Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-03-31

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Most Disastrous Fire in the. .Histoexo
the Town.
That fiery orb, the sun, from which the
legends say earth's fire was stolen, ,mayhap
was well:pleased when Saturday morning
it came:from.behind the scnrrying cleuds
and looking down..uron this quiet village
beheld 1.-THE devastation. its mighty and
errible offspring had wrought, shortly
after 1t had sank below the wsakarn
horizon Friday'nlght.
The fire broke out in the upper.. story
of the. back. wing near thsimain boilaine
at about 8 o'clock when FIRST discovered,
and is supposed to have originated from a
defective Aue of the dining room Stove.
When the alarm was sounded flames had
alreadyieaten:their way through the roof,
and tedlby highly inAammable substances
consequentedi the conAaeration gaining
headway with surprising rapidity, and
was soon far beyond any: possibility Of
being checked. The flames were at once
given their own way and the attention OF
he large crowd that had already gathered
by the ringing Of bells, was turned toward
relieving the house of it's valuables. The
furniture was mostly saved and all the
stock Of liquors and cegars.
Excitement was intense and the heat
severe as the tremendous sheets of fame
wrapped about the large three story struc.
lure and then leaped heavenward carry.
ing dense clouds OF smoke and burning
si"ders, presenting picture that was sx-
treemly brilliant. The confusion in the
street increased as the FIRE grew more
fierce as slight current of air from the
south Scaused perfect rain Of fire upon
the roofs OF the two stores and Keeler's
residence. The Odd Fellows Hall where
is located the Ingham law offices and the
News ITEM, for time seemed impossible
to stand the hail of live sparks and burn
ing fragments with which it was envelop.
ed. A hook and ladder gang kept q
steady string OF water pals going up to
the top of the roof where the caves
were kept running like in q heavy
shower.
The fire, on the start, seemed to work
principally on the back wing where ii
originated. and it was some time before
the flames had enveloped the main part.
By the time this was fully alighted the
gravest apprehension was felt and it vas
evident to those who were trying to save
the hotel property Of F. w. Gallagher but
forty feet away that they were face to face
with great disaster, for had the Gre
reached to that point the entire business
center of town would have been swept.
Every available team in the place was
put into speedy service hauling water and
willing hands braved the sitting heat and
lined up along the entire side OF the hotel
like regiment and kept a continuous
flow Of water agains. the building. So
intense was the heat at this post Of duty
it was necessary for the workers to douce
water upon each other to prevent their
clothing from catching fire. The roof
was covered with carpet and a steady
flow of water upon it, For about twenty
minutes the building was almost hid from
view by the massive clouds of steam gene.
rating from the water poured upon it.
The window panes were completely melt.
ed from the sash and the paint seorched
to crisp. 1t was indeed miracle that
the building was saved from the devour.
ing flames and had efforts proved futile in
resisting the fire at this point it would
have most likely cleaned the block on
both sides and left our town in ruins.
As it was, the fire occurred at most for.
tunate time for the town, as very seldom
is there so little breeze at this high eleva.
ton as there was Friday night. Had it
happened eight hours later when q high
wind was blowing it is hard to appreheod
what the fearful dimensions Of the Ere
would have been.
The fire made clean job Of whatever
it took hold Of, Outbuildings, sidewalks,
pump and fences went up in smoke; also
the ice house, its contents which appar.
emily successfully defied obstruction is al
that remains although it WAS affected
somewhat as the building and sawdust
around it was consumed. There was but
one life lost, that Of Saylor, faithful old
dog, who was twice dragged from behind
the stove but persisted in returning after
repeated efforts to be driven out. There
was a terrific explosion when the fire
was raging about the kitchen which
proved to be the big water back on the
range.
FIGURING UP THE LOSS.
The Hotel was owned by Hon Russel
Karns and was occupied by Thos. w.