South Side Fire of 1882
The Rushville Times
Thursday, January 12, 1882
RUSHVILLE IN FLAMES!TERRIBLE CONFLAGRATION!
West half of the South Side Business Row in Ruins.
ESTIMATED LOSS $40,000!
Summary of Losses as Given by the Losers.
THE PARTICULARS AS PICKED UP ON THE SPOT.
The Greatest Illumination ever Witnessed in Rushville.
{From the Citizen.}
Fire! Fire! The long expected and frequently predicted alarm has been sounded. On Wednesday morning about 12:30 a.m., the city of Rushville was awakened to the fact that the south side of the square was in flames. The welkin rang with cries of Fire! Help! and before 2 o'clock the entire west half of the south side business row was enveloped in flames.
The fire originated in the southeast end of the A. H. Seeley furniture building, and was under great headway before discovered. THE CITIZEN interviewed Mr. A. H. Seeley, yesterday morning, and he advanced no positive idea as to how or where the fire originated, but stated that the flames, when he came out of his residence, which stood just south of the store, were climbing the east side of the building, and that it must have been burning some time.
Dr. Harvey states that he came from his residence, upon hearing the alarm, and entered his office, which is on the second floor at the head of the stairway in the south end of the building, but only secured one book, the heat and smoke being so intense and dense, that to remain was impossible.
Nothing could be done at this stage of the affair, but to carry goods from the buildings. And never did Rushville present such a busy scene. Men, women and boys were converted into conveyers of burdens, and never such a willingness to work has been manifested. One by one the buildings were emptied in rotation in advance of the flames.
At one time it was thought that the entire south side would inevitably be consumed, but by the well directed stream of water, supplied by the bucket brigade, the flames were held at bay, when Nell's hardware store was reached.
The heavy snow that fell during the day, Tuesday, which lay upon the roofs, served to check the demon in its course.
SUMMARY
The Seeley building was a three story frame, owned by E. H. O. Seeley; total loss, $4,000; no insurance; west side occupied by A. H. Seeley, furniture stock, some of which was saved; loss estimated at $3,500; no insurance. East side, first floor, by Alex. Howell, drugs; totally destroyed; fully covered by insurance J. B. Metz, representing the British America and German, of Peoria Insurance Companies, had a $3,000 risk, $1,500 in each. One room in second story was occupied by Dr. J. A. Harvey, for office purposes. Loses.
The north room of the third story was the Masonic Hall, loss sustained on furniture and blue lodge regalia, estimated at $200. The Chapter paraphernalia, records of both blue lodge and Chapter, were saved. The remainder of the second and third floors not otherwise occupied as has been stated above, were used by A. H. Seeley as furniture ware rooms of the various classes. The ware house in the rear, a large and commodious apartment, used for unfinished work was also well filled. The residences of A. H. Seeley, two story frame, was seriously damaged; the weather boards on the north side, being entirely burned off; loss estimated at $200; no insurance.
The building on the east of the Seeley building, was a one story frame, owned by E. H. O. Seeley, loss about $3,000; no insurance; occupied by Henry Nieman, barber; all the furniture saved but somewhat damaged.
A. H. Seeley owned the next building, which he valued at $500; no insurance; occupied by Alex. Montgomery, drugs; a portion of the stock saved; loss estimated at $700 tp $800; no insurance.
Wilson & Graff, dry goods and groceries, two story frame; building owned by Thos. Wilson, who rented the building and warehouse at $2,000; no insurance; grocery stock valued at $10,000. insured for $4,500, in the American Central of St. Louis for $2,000, and North America of Philadelphia for $2,500. The second story was occupied by Miss Roberts, milliner, a portion of her furniture destroyed. Loss $30.
The building adjoining Wilson & Graff, on the east, known as the bank building, owned by Thomas Wilson, two story brick, originally cost $5,000; no insurance.
The above building was occupied by Geo. Hanna, jeweler, a portion of the stock saved, but damaged; insurance $1,500.
The second floor was occupied by Edwin Dyson, Times printing office, who saved very little material. His office furniture was removed, a cabinet of type and nearly all the "body" type. But unfortunately for the publisher, printing material after handled by a force of promiscuous, excited assistants under such circumstances, is worth little more than "py." The presses, consisting of a nine column Washington hand press and a quarto-medium Gordon job press, remained to be consumed. Will not fall much short of $1,200. And what is more disheartening to our neighbor is that he had no insurance.
The above last mentioned building was the last building in the row consumed.
Augustus Nell at one time would have taken a meagre sum for his elegant two story brick, which was built summer before last, but by extraordinary good management and almost superhuman efforts on the part of his numerous friends and well wishing fellow townsmen, together with a favorable, low wind, succeeded in saving the building, though somewhat damaged. Mr. Nell estimates his loss on buildings, including a frame ware house that stood in the rear end of the lot which was entirely consumed with its contents, at $1,000, and stock damaged by moving, at $500. The stock was insured for $3,000, the building for $2,500, by J. W. Morris, in the Home of New York, on stock $1,200, building $1,000; North America of Philadelphia, on stock $1,000, on building $1,250.
Jackson Bros., sustained great damage to stock, estimated at $4,000, and on building about $300; the new addition took fire in the rear and made it necessary to tear off the roof. Stock insured for $7,000, Etna, $2,000, represented by J. W. Morris.
Wells Brothers, clothing store, was emptied of its stock, which was considerably damaged, but they were better prepared for the calamity than others, as they had just invoiced and had insurance to more than cover all loss, and the brothers are grateful.
The City Hotel was emptied of its contents, which was more or less damaged; loss estimated at $300, on out buildings about $200.
Fox Bros., blacksmith shop, on corner of the alley, south of the City Hotel, was entirely consumed, loss about $100.
Farmers living seven or eight miles away, state that the light was seen at a greater distance, and that the illumination revealed to them a terrible calamity had befallen Rushville.
There were none engaged in the work of fighting the fire or otherwise engaged, who sistained any mentionable injury, except Mr. Augustus Nell, who had his right eye bandaged the next morning. He thinks the heat and smoke was the cause.
The scene on the south side of the square was an interesting one on Wednesday morning. The contents of ten buildings lay strewn and piled in a heterogeneous mass. The morning sun broke through the fleecy clouds and lent his congenial rays to warm and comfort the busily engaged denizens in removing the scattered and damaged goods.
By noon, the buildings that had escaped, had been filled with their respective stocks, and the street on the south side was lined with spectators all day long.
This is the most extensive fire Rushville ever witnessed, and the loss falls heavily upon those who had no insurance. Especially Mr. A. H. Seeley, who, when we called at his residence, we found him as cheerful as if nothing had occurred, seemingly, and when asked if he had any insurance, braced himself up as is his wont, and without any ifs or ands, said: "No, I never had any." He contemplated building this year and this may hasten it.
All who were losers by the conflagration bore their loss with manly courage.
The Rushville Times, used by permission.Copyright 2003 Robin L. W. Petersen; all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright must appear with the information.