RushvilleFire,1886
The SchuylerCitizen
Thursday, December 9, 1886
$10,000 FIRE!
RUSHVILLE AGAIN SCORCHED.
Eight Frame Buildings EntirelyConsumed.
GREER’S LIVERY STABLE ANDNEARLY ALL ITS INANIMATE STOCK DESTROYED.
300 Bushels Corn, 60 TonsHay, Buggies, Wagons and Harness.
TWENTY-ONE HEAD HORSES REMOVEDWITHOUT DAMAGE.
Summary of Losses and Insurance.
Tuesdaymorning, December 7th, 1886, Rushville was again the scene of intense excitementas the alarm of Fire! Fire!! rang out upon the air and into the ears ofher inhabitants.
A glanceat the location whence the dense clouds of smoke were rolling justifiedthe hopeless exclamation that very little could be done to stay the firefiend in his destructive course until the entire row was razed to the ground.
All procuredbuckets but it was soon ascertained that the use of water would be a hopelesstask, so all, men, women and children of one accord put in their best effortsto remove the contents of the buildings, which was done in the shortestpossible space of time and in excellent order–so say all who were residentsor occupants of the row–considering the circumstances.
ORIGIN OF FIRE
The fireoriginated in the mow of the livery stable. The straw was placed too closeto the flue into which the pipe from the office stove entered. It seemsthat some time during the night the flue burned out, and Mr. James Montooth,who owned the barn, ordered that all care should be taken, no straw orhay be allowed near the flue. But it seems that the fire undiscovered wasthen smouldering which broke out about ten o’clock in uncontrolable fury.
MONTOOTH’S BARN
The liverybarn was a substantial, two story, commodious structure erected about fouryears ago. The barn was occupied by Milt H. Greer with a splendid liveryout fit, consisting of twenty one head of horses, carriages, wagons, buggiesand sleighs, harness, robes, etc. Three hundred bushels of corn, sixtytons hay, ten tons straw. All the horses were removed without damage, partof the vehicles and some of the other articles, but some of their new bestharness was lost. All the corn, hay and straw. Mr. Greer estimates hisnet loss at $1,000. He had insurance of $1,000 on horses and stock nearlyall of which was removed. No insurance on feed. Adjoining the barn on thesouth was a new one-story ware house built last spring by Mr. Montoothand used by him for a sales room for buggies, wagons and harness, in whichwas consumed several vehicles. Two buildings cost him $3,500 upon whichhe carried $2,100 insurance. Montooth’s loss on stock estimated at $500,covered by insurance. He carried $2,000 insurance on stock most of whichwas removed without material damage.
LITTLE’S ROW OF BUILDINGS.
Mr. GeorgeLittle owned five of eight buildings destroyed. The first of these to takefire was the machinery hall across the alley, north, from the livery barn.This was a substantial frame, built about three years ago for Falkinstine& Farwell, agricultural implement dealers, but at the time of the fireoccupied by W. W. Potts for machinery and baled hay. All the contents exceptsome bales of hay were removed. The next building in the path of the firenorthward was that relic of yore better known as “Capt. Williams’ harnessshop,” occupied by Asa Goodwin, as tailor shop and residence. The nextwas a little one story dwelling occupied by shoemaker W. E. Durnell, shopand residence. This building was torn down and dragged out just in timeto save the home of Mrs. Hannah Prentiss, not, however, until her furniturehad been entirely removed and great efforts and been put forth to preventthe heat from creating spontaneous combustion. The two buildings on thesouth end of the row owned by Mr. Little were occupied by Prof. F. M. Stylesand family and Eugene Mallory and family. The old bakery portion of thebuilding was unoccupied. Mr. Little estimates his loss on buildings at$2,500; no insurance.
F. M.Styles was absent from home, out side the corporation, doing some repairingon a tenement house of Hiram Graff’s, and did not know of the fire untilit was almost over. He estimates his loss at about $100. Not insured.
