Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1883 — Another fire at Remingten. [ARTICLE]

Another fire at Remingten.

A painful rumor was current in this town, last Saturday, to the effect that the greater part of the business portion of the town of Remington had been burned the night before. Later and more correct accounts established the fact that a rather Berious fire occured, but nothing so extensive, as at first reported. The fire originated in the old Fountain building, north of depor, occupied by Ellis Brothers as a saloon. From the saloon the fire spread eastward, burning the entire row of buildings as far as the old Babb House. This last was badly scorched, but not burned. Besides the saloon, already mentioned, the following buildings, or places of business were destroyed.' James Brodie’s butcher shop, Kirk’s barber shop, the old Stiller restaurant, and the Wells building also occupied as a barber shop.* From the part of the building where the fire originated, and the time of its occurence it is generally believed to have been the work of an incendiary.

Hobson Brothers’ Circus gave two exhibitions in Rensselaer last Saturday. The weather was bad, in the early part of the day, and the attendance in the afternoon was light. In the eveniug it was considerably larger. This company follows the old plan of traveling in wagons, and as they exhibited at Kentland Friday, they necessarily experinced a good deal of difficulty, and some mishaps in traveling the road between the two towns. We did not learn the exact extent of their misfortunes, but all their elephants, tigers, seven horned guyascutuses, college giaduate dogs, &c., &c., were either drowned or lost in the swamps. At any rate they were not present with the show, and we have heard no other explanation for their non appearance.

The Boy’s Circus:— The exhibition here of King, Burk & Co’s show was the signal for a general outbreak of all kinds of “circus tricks” on the part of the youthful irrepressibles of the town, and it was not many days before half a dozen or more back-yards were occupied by ametuer circus companies. The admission prices to these ranged any where from seven pins to three marbles, “with no extra charge for reserved seats,” inasmuch as the spectator was at liberty to stand up or sit on the ground, as to him seemed best. These rather small affairs were finally consolidated into one Grand Colossal Combination of arenic attractions; and last Thursday evening a public exhibition was given, in several tents, borrowed for the occasion. The price of admission was ten cents, the number of people in attendance 150, and a great many were turned away for lack of room. Everybody was well pleased with the show.