Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-06
$4,000 FIRE AT MIDDLETOWN
WRECKS P0STOFFICE, THEATRE,
LIBRARY and OTHER BUILDINGS,
Whole Business Section Of the Town Threatened by a
Disastrous Blaze Which Originated From an Unknown
Cause Shortly After Midnight This Morning; Loss
Partly Covered by Insurance.
Special Dispatch to Every Evening.

special Dispatch to Every Evening
Aiiddletown. April s.-Fire. which
originated In n mysterious manner. in
the new Opera House, on Main street.
shortly after midnight this morning
totally destroyed that building. which
was valued at more than $4,000. as
w~ll rs the postoflice. nearby. and
AAmagcd severely several adjacent
properties.
For awhile all Of the Cass street
buildings were threatened with de-
struction and the residents of that
sud nearby vicinities were In a state
" feverish anxiety for several hours
The energetic work Of the members
Of five fire companies. which were
summoned To fight the blaze, averted
thk calamity, however.
The total loss will probably exceed
t6O.0oo, which Is partly covered by
insurance.
The buildings DANA ged or destroyed.
and the estimated money losses, are
ss follows:
Opera House, owned by James f..
Lewis; totally destroyed Estimated
losse. $4,000.
Postoiiice Building. headquarters fo.'
the postotiicc, library and other offices.
owned 10y Jesse l.. Shepherd: totally
destroyed. Estimated loss aside from
Sontents. $1,000.
Middletown Free Library, located in
the pO.tofiice Building, and comprising
more than 2.00O volumes: totally de
siroyec. Estimated loss, $4,000.
The postofiice, located in the Post
ohhce Building; John O. Jolls. post
master. Very little loss. valuable mail
and other articles having been removed
Redsrave Brothers hardware store,
located in the Opera House Building,
owned by the Redgrave brothers
totally destroyed. Estimated loss i'm
stock. about S25o0.
Fire insurance Office OF Miss Eugene
Beasten. located in the Postofiice
building; totally destroyed. Loss ii.
policies and private documents, not
estimated. Miss Bessten was the local
agent for the Mutual Insurance Co. of
Reading. Pa and the Chester county
Mutual Fire Insurance Co. OF Coates
vile. IA.
Residence OF DR.. r. NJ Vaughn
adjacent 10 the poetoffice: badly dam
"grd Estimated loss. $4,000.
Residence of Miss Alice Wood ad.
Jacent to the opera house; badly dam
aged Estimated loss. 81 500.
Riceiardis fruit store, located in shs
Opera House building. conducted by
Rocco Ricciardi Of Wilmington; TO.
tally destroyed. Loss in stock not es-
timsted
In addition 20 the above, the rea,
OF the Presbyterian manse. nearby
was badly blistered ana damaged with
smoke and water.
GOOD Work by Firemen.
Despite the fact that the fire com.
paniee of Middletown, Wilmington. Nil.
ford. Dover and Smyrna played stream,
of water on the burning building;
from the time Of their arrival unit
about o'clock this morning, the rrin.
were still smoidering al a late hour
The first was probably the worst tha'
M1ddleiown has ever suffered. No con
flncing theory as 10 what caused i
has been advanced. Burglars may hav,
been responsible. though evidence o
this Is lacking.
The evening motion picture shov
was given in the theatre as usual las
evening, and when the audience dis
persed after the last showing. abou
1890 O'Clock. everything was appar
emily alright. The proprietor OF III,
i'catre, Mr. Lewis. was out OF town
having gone. IL is said. TO his recent
~ erected theatre in Milford
early In the evening.
Continued on page -.