Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1912 — HOTEL BURNS AT WHEATFIELD [ARTICLE]

HOTEL BURNS AT WHEATFIELD

Inmates Have Narrow Escape In Fire That Destroys Building Sunday Morning. The old McGlypn hotel building at Wheatfield, occupied by Ed Hight, was destroyed by Are at about 2 o’clock Sunday morning. Practically all the contents were destroyed and the inmates barely escaped with their lives through the windows of the burning building. Mrs. Hight and a hired girl were down stairs and three men were in the upstairs rooms when the fife started. The former were awakened by the fire and found the flames under great headway on the stairs leading to the rooms above. They aroused the meh overhead by their shouts and the latter hurriedly made their escape through the windows and thence to the ground below. *

By hard work on the part of citizens of the town who were attracted tp the scene the fire w r as confined to the hotel proper, and adjacent buildings were saved. Mrs. Lorinda McGlynn of Rensselaer owned the building and we understand it was insured for sl,200, which nearly covers her loss. Mr. Hight, who conducted the hotel, also carri&d insurance on the contents, but we are unable to learn the amount. It is not known how the fire started, but it is reported that a stove in the hallway at the foot of the stairs and filled with waste paper, had been set afire and it is thought the fire started from this, as it was first discovered in the stairway.