The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-23
Former Residence Of Capt.
James DeWoIf Totally Destroyed
LOSS PLACED At $4,000.
Flames Made a Clean Sweep Of Mansion
Though q Considerable Amount Of Rare
Furnishings Was Saved.

In the total destruction, by fire, OF the
historic old De Wolf mansion In the sub
urbs OF Bristol. this state has met with a
great and lrreparable loss. The fame Of
the fine colonial house was wide and Sc
cure and the news OF its burning viii
cause general regret.
The house. a spacious mansion. ga
stories In height stood t>-.he middle OF
q large estate making II diSicult mat
ter to battle with the flames. The fire
broke out I'm some portion of the base
ment shortly before O'Clock. Mrs. Mar
ian |. De Wolf owner Of the mansion.
and a maid servant. were the only per-
sons I'm the house at the time
Mrs De Wolf heard the dread cracking
OF the flames and Investigated. finding
a FIRE iercely burning about the furnace
rooms The fire seemed TO radate- In
all directions and Mrs. De Wolf was
quickly forced ito retire before the on
rushing flames.
There was difficulty in getting hremen
TO the scene. the house not being on the
main travelled way and considerable
distance for the central district OF the
town. The fremen responded To the
alarm, but OF reaching the scene they
efforts availed for little against the
devastating flames.
All hands turned TO the rescue OF the
house furnishings, many risks being
taken I'm securing the most valuable OF
the treasures with which the house was
richly stored Paintings and furniture.
valuable china and great variety Of
general furnishings were gathered on the
lawn out of reach OF the fire.
40 f,nr OaH I'm 10
moment and the entire structure was
soon blaze from cellar TO roof. The fire
attracted hundreds OF Bristol people and
1T up the heavens with a glare that wag
noted for miles I'm all directions.
The lremen strove manfully 10 prevent
a spreading OF the flames. and great credit
Is due them for that the disaster was
no heavier. The house itself stood on
an eminence. was freely swept by strong
breezes and was entirely destroyed. Such
furnishings as were saved are valued at
$1,000 The loss IS estimated at $50 900.
partially covered by insurance.
Fortunately the fire was unaccompanied
by loss Of life or by any serious injury
10 those engaged in lighting the flames.
The loss OF SO many priceless relics OF
other generations is most keenly felt
Mrs. De Wolf owner OF the mansion.
recalled, after the FIRE. a long success
tlOu ol Nut idlt tnllkS tue
fed upon.
The house was a century old. having
been built by Capt. James DE Wolf the
foremost Bristol merchant of a hundred
years ago, and at one time United Statos
senator
The property before the fire consisted
OF a mansion. barns. carriage houses.
sheds and other buildings. surrounded by
tract of land amounting TO 35 acres.
the whole, according to the board OF tax
assessors OF Bristol. having a valuation
OF $4,000 The property occupies a square
bounded by Metacom avenue on the
east, Woodlawn avenue on the south.
DE Wolf avenue on the West and Mount
Hope avenue on the north. Rare trees
we're planted upon the estate and
few years ago the lockwood hedges weres
the finest OF the kind I'm the state
The house just burned was one Of os
rooms and its destruction removes one
Of the old landmarks I'm the Mount Hope
lands. In this house one Of the most
brilliant social events was the marriage
Of Harriet daughter or william Brad
ford De Wolf. to Gen. Lloyd Aspinwall
OF New York.