The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-12-11
The scale" House Burned.

boarding house, corner Of Seventh and
Court streets, early yesterday morning,
practically destroyed the large and val
liable building, together with large
share of its contents. The house itself
was the property of Martin Calvin, pro-
prietor of the livery establishment direct
ly opposite, and the furniture and other
contents belonged to Mr.. and Mrs.
Frederick Wood, his tenants. ''The
Gale" was erected in. 1858, as the resi-
dence of DR.. Dwight Reed, and was first
jointly occupied by himself and brother
Egbert G. Reed, and two years later by
the family of the latter alone. The prop
erty was finally purchased by the late
John E. Gale, E. G. Reeds son-in-law,
and not long since sold by Mr.. Gale to
Martin Calvin. After Mr.. Reeds re-
moval to Binghamton to live with Mr..
Gale, the property was occupied as a
boarding establishment by Captain and
Mrs. G. E. Baker, and after their re-
moval to Waymart, it has been rented
to Mr.. and Mrs. Wood for the same
purpose.
The fire was first noticed about two
O'Clock by little son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Wood, who ran down the back stair
way and gave an alarm which aroused
George Tauebner, one of the boarders.
He rushed up to the hallway of the
second story back, and found smoke
and flames pouring out of the half open
transom of bath room. After awaken
ing the occupants of adjoining apart
ments he hastened to the phone and
turned in fire alarm, to which one
steamer of Protection Co. No. 3, the
Alert Hook and Ladder Co., of East
Honesdale, and the Chemical Engine
Co. of Texas No. 4, promptly respond
ed. Protection company first located
their engine on the retaining wall at the
foot of 9TH street, but, finding the water
| in the Lackawaxen too low at that
point, changed to a point above the
dam at the foot of Eighth street, whence
two lines of hose were run to the burn
ing building. Meanwhile two lines of
hose were laid by other members of the
company from Main street hydrant,
and the other companies had arrived,
but despite the most strenuous efforts of
the firemen, the flames made such
headway as to practically gut the en-
tire interior of the building, destroy the
roofs of the main structure and the rear
annex, and ruin most of the furniture
and other property.
How the fire originated is mystery.
A gas jet was always kept lighted in
the bath room, and there was waste
paper basket directly under it, but how
blaze could have been communicated
from one to the other is beyond explana-
ton. The partitions were burning fierce
ly when the door was first opened, and
the fire spread SO rapidly that it was
with difficulty some of the inmates of
the house escaped in their night clothes.
Mr.. Stuckey, one of the Allen House
BARRIERS, who occupied room directly
opposite the bath room, got out of his
window onto porch and fell to the
stone steps about twelve feet below, al
most miraculously escaping serious in
jury. The night was very cold, but for
tunately without wind, or it might have
been difficult to save neighboring build
ings. All of the horses. carriages and
other property were removed from the
livery stables of Joseph Jacobs, the near
est building on the 7th street side.
When the "Gale" was originally built
half century and more ago, it was re-
garded as one of the finest residences in
Honesdale. 1t was afterwards much
enlarged and improved by E. G. Reed
and Mr.. Gale, and was thoroughly ren,
ovated after it passed into the posses
sion of Mr.. Calvin, who will be heavy
loser, Notwithstanding the fact that he
holds $3, 900 insurance in the sagency of
j. Ben. Robinson.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wood estimate their
loss at $4,000, on which they have an in
surance OF ST. 900 in Daniel Bingham S
Hawley agency. For the present such
household goods as were saved are be-
ing removed to the tenement building of
H. u. Russell, corner of Court and
Eighth streets. The Gale was well
kept and well patronized hostelry, and
was the main stopping place of theatri-
cal troupes and other show people. The
fire is particularly unforNnate for Mr..
J and Mrs. Wood, happening as it has, in
/ the height of the Lyric" season.
MENNER & Co. will close out their
winter stock of Ladies' cloaks and Stiits