Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1890 — A LUCKLESS TOWN. [ARTICLE]

A LUCKLESS TOWN.

Is There Another Town In America , With Such a Record! During the last 20 years the town of Kbntland has been visited by six very destructive fires and by several others of less magnitude. There is not another town or city, within our knowledge, that has suffered so much -from this cause, in proportion to its size and wealtii, Chicago, Spokane Falls or Tacoma not excepted. The following interesting resume of the fire history of the unfortunate town is condensed from the Kentland Gazette, of'last week: Four of Kentland’s big fires have occured on Thursday night At «a rough estimate near $350,000 worth of property has been destroyed in Kentland during the past 19 years. $250,000 of this has been destroyed in the paßt7 years. Insurance received on losses would probably amount to $175,000. The larger fires occurred in the following years: 1870........ ..SIOO,OOO 00 1882 ........ 5,000 00 1883 80,000 00 1884 ........U 20,000 00 1888 45,000 00 1889 30,000 00 TgsKrrrrr;......' ... ;rr-'ap;ooooo-Total .....$310.000 00 Besides these losses several residences, stables, &c., were destroyed which would swell the amount several thousand dollars. There is not a foot of the business portion of Kentland that has escaped from damage by fire except that portion now occupied by the buildings occupied by Oswalt & Hard, C. Frahkbubcrger and C. A. Wood, while some portions liave been destroyed two or three times.

TIIE ITIiE OF 1870.

Our first great calamity occured on the night of Dec. 13th, 1870. Property to the value of SIOO,OOO was destroyed without one cent of insurance. The fire began in the building of J. A. Kent, where Flaherty’s saloon now stands, and burned north to where the Masonic building now stands and east the entire square. About fifteen buildings were destroyed. In this fire Dr. Tichenor lost $2,300 in greenbacks. Thousands of dollars worth of goods were stolen, people hauling them off by the wagon loads.

1882. On Thursday night, June 5, 1882, fire broke oht in B. C. Kent’s Restaurant and destroyed, the building standing where now stands the post-office, C. Rittinger’s and Wm. Cummings’ buildings. The sufferers were C. C. Brown, hotel; 1. H. Coulter, jewelry; B. C. Kent, restaurant; Goff, damage to building. The loss was about $5,000, with $3,000 insurance.

1883. On Thursday morning, April 5, 1883, Kentland was again nearly swept out of existence. 21 buildings were destroyed. The loss was over SBO,OOO with partial insurance, and 35 firms burned out. Those burned out were the Discount and Deposit Bank, Weeda& Coffman, restaurant; G. Goff, dry goods; C. Rettinrger, boots and shoes; D. P. Parks, harness; John Hubertz, residence and saloon; N. Kirsch, saloon and residence; H. K. Warren, barn; Fred Devoe, tinware; C. Arndt, boots and shoes; Peoples Press;Geo. Myers,barber; Jas. Gauthier, groceries; Keefe Bros, groceries and hardware; Mrs, Hull, millinery; The Travelers Insurance Co. building containing the following firms: A. C. Vanderwater, Mrs. J. D. Canders, W. S. McCullough, Graham & Jones, G. A. It. Hall, Masonic Hall and Newton County News; T. H. Harnish, photographer; Hoole Bros., hardware; John Peacock, real estate agent The territory burned extended on the west side of 3rd street from where now stands the Skinner & Hand building to the railroad and on the east side from Flaherty’s saloon to Perry’s corner, thence east on Graham street to Wm. Peiry’s residence.

1881 Only one year and nine months elapsed when Kentland again suffered from a big fire. This occurred on Sunday night, Dec. 28th, 1884, when the east side of 3rd street was again leveled from S. M. Noble's to Perry’s corner. The loss was about $20,000 with partial insurance. 1888. On Thursday night, Jan. 5,1888, the dreaded visitor again made ruins in Kentland. The ruin was where now stands Jas. Gauthier’s restaurant and Monroe’s barber shop. The lose was about SIOOO with $2,000 insurance. C. A. Wood lost His restaurant, $1,500, with no insurance. 1888 was air unlucky year, two destructive fires occuring. On Wednesday morning, July 18, 1888, the Brown elevator, Bring hem elevator, depot and eighteen

box cars were burned. The loss was over $40,000. ~ 1889. ’ 1889 furnished a disastrous fire on Feb. 2. The Smith and Kent block was destroyed together with contents owned by R. C. McCain, druggist, and G. Goff, dry goods. The loss was about $30,000. Then followed the fire occuring last Thursday morning.