The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-08-17
MONTICELLO AND ITS
HOTELS RAzED BY FIRE
=
Business Section Of New York
Village In Ruins.
FLAMES STAYED BY DYNAMITE
Summer Resort in Sullivan County
Mountains Filled With Visitors
y Almost Destroyed-List Of Build
~F~ ings Burned and the Victims.

MiddIetown, NJ "a fire which
started in the electric light plant of
the village of Monticello, Sullivan
County, destroyed the entire business
section Of the village, and caused a
loss of between $700, 900 and ST.
900, goo. The residence section of the
village was saved only by the use Of
dynamite, number of buildings in
the path of the flames having been
destroyed by the explosives.
Thirty-six buildings in ali were
burned, Including every store in the
village except furniture store; all
of the large hotels, two newspaper
offices, the Sullivan County Jail, the
Court House, Town Hall of Month
cello and the National bank. The fire
spread from the electric light plant to
the Palatine Hotel and Palatine
Music Hall, thence up and down both
sides of Main street. The three fire
companies of the village fought hard
until they were put out of business by
the burning of their lines Of hose
Then the city of Port Jervis and the
village Of Liberty were called upon
Tor help.
Hundreds Of fremen from both
places with large quantities OF hose
were rushed to Monticello by special
trains At 2 o'clock in the morning,
when the entire business section was
;ablaze and 1t was feared that the resi-
dental section would be DESTROYED.
dynamite was resorted to and a num-
Der of buildings In the path of the
IRE were blown up. This checked the
flames, and at daylight the fire was
under control
Among the buildings burned were:
Rockwell House, Bolsum House,
Palatine Hotel, the electric light
plant, Murray's Music Hall, Union
National Bank. Masonic Temple, W.
w. Johns hardware store, Monticello
Republican office, Monticello Watch
man Office, John F. Tymeson resi-
4dence, DR.. J. F. Curlettes residence,
Hudson River Telephone Offices, KEEL
1ey's candy kitchen, Thornton & Mil
ler's drug store, Hammond & Cooks
department stores, Burns G Taylor's
department store, Loderhose's bakery,
f. L. Strong's grocery store, John
Heath's stationery store, Wilbur
! Strong's stationery store, Thomas
Dougherty's undertaking establish
ment, law Offices OF John D. Lyon and
George Cook, DR.. j. G. Osborne's
dentist Office. George Handley's cafe,
Pelton's millinery store, s. G.. Car
penters shoe store, Grain & Run
dies drug store, Office of DR.. William
McWillians, Eli Rundle's laundry,
Reuben Swartz's jeweiry store, War;
rem Smiths hardware store and Fred
Carlisle's grocery store. The centre
OF the village was heap of smolder-
ing ruins.
The only method of communication
between Monticello and the outside
world next morning was established
= On TOP ofSa telephone pole by line
= nan. who opened communication with
Middletown.
Not a house left standing In the
town, the hundreds of New Workers
who have been stopping in Monticello
have taken refuge in barns and farm
houses in the outlying district, but
there are too many to be accommo-
dated even in these quarters. Most
of the summer residents lost all their
clothing and money in the fire and
cannot leave the town until they re-
ceive aid from their friends. Farm
ers from the surrounding country
have brought in wagon loads Of food
to the refugees.