Hot Springs, AR Hotel & High School Fire, Sept 1885

A Hot Springs Hotel Burned.

[Special to the Kansas City Times.]
Hot Springs, Ark., Sept. 13.-Fire was discovered in the kitchen of the Kentucky house, a second class hotel, at 3 o’clock this morning. The guests were all aroused and made their escape. An alarm was given but before the department arrived the flames were beyond control, and in a few moments the house tumbled in. The flames spread to the Central High School and it too was consumed. The loss on the hotel, owned by J.J. Huggins, was $5,000; insured for $3,200. The loss on the Central school building, owned by D.C. Ruggs, was $2,500, insurance unknown, and on fixtures $600, insured for $400. The guests lost about $2,000 in clothing and jewelry. Many escaped in only their night clothes, and one woman in an adjoining house rushed out perfectly nude.

J.H. Helmken of Savannah, Ga., was almost suffocated by smoke but groped his way to the veranda and fainting fell over the balustrade to the ground fifteen feet below without injury. Jake Hart of Council Bluffs jumped through a glass window and cut a femoral artery. Prompt medical attention saved his life. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Kansas City Times, Kansas City, MO 14 Sept 1885

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Fire at Hot Springs, Ark., destroyed about a dozen small business houses, including the Phoenix and Willard hotels. The loss will aggregate about $47,000.

The Daily Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI 16 Sept 1885
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!