THE FIRE FIEND.

The City of Muskegon Very Badly Scorched.

A SERIOUS CONFLAGRATION.

Nearly Four Hundred Homes Succumb to the Flames.

PEOPLE REPORTED AS BURNED.

The Most Serious Conflagration Known For Years in the Michigan City.

MUSKEGON, MICH., May 17. - Never in the history of Muskegon, not excepting the severe conflagration of 1874, has there been such a such a calamitous vesitation of fire fiend as that which swooped down on this city yesterday. The fire broke out at 2:30 p. m. in Langwell's Livery barn on Cay avenue. The old frame structure was soon in flames and flying sparks and burning shingles carried by the strong north wind, almost at once set fire to the roofs of a score of old tinder boxes in immediate vicinity. Soon all the distance between Pine and Spring streets had been traversed and then the fire settled down to the southerly course and continued between Spring and Pine streets to eat everything that lay in its path.

The flames continued to work their way in a southerly direction, but did not cross over Spring street. They leaped to the west side of Pine street, devoured the Kent block and the three adjoining, and then the residence of Fred Drexillus, at the corner of Pine street and Muskegon avenue, and back of that destroyed Matthew Wilson's house, but was checked on that side of the street, and the people breathed easier, for they saw that the solid business part of the city was out of danger. The fire, however, continued its way up Pine and Spring streets, licking up many stores and dwellings, with a terrible roaring that nearly drove the people frantic.

After leaving Mort Watson's house, the fire jumped to a Pine street house, burned that and Outhewaite's fine residence and continued its course on the west side of Pine street, destroying every store on that side of the street, and also three houses on Walton street, but here the fire was again checked from spreading westerly. The courthouse, built in 1869, three story brick building was seen to be on fire. Th [sic] sheriff took possession of the prisoners twelve in number, and conveyed them to the city hall and locked up. There was a general stampede and the papers were quickly hustled into the large fire proof vaults. All the papers are supposed to be safe.

Judge Deckerman lost about half his fine library and others also lost a good deal in a personal way. All that remains of the large court house is the bare walls. The fire again jumped across Myrtle street and took more stores and dwellings on the west side of Pine street and also in one or two blocks around back to Terrace street. A large number of smaller dwellings and buildings quickly burned, and then the fire struck Holland church, parsonage and brick school house belonging to the same denomination.

In the meantime the fire continued to burn everything between Pine and Spring streets and was only checked at Isabella street, a distance of ten blocks. On Terrace street the buildings burned covered a space of five blocks, and the whole number of blocks is over twenty. The total number of dwellings burned is probably 350.

By 9 o'clock the fire had reached the southern district of the city, where there was more space between the houses, and the firemen succeeded in considerably reducing the further progress of the flames.

The total loss will not fall much below $500,000, and an insurance man last night estimated that the insurance will come up to $300,00.

A sad incident connected with the fire was the death of Harry Stevens, assistant postmaster and son of Postmaster Stevens. He was very ill with pneumonia and the flames made it necessary to remove him to a place of safety. He died amid the crash of falling houses while being removed.

Two unknown children are reported at the police department as having perished in the flames.

The Knoxville Journal, Knoxville, TN 18 May 1891
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Transcribed by Tim Taugher. Thanks, Tim!