The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-21
The TUNKHANNOCK FIRE.
Details of the Conflagration-other
News Notes from Wyoming's Capi.

Special to the Scranton Tribune.


Special to the Scranton Tribune.
Tunkhannock, Aug. 20.-As an
nounced in this mornings Tribune, an
other disastrous fire visited this town
on Sunday evening, resulting in the
total destruction of the Packer house,
owned and operated by John Reynolds,
and situated just across the Lehigh
Valley tracks from the station. The
fire was discovered by the employees
of the hotel at about 9.i5 and an alarm
was at once turned in. The response
| by the department was prompt, but
! by the time the water was turned on
| the flames were coming through the
| first floor in several places. The hotel
| is a large wooden structure, built
some thirty years ago to aCCOmodate
| the excursions going to the Centen-
NAL Exposition at Philadelphia, and
| when once fairly ablaze burned like
| tinder. The waS er supply at the
start was very low, the streams just
reaching the second story windows of
| the hotel. After a time the pumps
| at the tannery were turned on, and
water pumped from the river directly
into the mains and the supply showed
| Improvement. 1t was apparent short
| ~ dlItI lIle lHdI luc HOlel COulu
not be saved and the attention of the
department was turned to ther saving
of the adjoining buildings. The Le-
high Valley station, just across the
railroad tracks, was kept wet and,
aided by the wind, was not even
scorched. The large barn OF the hotel
which stood within three feet of the
burned structure was saved. Fortu-
nately, the wind was blowing away
from the town, and the sparks and cin-
ders We're blown back on the river.
The only structure in tie way of the
sparks on that side was the river
bridge, and that was protected by men
on the roof with buckets. Proprietor
Reynolds and is wife we've away from
home during the fire, having gone to
their former home at West Nichol-
son. The hotel was well filled with
guests and the majority of these lose
what they had in their rooms. All of
the employees of the hotel lost all
their clothes, and, in some cases, a
considerable sum of money. All the
personal belongings of Proprietor Rey-
nolds and his family We're a total loss
The fire burned fiercely for about three
hours. the sides of the structure fall
ing in about 11.S0.
The hotel was built and operated for
years by w. n. Reynolds and his
father-in-law, Ziba Billings. and al
the death of Mr.. Billings a few years
ago came into the control of w. n
Reynolds. 1t was sold this spring tC
John Reynolds, the consideration being
S2l 600, and in his hands was refitted
throughout. The building and furni.
ture were a total loss, and the insur.
ance, as near as can Le ascertainet
today, was $4,000. 1t is not known a.
yet whether the hotel viii be rebuilt
Considerable excitement was OCCa
stoned at the fire last evening by tn,
ringing of a second alarm. The en-
gineer in charge at the electric ligh
plant at the other end of the town
saw the reflection of the blaze, anC
not having heard the first alarm, blew
his whistle, and sent a boy to rims
the alarm. Many thought there mus
be another fire in that end of tow
and a member of the company wa
at once sent to investigate. Thi
should emphasize the necessity of hav
ing some kind of a fire alarm system
installed In the town. The matter ha
been agitated several times, but moth
ing comes of 1t.
The Republican primaries through
out the county will be held on Satur
! day of this week So far there ar
three candidates in the field for rep
= rescntative, Hon. II. d. Tiffany O
| Nicholson, and Hon. :. r. Brungess
: of TunkhannoCk, who have each serv
ed a term I'm the legislature, an
: Moses w. Shields, of Nicholson, VIII
/ is a newcomer. For the office q
= associate Judge, no one seems desirou
Of cOntesting the right of Hon. II. W
. Bardwell, the present incumbent, I
E the nomination. The convention wi
D be held Monday, August %.
D Daniel Rosengrant who was con
Z victed i'm the quarter sessions of thi
j. county of larceny in entering the cot
z tages of summer residents at LAX
: Carey, and sentenced to two years I
: the penitentiary, has been released.
r The metal furniture for the pro
o thonotary's office at the court hous
:, is being placed today. The job wi
: he ready for the inspection Of the con
I" missioners at their meeting Wedne:
y day.
# Moses Shields, Of Nicholson. cand
o date for the Republican nomination f.
8 representative, was in town on MOI
e day
Mr.. MacQuivey and Attorney Kri
l.. mer, of Scranton are stopping at Il
f. La Grange hotel, on n fishing tri
e and We're up to Tunkhannnck Saturdg
n evening.