Kendallville, IN Most Of Town Destroyed By Fire, Sep 1886

KENDALLVILLE'S MISFORTUNE.

FURTHER PARTICULARS REGARDING THE GREAT CONFLAGRATION.

THE LOSS ESTIMATED AT FULLY $50,000 -- THOSE INSURED.

Special to the Gazette.
Kendallville, Ind., Sept. 10. -- The better part of our city is in ruins. The fire fiend did its extravagant work. Beginning this morning at 1 o'clock. The fire was discovered in the back part of GEORGE H. LOHMAN'S drug store. The fire bell with the Presbyterian bell soon brought hundreds of people to the scene to fight the demon, which had already made rapid progress, and was being fanned into deeper flames by a south wind, which eveidently carried the flames to the northeast. On the south of LOHMAN'S drug store, JOHN EMERSON'S grocery store, which was partly insured, nothing saved; SOVERANCE'S hardware store, nothing saved, but insured; ALEXANDER'S building badly damaged on outside, stock all saved with the exception of minor losses. This is far as the fire extended on the south. Then, on the north, LOHMAN'S drug store, insured for $2,500, taking A. S. ABEL'S building and L. F. ABEL'S stock, insurance, $2,000; MRS. P. SWARTZ'S bakery, stock nearly all saved; WARD & FETTERS, dealers in dry goods, loss is heavy, $10,000, insurance for $7,000.
H. HELMAN, groceryman, lost heavily, no insurance; ARNOLD'S grocery store and CARPENTER BROS. barber shop all are in ashes. Did not learn the estimate of their loss. Damaged the KELLY house to seom extent, it having fire proof blinds and the faithful labors of the brave men, the flames were subdued. Some old buildings were burned back of the KELLY house carrying the flames into HALL & LOEBS' livery barn, and down Mitchell street to the corner of State street, taking everything as it went along. All along Main street and Mitchell street, above stairs were places of business, and private families living. DRS. WILLIAMS & Son had an office above LEHMAN'S drug store, nothing saved and no insurance. It is impossible to give anything like a correct report of the fire this morning. Everybody is excited and those that have lost so heavily are almost beside themselves. The loss is estimated at $50,000. We will try and give a correct report as soon as the people become more settled. Kendallville has no fire engines, but now the topic of conversation is to get one as there is plenty of water and the expense would be a trifle compared to the loss of property this morning.

Fort Wayne Gazette Indiana 1886-09-11
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!