THE DISASTER OF A NIGHT

Burning of the Hamblin House, the Miller and Rohrbaugh Buildings

TYPED BY CHERYL EDWARDS

["Ottawa Weekly Republic," 14 Feb 1895, page 2]

A fire of mysterious origin destroyed property of the estimated value of $75,000, between 10:30 o'clock Saturday night and dawn of yesterday morning. It was a fire that still flashed baleful defiance, after seven hours of desperate battle had been waged by expert and heroic firemen aided by the best of mechanical equipment.

The combination block o'brick and stone fronting one hundred and twenty-five feet on Main and one hundred and fifty on Second streets, and comprising the Hamblin House hotel, the D Miller block., Nos 106 and 108 and the Rohrbaugh building, No. 110 Main was totally destroyed, unless it be that the superior quality of the Rohrbaugh walls shall have preserved them. Inclusive in the category of losses total and partial are the stocks of two drug stores, two book stores, two jewelry establishments, two boot and shoe dealers, one gent's furnisher, a billiard hall, a hotel and a laundry. Half a dozen office men lost their belongings and furniture wholly or in part, and the personal effects of a number of roomers and boarders are to be included in the list.

This, briefly enumerated, is the score of the most disastrous fire that has visited Ottawa.

Almost exactly at half past ten Saturday night, Mr. E. P. Stewart, joint occupant, with Clark Bros. of the building No 110 Main, extinguished the gas-light and turned the fluid off at the meter; then bidding his friend Dr. Ewing good night he locked up and went home. Ten minutes later Mrs. E. H. Tipton, in her husband's store across the street, saw what appeared to her to be a ball of fire fall from the ceiling of the Clark establishment to the floor, as nearly as she could locate it at a point near the stove (half way down the room), and immediately, a bright flame seemed to engulf the room.

At about this same time Mr. Jas Cunningham, barber, immediately across the street, remarked to Mr. Abe Morrison whom he was shaving: "They must be having fire-works at Clark's. He had observed a mass of red fire that he concluded was a red-hot stove. In another minute he again glanced across the street.

"By gum!", said he, "that looks like a fire over there." As he spoke the red spot had seemingly exploded with a distinguishable noise, emitted a brilliant flash, and died away in a cloud of sparks. A colored boy had run across the street, and convinced himself that there was a fire--he saw a column of flame mounting toward the ceiling near the stove--and he sprinted for the engine house.

Coincident with these observations Mr. Richard Mason, who was working in his office on the second floor almost directly over the stove in the Clark Bros. store, was startled by the noise of an explosion and the sudden up-lifting of the floor. Mr. George Piersol, with a friend, was sitting in his store room at No. 214 Main and they distinctly heard a sound as of an explosion, and saw flames or vivid reflections thereof shoot out apparently from the side windows of the second floor above them, but which must have been from the rear of the Clark store. So realistic was this that Mr. Piersol instantly concluded that there was a fire overhead and hastily made examination.

It took but a few minutes for the department to respond to the alarm by the colored boy. When the pipe men reached the Clark front all was darkness, but an utterly impenetrable volume of smoke was rolling from the broken door front. No flames were discernible, but it was of course concluded that the fire was in this room, and lines of hose were soon streaming water into it from front and rear.

In the meantime Chief Elder and his assistants were searching the building over in search of the meat of fire, but it could not be discovered, through investigation holes were chopped in the floor of the second story in various places. The volume of smoke continue to increase and to burst forth in new places extending into the offices over the Jones and Shomo establishments, and finally pouring forth from every crevice in the Hamblin House proper. Still no flames and it was concluded that the only course was to flood the entire threatened floor area; the steamer was brought out and placed at the Third street cistern, and a stream from here added to the five that were already vomiting thousands of gallons of water under the superb pressure given from the start by the water-works pumps.

