Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-10-20
FLAMES GET PARK HOTEL
HISTORIC HOSTELRY HAD HOUSED
HOMELESS HUNDREDS
building and Part of Contents consum.
ed-MEs. B. T. Norris Millinery
Stock Total Loss

Close to the hour of midnight on Wed
nesday of last week, the fire alarm
sounded and Viroqua's s slumberers. rude
ly awakened, soon learned that the old
and historic Park hotel was in flames
and would soon be nothing but ar un-
slightly deposit of ashes and debris.
Early perceiving the hopelessness of
saving the hostelry, the firemen center
ed their work on the bun ling owned
by and containing butch, shop be-
longing to ID. I. Fortney, wl..ch Joined
the hotel on the north. BY dint Of pa
tlent and valiant labor they succeeded
in the effort. Meanwhile the hotel.
heavily timbered and thoroughly dry by
decades OF existence, burned rapidly on.
AT times waves of intense heat shot
across the street and threatened disas-
ter to the Side and Nordrum buildings.
whose windows had been hastily cover
ed by pine lumber. Fortunately. these
buildings wlthstood the fierce onslaught
and were saved to their owners. Pro-
prletor b. w. Moore saved only por-
tion of the furnishings of his lodging
house. Some of his employees and guests
suffered the loss of their wearing appar-
el. Mr.. Moore carried $4, 900 insurance
on the building and contents with the
First National Bank, which amount re-
presents approximately one-half of his
loss. The insurance was paid to him
the second day after the fire.
In room on the ground floor Mrs. B.
+. Norris housed her millinery stock,
which was total loss. This lady car
ried $500 insurance, but is, neverthe-
less, a heavy loser, having just unpack-
ed heavy consignment of new goods
Just how and where this destructive
fire started is not known, and is a futile
topic for discussion. One thing is GER
tain, in view OF the large number of
our citizens who knew nothing of the
blaze until hours after it's occurrence,
that our fire bell system is not shining
success. The old fire whistle had It
beaten city blocl
Thus was anoth of Viroqua's s land
marks wiped out. Few remain. One
can hardly stifie sigh of regret over
the removal of link between the pre-
sent generation and those hardy souls
who gathered at the site of our beauti-
full little city when it was merely a syl-
van solitude-a forest primeval. Park
hotel was erected in 1858, by Hitler
Dunlap and his mother. Its size was
24x36 feet, two stories high. 1t was
enlarged by subsequent owners. War
ren Dunlap opened the building as ho-
tel and acted as landlord for several
years, when he was succeeded by Chas.
Skippens. Skippens remained landlord
until 1865. when Bannister Brothers be-
came proprietors. Hiram Haskell sue
ceeded the Bannisters. Then came Cap
tain Henry Connor, who changed the
name to Viroqua House. Orange Lamb
was the next landlord, and succeeding
him came Captain Connor again, who
| changed the name to the Park Hotel.
u. w. Hazen next officiated as proprie-
tor for term of years, disposing Of
the property to j. S. Cass. The last
named gentleman sold to Edward Lind,
who after brief reign, sold to ID. t.
Fortney. b. w. Moore purchased the
property the first of last year. Could
one but scan the pages of the registers
of this hotel, inscribed thereon would
be seen the names of numerous promi-
nent persons, most of whom have pass
ed W the tongueless silence Of the
dreamless dust. Here also foregather-
ed in earlier times the local political
talent to plan their political coup
d'etats. Many merry quip and jest
was banded about to while away the
evening hours. Old-timers will recall
that Park Hotel was, in 1865, the scene
of a murder when Proprietor Skippens
shot James E. Newell, Jr. After three
trials Skippens was acquitted upon the
ground of self defense.