Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-02-15
BIG HOTEL IN RUINS
REVERE HOUSE AT OSHKOSH
WHOLLY DESTROYED.
GUESTS NARROWLY ESCAPE
Cause of Fire Unknown but 1t Starts
in Rear of the Structure-Loss
Estimated at $4,000 With an In
surance Partially Covering Ire
building Probable.

Oshkosh, Wis, Feb. S.-Ihe Revere
house, one of the leading hotels OF this
city, was completely Quilted by fire
yesterday morning and the As guests
barely escaped with their lives. None
OF the guests saved their belongings
and the servants saved but little. The
loss is about $4,000. 1t was nearly 8
O'Clock in the morning when Night
Clerk Henry Thence, son OF the man
ager, discovered strong smell of
smoke coming from the rear of the
hotel. He hurried to the kitchen, and
as he opened the door three explosions
occurred and the flames rushed out of
the door. He Immediately ran up and
down the halls on each floor, giving
the alarm. In a moment everyone
was aroused and rushing into the
street The peaple were scantily at
tired and many suffered from the
cold Mrs. Thence, wife of the pro-
prietor, escaped in her night robe.
She carried out new silk waist but
forgot her baby and left purse con-
tanning $3.50 under her pillow and also
a gold watch. She went back and
rescued them all. Within twenty
minutes the building was wrapped in
ture was in ruins. The progress of
the fire was very rapid
The building was insured for 900
in the following companies: Pennsyl-
vania American, Allemania, Citizens
Of st. Louis, Citizens of Pittsburg
Milwaukee Mechanics, Manchester
l'ircmen's of Newark and Spring Gar
den. The furniture was insured for
$500, divided among the following
companies: Milwaukee Mechanics,
New Hampshire, Northwestern Ger
man of PIttsburg, German of
Peoria, Rochester German and
Firemen's of Newark. The build
ing was owned by stock
company consisting of A. Mehlman,
Herman Derksen, j. v Haul, r. Mehl-
man, William Laber, William GlatZ,
all Of Oshkosh. 1t was leased and OPP
Grated by Henry Thence, who owned
all the furniture and furnishings,
which We're totally destroyed.
The cause of the fire is unknown 1t
was discovered in the Kitchen and may
have originated in the laundry which
was directly behind it The interior OF
the building was entirely of wood and
very combustible. 1t is considered a
wonder that all of the occupants of the
hotel were able to escape uninjured
The hotel was Il large three story
brick building and was one of the lead
ing hotels in the state. rhe walls
are all standing, with the exception of
a small portion in the rear of the build
ing.
Fhe Hotel Revere has besn DESTROYED
by fire several times The first hotel
was built in 1850 by Gus Bogk, who
operated it az a German hostelry for
many years. In 1860 it was DESTROYED
by fire. The same year the house was
rebuilt by Mr. Bogk and operated by
him until 1877 when it was again de-
stroyed by fire, In this fire Jeff Muir
dock a lawyer, was burned to death.
1t was rebuilt and it burned again
Fen years ago G. w Roe rebuilt the
building and sold it to the present
stock company The stockholders will
rebuild the hotel if the walls can be
used. A meeting will be held in a few
days to decide whether to rebuild or
not