Pleasant Bluff, RI Fire Jul 1894

HOTEL AND FIVE COTTAGES BURNED.

Destructive Fire in Pleasant Bluff, a Rhode Island Resort.

PROVIDENCE, July 24.---A hotel and five cottages at Pleasant Bluff, a Summer resort in East Providence, situated on Narragansett Bay, were burned last night. The hotel was owned by Walter Comstock. It consisted of two parts, 80 by 32 and 120 by 50 feet, and was four stories high. Adjoining it were a big dance hall, a dining hall, a kitchen, and a barber's shop, owned by Comstock. The character of the place become so disgraceful that the licenses of the hotel and saloon were revoked last Saturday, and the place was closed.

The fire was probably the work of an incendiary. Comstock says he was not in the house for two hours before the fire was discovered, and that when he went to see what had caused the flames he was shot at four times by some unseen assailant. Comstock puts his loss at from $30,000 to $35,000 on the hotel and annexes, and on the furniture and other fixtures at $10,000. He had about $7,000 insurance on the building, and not over $3,000 on the contents.

The fire spread to three cottages owned by Joseph Grant, a Providence jeweler. These were occupied by William Lamphear, J. Richardson, and Mrs. Henry Roch. They lost everything except a few personal belongings. The loss on the cottages was $5,000, probably insured one-half. The losses of the occupants were estimated at about $500 each. Another cottage, belonging to a Mrs. Hunt, was destroyed with its contents, and still another was almost destroyed. The total loss will aggregate not far from $60,000, with less than half that amount of insurance.

The New York Times, New York, NY 25 Jul 1894
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!