The Clark and Steward stocks had already been ruined by the combined effects of the flame that had flashed over them and the water, but the occupants of the store rooms to the north had been hopeful of escaping disaster; not the flood began to find its way through the floors, and an effort was made on the part of some of them to remove their stocks. Mr. Jones conveyed by the assistance of scores of ready hands a portion of his most valuable stock across the street, and Messrs Morrison and Armstrong also had time to get out an accessible case or two, before the renching water that now came in a downpour rendered further effort unnecessary. Mr. D. F. Crane, in charge of the Hamblin House, and the roomers and boarders there, had also become actively alive to the necessities of the case, and hurriedly removed such of their belongings as were accessible. The difficulties are almost past realization' the apartments were speedily filled with a hot., pungent smoke that made respiration almost impossible, and still scores of willing persons pressed up the stairways and into the rooms on all floors and dashed out choking but laden with furniture, clothing, bric-a-brac whatsoever they could lay hands on--and in the main conveying their flotsam uninjured to places of safety. Among the feats performed almost at the last moment of safety was that of removing the heavy piano from the Hamblin Parlor, down the smoke foul, slippery stairs, to a place of safety, without the least accident, by a little knot of men engineered by Rev. Mrt. Stewart, who could scarcely be expected to accomplish the feat under less exciting circumstances.

To the south of the Clark Bros' store there was a less excited condition. A four foot wall of solid stone intervened between the exposed area and the Deford Drug store, and this, it was thought, would prevent the spread of fire in that direction. But though the nigh was comparatively still, a light breeze carried myriads of sparks over and upon the roofs and there was some unrest. Messrs Gay & Piersol finally concluded that a reasonable discretion called on them for action, and their stock of boots and shoes was transferred across the street. Dr. Allen farther down the street, also removed his household effects.

The firemen, with an average pressure of 70 pounds were bombarding all the floors and even sending an occasional douche upon the roofs but not until twelve o'clock, when many spectators had gone home with the opinion that the worst was over, that the first red signal of danger was in evidence; flames burst from under the second floor in the hall way between the offices of Davis & Gilley and George Lawrence. They were first seen from the rear, but in a short time were flaunting their angry colors in the face of the throngs on Main Street. Then followed a two hours contest in which a forlorn hope was led in the hope of preventing a further spread, but in vain; a glare of carmine would appear in an open window to be assailed with tons of water well directed; it would die out in the steam-fretted folds of smoke, only to reappear at another window a little further north, and about two o'clock the insidious foe which had been sending its sappers and miners along the interstices between floors and ceilings and partition walls, exploded its mine beneath the roof well to the north extremity of the hotel. Simultaneously flames broke through into the third story of the Rohrbaugh building, and Chief Elder called his forces from the useless warfare on the now doomed Hamblin to a combined effort to confine not subdue the fire in the Rohrbaugh building. By well

directed effort, by heroic work, and wonderful endurance in the freezing cold, the noble fire laddies fought the fight to a finish here and not once was there serious danger of a spread to the southward.

About 2:15 the unopposed blaze had eaten into the store room of the Morriosn drug store, and the contents were melted into flames as by a breath. The Armstrong corner soon followed, and the west wing was next in the order of procession; and all that was once a headquarters haven of delights for every well constituted railroad boy in Kansas--the "Baldy" Smith billiard hall, was soon a matter of history. The annex melted down, the walls began to totter here and there, frantic watchmen ran shouting warnings loudly, and the stones of the "Hamblin" were soon tumbling into the veriest ruin.

As near as it is possible to obtain estimates at this time, the losses are about as follows:

The Hamblin proper, Nos 202 and 204 Main, was the property of the Peoples' National Bank, who also owned the furniture, bedding, etc. Their loss witch is total, is $10,000; insurance $6,000.

Mr. D. F. Crane, who was in charge of the house, succeeded in saving a large portion of his belongings, but lost in bedding, dishes, silverware and summer clothing's value of about $250.

Mrs. Jas Baer, who had apartments at the Hamblin, lost a portion of her living room equipment, and all of her household goods, stored in the third story.

Other occupants of the Hamblin who lost effects to a greater or less extent, were Miss Mary Redmond, Al Culbertson, Wm. McHenry, Wm. Epperson, Fred Evans, Ed Thompson.------Mathias, Henry Halfner and Con Simmons. Mr. W. A. Westover and family fortunately rescued their property. Various of the servants also lost effects.

Mr. J. C. Armstrong removed a portion of his stock of jewelry. His loss is about $2,500, insurance $4,000.