Mr. Malloryestimates his loss at about $75. No insurance.
Asa Goodwinlost a watch, stoves and household goods and estimates his loss at nearly$100. No insurance.
Mrs. Prentissrefused to put an estimate on the damage to her furniture, but others haveestimated it at about $100. No insurance.
GEORGE W. BAKER’S LOSS.
GeorgeW. Baker and family occupied the building next south of the Montooth buildings.Mrs. Baker kept day boarders and was doing well. Had a day or two beforeconsulted an insurance agent, W. R. Hawkins, on the subject and had partlyagreed to have the policy made out on the morning of the fire. “All most,but lost.” He valued the house at $700 and furniture consumed at $200,making his own estimated loss $900.
SUMMARY.
George LIttle, loss on buildings….$2,500.
James Montooth, loss onbuildings and stock….4,000.
Milt H. Greer, loss on stock,feed, etc….1,000.
W. W. Potts, loss on stock….300.
George W. Baker, buildingand furniture….900.
Prof. F. M. Styles, furniture….100.
Asa Goodwin, watch and furniture….100.
Mrs. Prentiss, damages….100.
Eugene Mallory, loss anddamages….75.Total estimated losses….$9,075.
INSURANCE.
James Montooth, on buildings….$2,100.
James Montooth, on stock….2,000.
Milt H. Greer, on horsesand stock….1,000.
W. W. Potts, on machinery,hay, etc….782.Total insurance….$5,882.
The aboveestimates of losses and insurance we obtained direct from the individualsand consequently are correct.
The drygoods, grocery and provision stock of George Little & Co. was removedwith considerable damage. It was insured and the loss by damage is difficultto estimate and consequently is not added to the above. It may howeveramount to between $500 and $1,000.
NOTES.
–AsaD. Goodwin had a narrow escape while fighting the fiend on the top of oneof the houses; the flames lapped around and felt pretty hotly for his coattail and that part of his pants. The entire right back side of his suitshow unmistakable signs of hot scorching. No insurance.
–Everybodywho sustained loss are profuse in their expressions of praise of the ladieswho helped remove household goods and merchandise, for the careful mannerand rapidity in which they handled them. At the livery stable the ladiesemptied the office its contents and then assisted in removing the buggies,we are told. At Little & Co.’s they removed the show cases and finearticle in excellent shape. All unite in thanks for their heroic and invaluableservice.
–Therow of frame buildings on the east side of the street had a narrow escapeand was at one time thought to be on fire the heat was so intense.
–Therebeing no wind apparently at the time militated in saving all the framerows in that neighborhood.
–We aretold that Mr. Little has all along, when the matter of insurance was talkedof by the other members of the firm, insisted that the store building wouldnot be burned when that north row was. His prediction proved true, buthad the fire occurred when a northwest wind was blowing he would not havebeen so successful a prophet. But, “if.”
–It issingular how many of those who sustained loss had been talking insurancejust a few days before the fire. W. R. Hawkins had received the tacit agreementfrom George W. Baker to make out a policy on the day of the fire. Mrs.Prentiss had allowed her insurance to expire and was cautioned by her sonto have it renewed. Mr. Little had been importuned to insure his buildingsbut refused saying, “I will take the risk myself.”
–It isremarked on all hands that in no other work do Rushvillians unite so successfullyand manage affairs so admirably without a leader as at a big fire.
–Mr.Montooth will rebuild with brick walls just as soon as possible and M.H. Greer will occupy the new stand on the same site.
–A. H.Seeley’s fine hearses both had a narrow escape.
–Therope brigade supplanted the bucket brigade this time.
–A manfrom Oakland after assisting materially (?) at the fire demanded pay forhis service. Upon being told by the party that he was penniless, but wouldpay him when he got it, remarked, “A man who wouldn’t pay for that kindof service would not pay for anything.”
Copyright 2003 Robin L. W.Petersen; all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use ofthe information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited withoutprior permission. If copied, this copyright must appear with the information.
Recent Comments