Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-07
HOTEL RODNEY SAVED
BY F|REMEN'S EFFORTS
1t Escaped With a Few Burned
Holes in the Roof and Other
Minor Damage.
E. B. JONES, LIFE
GUARD, BADLY HURT
He Was Burned About the Body
and Face While Fighting
the Flames.
spe-ial Dispatch to Every Evening

specisl Dispatch to Every Evening
Lcwes. Dec. The business section
Of Lewes. was visited by fire early today
which caused damage variously estimated
AZ from 500 900 TO s15O,o00. Il occurred
around Second and South streets. The
following buildings were destroyed:
John NJ Vessels department store,
which sustained loss Of probably $50 600
Masonic Hall. $4,000.
L. +. Ross furniture store. 10000.
Miss Eirginis Laramore's dry goods
store. 5000.
Nrs. Bertha Burton's shoe store and
dwelling, $4,000.
Frederick Burton's house, $4,000.
The firc reached TO the opposite side Of
The street and damaged Mrs. B. NJ OTIS
store and dwelling 10 the extent Of $40 900.
DR.. Hiram r. Burton Is the owner Of this
property. Mrs. Anthony lngrams house
on the same side OF the street was damaged
10 he extent Of about $4,000.
The Hotel Rodney was afre two or
three times and some holes were burned
IN the roof, but good work on the part
~ the firerncn and Others saved the
building from destruction.
The loss is partly covered by insurance,
but lust how much insurance was carried
r~ouln not be learned today. All of the
buildings DESTROYED were of frame, some
large and some small. The Ross and
I.aranore stores were located IN the
Masonic Hall. The FIRE was discovered
AZ shout | o'clock this morning IN John
NJ. Vessels store How il originated no
body knows. but Mr.. Vessels IS OF the i'm
preston il WAS Of incendIaTy origin. II
nav have been caused by burglars while
they were at work. but this Is not known.
The fire Was under control BY and prac-
tically out by 10.
In sSdItion TO the above minor damage
uss done TO q number of dwellings and
other buildings In the vicinity
WHOLE TOWN AROUSED.
The whole town was aroused by the
blowing of the fire whistles At ! o clock
and soon hundreds OF persons were at hand
With the firemen TO be of such assistance
as they could. When the seriousness OF the
situation became known alarm messages
were sent to nearby towns. An engine
.,on arrived from Milford, which pumped
wster from the creek and did excellent
work in preventing the spread OF the
flames bevond he limits outlined above
The town has d standpipe system ana
there was an ample supply OF water, the
pumps being started rs soon as II was
found that the drain on the standppe
would be heavy. Milton also sent its tlre
engine and II too did good work. 1t IS un-
derstood that message was sent 10 W II
mingtnn. but in view of the fact that It
did not reach Fire Chief lutz Of that CITY.
nothing was done about II. When MIR.
IaItr was asked about the matter this
morning he said that while he had heard
later that such a message had been sent, he
did no; receive il. and for that reason
did not know Of the FIRE until too late TO
get engines there so as 10 be OF service
Some Of the most prominent residents OF
Ieues were in the danger zone and IN a
number q Instances their household
effects were assembled IN readiness 10 be
moved If the fre should spread 10 their
bornes Among those persons were Harry
LYONS. Charles II Maull. Dr. Robin
son DIR. Messick and Charles Morris.
Mr. Morris house was saved only because
!, rad a slate roof II that house had
caught FIRE the others doubtless would
bsve gone also Many other persons IN
the neighborhood moved out entirely
spd they were busy today moving back.
Those who were made homeless are be-
.ns, taken care of bv relatives and friends
\ II Jones. a life guard, was badly
burned about the face and body while
lighting the flre. -,
M and Mrs. Fred Burton were in Viii
,ni,yton st the time of the FIRE. but they
returned to Lewes today. Their home was
insured.