A Morrison drugs saved only one show case of cigars. Loss $7,200; insurance, $5,300.

D. Miller, owner Nos 106 and 108, loss $8,000; insurance $6,000.

S. B. Rohrbaugh, owner No 110, loss $8,000; insurance -building, $5,000; fixtures $1,000.

J. C. Shomo, books and jewelry, loss partial. Estimated loss $6,000 (this may be increased by condition of goods in safe). Insurance, $5,000.

C. B. Jones, boots and shoes. Stock partially removed. Loss, $8,000; insurance, $5,000.

Isaac Johnson, cobbler in the Jones establishment, lost all of his tools.

Clark Bros, books. Loss, toatal. Amount, $5,000; insurance, $3,000

E. P. Steward, gents furnishings, total loss. Amount $2,500; insurance, $2,000.

John Deford, damage to building by water, $250; insurance $5,000.

Deford & Co., drugs, damage by water, $500; insurance $2,800

Guy & Pieraol, goods damaged by removal.

Geo D. Stinebaugh, real estate and insurance. Loss $500; no insurance

C. B. Mason, attorney, damage by water and smoke to library and furniture, $1,500; no insurance.

Geo Lawrence, real estate, loss $100.

Davis & Gilley, physicians. Removed most of effects. Damage, $200.

W. E. Smith, billiard hall. Loss total. Amount, $2,000; insurance, $1,200.

Sam Lee, laundry. Removed most of effects. Loss slight.

Mrs S. Piersol, proprietress of the Hamblin, lost quite a quantity of property, among it two fine ranges--perhaps $150 will reach the amount.

Messrs A. W. Allen, John Sullivan, Chas Funk and Thos Dunn, who occupied sleeping apartments over Clark Bros store, lost personal effects to a considerable amount.

RECAPITULATION

Total loss (estimated)..$65,00

Total insurance...........$31,800

The underwriters interested are the North British and Mercantile, Germania, New Hampshire, Mechanic's of Milwaukee, Westchester, N. W. National, Firemen's Fun, Hanover, Queen, National of Hartford, Liverpool-London & Globe, Royal, German American, State of Iowa, Phoenix, Sun of London, Northern of London, Williamsburg of New York

To much praise can not be given the heroic members of the fire department for their unflinching devotion to duty under extreme hardships. The strain was terrific under stress of severe weather, and continued as it was for at least seven hours proved the mettle of which they are made. The flying water that inevitably drenched them froze as it fell, until their garments were like metal sheets, and it was not infrequent that it became imperative to relieve the men in the most exposed positions and assist them to places of shelter and relief and no sooner was an exhausted man recovered and "thawed out" then he dashed back eager to be at the front.

The water service was simply perfect from the very first. When a reporter reached the scene immediately after the alarm the register showed 90 pounds, and with five stream playing wide open in a contest that lasted for 10 hours the magnificent record of an average of 70 pounds was made. The inestimable value of the new system of basins was shown by this fire under most exacting conditions. Direct water form the river was an impossibility from an early hour---Jack Frost has sealed its reservoirs---sad dependence was had on the treasured tons of water in the basins. They met the demand.

In playing streams into the south rear windows of the Rohrbaugh building more or less water entered under a door in a back second floor entrance of the Deford building, and a small quantity also entered in through the skylight a spark having fired that fixture necessitating playing on it and this flooded a central room of that floor, and leaked through into the store room below, effecting some damage.

Mr. Fred Evans, a border at the Hamblin, had an extremely narrow escape. He is employed at the shops, and has been doing emergency work; had been without sleep for forty-eight hours. He retired Saturday evening to his room on the third floor in the south-west corner of the dormitory-over Clark Bros. He fell into a deep sleep from which the turmoil did not arouse him. Mrs Piersol bethought herself of this possibility almost at the last moment, and under her direction Messrs Fish and Thompson went to his rescue. They had literally to fight their way through a suffocating smoke, and found Evans still in bed, and while not unconscious, the smoke fumes so affected him that he was irrational-it was with great difficulty that they succeeded in getting him to a place of safety.

Messrs John Sullivan and Chas Funk were asleep in a room over Clark Bros., on the second floor. They were awakened by a sense of suffocation, and barely managed to collect a few articles of wearing apparel with; which they dashed to the street where they robed themselves.

