The Mena weekly star., 1907-12-26
FIRE DAMAGES THE
 COMMERCIAL HOTEL
Bremen Have Hard Fight to Prevent Total Destruction Caught From Defective Flue S2,000 In-
 surance on the Building.

hotel, located on the corner of Seventh street and Honert avenue near the east entrance to Janssen park, and for a while it looked like the entire building was doomed to destruction and much other property in the greatest danger.
 The occupants of the building had ample warning, and had no difficulty in reaching safety.
 The building is frame, is three stories high with a two story addition on the east side, and in the upper story of this addition near where it joins the main building is said to be where the fire originated, being caused by a defective Hue.
 When first discovered the fire had eaten its way through the roof and had already made great headway by spreading under the roof to the east and west side of the building.
 When the alarm was turned in the two hose companies prompt ly responded, but by the time they had coupled onto hydrants and were ready for action, nearly tue entire roof of the building was roaring mass of flames.
 The boys went to work with will and soon had checked the flames on the roof, but the fire was rapidly eating its way down. ward from the upper story and the firemen dragged line of hose up a ladder and into the build ing, from which point they fought the fire despite the chok- ing smoke and the danger, which was at times serious, of being caught by the falling roof.
 Another line of hose was dragged to the top of the building and the firemen held their posi- tions on the narrow edges and kept the heavy stream of water playing where it seemed most necessary, not forgetting the endangered buildings nearby.
 With the best efforts of the firemen, it was more than an hour before the flames were en. tircly subdued.
 After the fire was out an in- spection of the building showed that the upper story was badly damaged, large portions of the roof being destroyed and quite number of rooms being complete ly gutted. Little damage was done to the first and second stories by the fire. but the food ing of the building with water did considerable damage.
 The hotel was being managed by w. H. Scarboro, who was out of the city at the time of the fire, returning home on the early train from the South this morn- ing. The household furniture on the first floor was nearly all re moved from the building, also portion of the furniture on the second floor. A. D Garden has charge of the building as agent, and he estimates that the loss on the building will amount to S2, 500. There was S2,000 in- surance. The furniture in use belonged to the hotel, and was not insured. MT. Scarboro had S1, 100 worth of furniture stored on the top floor on which was $500 insurance. This was mostly destroyed.
 The Commercial hotel was built by Mrs. A. Frady in 1897. and was bought by Prof. J. E. Woottou in 1904, who for time conducted a business school iu the building. This was the property which Prof. Wootton later traded to Hendrix College for a ninty-nine year lease of the kiena Hendrix Academy property.
 This deal resulted iu itig ation iu the chancery and Judge J. D. Shaver rendered decision giving control of the Academy property to the Little Rock Conference of the NJ. E. church, South. So far as known the title to the property still rests in Hendrix College.
 Too much praise cannot be given to the members of the volunteer fire department and