the place has burned and it was
three times rebuilt by Maj. Hartridge. on
one occasion the fire occurred through
some carelessness, but the other times it
was believed to have been incendiary, and
once negro was arrested for the crime,
but there was no evidence against him.
But there have also been other fires in
the same neghborhood about which
there were remarkable peculiarities. The
new residence of Mr. Julian Sohley was
burned there about year ago just as he
was about to move into it,
1t had just been completed and 1t too
was burned on a Saturday night. A small
house. which Mr.. ID. b. Lester had just
built on his place at Beaulieu, and into
which his servant was about to move,
was burned almost the same way about
a month ago The burning of Col, Charl-
ton H. Ways residence about two years
ago, also at Beaulieu, is well remembered.
The house was a three-story frame
building but perhaps the most hand
somely equipped summer residence any
where in this section. Thousands of
dollars have been spent upon 1t, and it
had every convenience, and they were
luxurious conveniences, too, that q mod
ern residence of it's kind might require.
1t contained twenty-one rooms, thirteen
of which were bedrooms, three bathrooms,
dinng-room, parlor, library, kitchen and
conservatory. The hallway stairs and all
the important rooms We're trimmed with
the most elegant of hard woods, carved
and highly polished. The hall floors were
of marble tile, and the bathrooms were
constructed of Georgia marble. Hot and
cold water equipment ran throughout, and
the conservatory was constructed with
plate glass; and fitted with all modern APP
paratus.
In addition to this Mr.. Strong himself
had fitted the house with rare furniture
and paintings, many of which were gifts
from friends and the congregations which
he has served. Among others was bed
room set in the guest chamber which was
valued at $500 to $500. The furniture was
valued altogether at something like 5000
Then there was about 81 600 worth of sill
verware in the dining room and library
articles many of which were wedding
gifts to Mr.. and Mrs Strong, of which a
very small number was saved by Mr.. Pas
cal Strong. Mr.. Strong had, too, several
valuable paintings by noted artists, one
of which was valued at $780, another at
$500. and the rest at about $1,000. Fortu-
nately only small portion of his library
was at the house but this included some
of his most valuable works. The bulk of
the library, however, is still in his study
at St. Johns church.
Mr. Strong was insured practically for
less than half the value of the house and
its contents. He had the residence insured
for lust about the amount he paid for il,
and he had $1,000 on the furniture, making
a total of only $4,000 insurance, whereas
the house itself was valued at more than
$50 600, and it's contents at fully $500 more.
There was no insurance whatever on the
oil paintings, the books, and not quite
half the value of the furniture was COW
cred.
When Mr. ]. b. Duckworth took the
place from Mai. Hartridge for an ndebt-
edness to the Battersby estate. he took ii
at a valuation of SIS Geo. 1t was in splen-
did condition, just as described, and sur
rounding it were cement walks set with
fountains through which played continual
streams of bubbling artesian water.
Standing upon prominent bluff, the most
commanding of the little resort, II is sur
rounded by about fifty acres of the best
land In that section. Mr.. Duckworth re-
tanned II for sometime, and after con
ference with Mr.. Strong, sold it to him for
$i2. 500 Just half the amount he had paid
for it. 1t is said that Maj Hartridge had
spent more than $4,000 on IT, and there
was every evidence that ii had been the
cause of a lavish outlay of money
MIR. Strong's intention has been for some
time to ultimately establish young la
dies seminary there. and he has made
mueh Investigation to that end. on two
occasions representatives of northern syn
dicates have been here and looked over
the Mace which they have pronounced SUI
perb. and both have offered him more
than $4,000 for it, but all these offers have
been declined, though the transaction
would have melted him $500 1t was the
desire of the parties mentioned to use the
place for a club house. Everything was
| looking bright for Beaulieu this summer
| Announcements had been made to run d
! boat there regularly, and 1t was the in
tention to make it grow in popular favor
| as q summer resort.
Mr.. Strong feels the loss of the prop
| erty very deeply. 1t was his home. the
place where he lived for the greater part
of the year, and where he always en-
tertained his visiting friends. He has nj
residence of his own in the city and
| though his duties keep him here much OF
| the time, he has always felt that he has
n home where he can secure the abso.
lutte rest that a minister of a large con
sregation so often needs, and which sc
few have the opportunity of having as he
had at Beaulieu. He does not know what
J he will do yet with regard to rebuilding
but the spot is a beautiful one, and IL is
probable that he will ere long adorn II
| with another residence
DIR. FAIRS VISIT ANNOUNCED.
He VIII Fiji the Independent puIntt