The restaurants across the street from the fire were priceless boons to the fire boys, who found warmth and refreshment within when most needed--hot coffee was worth its weight in gold.

The origin of the fire is enveloped in impenetrable mystery. The interior of the Clark Bros'. store is not badly burned--bears the appearance as of a quick flash of flame that seared rather than charred--except at one point in the ceiling near the center of the store east and west. Here a yard square is burned through to the floor above. How fire could have been communicated is unaccountable, even supposing the theory to be correct that the explosion vouched for by the gentlemen named was caused by accumulated has from a leaky pipe.

The remaining walls of the Hamblin, which were in a threatening condition, were forcibly thrown down by an ingenious battering ram, yesterday.

Mr. G. A. Brown, of the gas works, while employed about the buried meter at W. E. Smith's, yesterday, was overcome by gas, and utterly prostrated.

Young Mr. Crouse, who was doing most effectual work with the firemen, Saturday night, incautiously stepped on a sky-light of the Deford building and made a good start for the interior. He caught to the hose he was supporting and saved himself an ugly fall.

Chief Elder's forces were so badly scattered that he ran out of "captains" in this quandary, he called on Capt. J. H. Ransom to assume command of a squad. The Captain willingly assented, and did wonderfully effective and most valuable work.

Foreman Black, and a squad of men made exceedingly close connections with safety when the fight was hottest in the effort to beat back the flames from effecting entrance in the old Hamblin hotel proper. South of the Morrison store was a solid wall, and the only place for the fire to get in was through a door way on the third floor. Black and his pipe men were placed here with instructions to hold the fort, and they stayed with smoke so think that the water bored holes through it--stayed until the fire had sneaked along the second floor and beyond them and found a draft through the scuttle in the roof over the Main street entrance. In a few minutes the brave men would have been caged but Chief Elder had them in mind and sent a hurried order of retreat. As Black left his post a portion of the floor fell; it was then with great difficulty that the men got out of the smoke packed halls.

Foreman Maudlin, of the gallant North Side crew, with his men, was placed on the roof of the Hamblin, with orders to "stay", and they, too remained at their post of duty with a thirty foot ladder from the roof of a shed at the rear as their only base of retreat, and it led into a very hell of heat and smoke that was about impassable. The boys hung on, though, till recalled and they were down and out not one moment too soon and no one knows just how. Dozens of incidents of this character occurred where the boys risked life and limb, and happily no one was injured.

There were innumerable volunteers to the ranks of workers from the young and old men of the business circles, who are not identified with the department, and they did splendid work. A Mr. C. A. Peterson, of Princeton, who happened here on a visit, tendered his help and was of great service to the chief.

One lesson has been taught, and that is the need of aerial ladders. There is not a ladder in the city long enough to reach to a third floor, and this not only handicaps the firemen in effectively fighting a fire in an elevated position, but jeopardized their safety whenever they are called to work on the tops of buildings. Stairways are about the first thing on fire, and many times advantageous positions must be abandoned for fear of this way of retreat being cut off.

The steam fire engine should be named the H. C. Branson, for without the assistant chief it would be of little service. Mr. Branson has been a member of the fire department from the organization, and his knowledge of steam and mechanics is of invaluable service to the city. He got up out of a sick bed and stood in the cold running the steamer for seven hours continuously. All honor to Henry C. Branson.

S. B. Rohrbaugh gave the firemen a check for $25 today for work done in defense of his property during the fire.

Worse Than Apprehended

Further developments and time for more critical investigation has disclosed that the Deford building is much worse damaged by the water than the hurried and cursory examination of yesterday made apparent. The north wall has been soaked by water from top to bottom, and there is really no means of knowing just how seriously it is hurt--but it is seriously materially damaged; the entire roof of the building and sky-lights will have to be replaced; the building will also have to be replastered, painted and papered throughout. It is no more than a reasonable figure to place the damage at $1,500 to $1,900; on the building and fixtures there is an insurance of $3,000.

D. Deford & Co's drug stock is also found to be in a worse plight than at first feared. A thousand dollars may not cover the damage. There is an insurance of $4,000 on the stock.