Rushville Fire,1886
The Schuyler Citizen
Thursday, December 9, 1886
$10,000 FIRE!RUSHVILLE AGAIN SCORCHED.
Eight Frame Buildings Entirely Consumed.
GREER'S LIVERY STABLE AND NEARLY ALL ITS INANIMATE STOCK DESTROYED.
300 Bushels Corn, 60 Tons Hay, Buggies, Wagons and Harness.
TWENTY-ONE HEAD HORSES REMOVED WITHOUT DAMAGE.
Summary of Losses and Insurance.
Tuesday morning, December 7th, 1886, Rushville was again the scene of intense excitement as the alarm of Fire! Fire!! rang out upon the air and into the ears of her inhabitants.
A glance at the location whence the dense clouds of smoke were rolling justified the hopeless exclamation that very little could be done to stay the fire fiend in his destructive course until the entire row was razed to the ground.
All procured buckets but it was soon ascertained that the use of water would be a hopeless task, so all, men, women and children of one accord put in their best efforts to remove the contents of the buildings, which was done in the shortest possible space of time and in excellent order--so say all who were residents or occupants of the row--considering the circumstances.
ORIGIN OF FIRE
The fire originated in the mow of the livery stable. The straw was placed too close to the flue into which the pipe from the office stove entered. It seems that 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 or hay be allowed near the flue. But it seems that the fire undiscovered was then smouldering which broke out about ten o'clock in uncontrolable fury.
MONTOOTH'S BARN
The livery barn was a substantial, two story, commodious structure erected about four years ago. The barn was occupied by Milt H. Greer with a splendid livery out fit, consisting of twenty one head of horses, carriages, wagons, buggies and sleighs, harness, robes, etc. Three hundred bushels of corn, sixty tons hay, ten tons straw. All the horses were removed without damage, part of the vehicles and some of the other articles, but some of their new best harness was lost. All the corn, hay and straw. Mr. Greer estimates his net loss at $1,000. He had insurance of $1,000 on horses and stock nearly all of which was removed. No insurance on feed. Adjoining the barn on the south was a new one-story ware house built last spring by Mr. Montooth and used by him for a sales room for buggies, wagons and harness, in which was consumed several vehicles. Two buildings cost him $3,500 upon which he carried $2,100 insurance. Montooth's loss on stock estimated at $500, covered by insurance. He carried $2,000 insurance on stock most of which was removed without material damage.
LITTLE'S ROW OF BUILDINGS.
Mr. George Little owned five of eight buildings destroyed. The first of these to take fire 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 fire occupied by W. W. Potts for machinery and baled hay. All the contents except some bales of hay were removed. The next building in the path of the fire northward was that relic of yore better known as "Capt. Williams' harness shop," occupied by Asa Goodwin, as tailor shop and residence. The next was a little one story dwelling occupied by shoemaker W. E. Durnell, shop and residence. This building was torn down and dragged out just in time to save the home of Mrs. Hannah Prentiss, not, however, until her furniture had been entirely removed and great efforts and been put forth to prevent the heat from creating spontaneous combustion. The two buildings on the south end of the row owned by Mr. Little were occupied by Prof. F. M. Styles and family and Eugene Mallory and family. The old bakery portion of the building 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 repairing on a tenement house of Hiram Graff's, and did not know of the fire until it was almost over. He estimates his loss at about $100. Not insured.
Mr. Mallory estimates his loss at about $75. No insurance.
Asa Goodwin lost a watch, stoves and household goods and estimates his loss at nearly $100. No insurance.
Mrs. Prentiss refused to put an estimate on the damage to her furniture, but others have estimated it at about $100. No insurance.
GEORGE W. BAKER'S LOSS.
George W. 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 before consulted an insurance agent, W. R. Hawkins, on the subject and had partly agreed 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 on buildings and stock....4,000.
Milt H. Greer, loss on stock, feed, etc....1,000.
W. W. Potts, loss on stock....300.
George W. Baker, building and furniture....900.
Prof. F. M. Styles, furniture....100.
Asa Goodwin, watch and furniture....100.
Mrs. Prentiss, damages....100.
Eugene Mallory, loss and damages....75.Total estimated losses....$9,075.
INSURANCE.
James Montooth, on buildings....$2,100.
James Montooth, on stock....2,000.
Milt H. Greer, on horses and stock....1,000.
W. W. Potts, on machinery, hay, etc....782.Total insurance....$5,882.
The above estimates of losses and insurance we obtained direct from the individuals and consequently are correct.
The dry goods, grocery and provision stock of George Little & Co. was removed with considerable damage. It was insured and the loss by damage is difficult to estimate and consequently is not added to the above. It may however amount to between $500 and $1,000.
NOTES.
--Asa D. Goodwin had a narrow escape while fighting the fiend on the top of one of the houses; the flames lapped around and felt pretty hotly for his coat tail and that part of his pants. The entire right back side of his suit show unmistakable signs of hot scorching. No insurance.
--Everybody who sustained loss are profuse in their expressions of praise of the ladies who helped remove household goods and merchandise, for the careful manner and rapidity in which they handled them. At the livery stable the ladies emptied the office its contents and then assisted in removing the buggies, we are told. At Little & Co.'s they removed the show cases and fine article in excellent shape. All unite in thanks for their heroic and invaluable service.
--The row of frame buildings on the east side of the street had a narrow escape and was at one time thought to be on fire the heat was so intense.
--There being no wind apparently at the time militated in saving all the frame rows in that neighborhood.
--We are told that Mr. Little has all along, when the matter of insurance was talked of by the other members of the firm, insisted that the store building would not be burned when that north row was. His prediction proved true, but had the fire occurred when a northwest wind was blowing he would not have been so successful a prophet. But, "if."
--It is singular how many of those who sustained loss had been talking insurance just a few days before the fire. W. R. Hawkins had received the tacit agreement from 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 son to have it renewed. Mr. Little had been importuned to insure his buildings but refused saying, "I will take the risk myself."
--It is remarked on all hands that in no other work do Rushvillians unite so successfully and 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.
--The rope brigade supplanted the bucket brigade this time.
--A man from Oakland after assisting materially (?) at the fire demanded pay for his service. Upon being told by the party that he was penniless, but would pay him when he got it, remarked, "A man who wouldn't pay for that kind of service would not pay for anything."
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