Allegan Fire 1895

The Damaging Allegan Fire of 1895
Allegan, MI

Article and Information

The following information is from The Allegan Gazette, Saturday, December 7, 1895 Visit The Allegan Gazette for an article on the 1884 fire.

BLAZES!

Destructive Fire in Allegan Wednesday Night.

CHAFFEE BLOCK BURNED

Losses Will Reach $100,000 ($100 in 1895 is $3,062 in 2019, so $100,000 in 1895 is $3,062,000 in 2019)

Finest Business Block in the Village Destroyed-- Insured for About One Fourth of Value--Origin of the Fire--Some Exciting Scenes--
Exhibitions of Bravery--Heroic Work by the Firemen--Individual Losses and Insurance--Many Again Ready for Business.

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ALLEGAN has again suffered severe loss by fire, though to how great extent can not be realized at present. The finest business structure in the village--the Chaffee block--is in ruins. The conflagration occurred Wednesday night, beteen 11 and 3 o'clock, and all the inhabitants, seemingly, were witnesses. It is the first really big fire since March 12, 1884, a day those who witnessed the havoc then wrought will never forget.

So far as can be learned, U.S. Smith, who resided in the building, was the first to discover the fire and give the alarm. This was within a few minutes of eleven o'clock, and the fire-bell was rung nearly an hour to arounse the sleeping inhabitants. The block must have been nearly filled with smoke then, though how long the fire had been burning no one can tell. It evidently started in the elevator shat, near the center of the building, but the origin is not known. Some believe it was due to the dangerous habit some of the occumpants had of leaving ashes in the halls on the floor or in barrels or boxes, but there is no proof that the blaze originated in that way.

Within fifteen minutes most of the firemen and hundreds of citizens were at the scene. The residents in the block were aroused as quickly as possible, but the rooms were so full of smoke that several barely escaped with their lives. Seven families lived in the structure besides a large number of roomers, and most of them managed to get out by the stairways. There were several thrilling escapes and some brave rescues, Mrs. Henry Brownell and little daughter and Mrs. Jos. Damoth and daughter were taken from the third story windows on ladders. The saving of the latter two is due to the coolness and heroism of R.E. Sturgis and Ed. J. Wagner. The latter carried the girl, who is very large for her age, about ten years old, to the ground, though it was with difficulty he could persuade her to go. She was nearly frightened to death, and persisted in staying with her mother. By the time Mrs. Damoth was reached the room was so full of smoke that she could not be seen, and her rescuer had to feel about to find her. She was almost overcome, and had given up hope. She weights over 200 pounds, as does also Mr. Sturgis, who carried her down. He says he hardly knows how he accomplised it, as he was nearly suffocated by the dense smoke before he could get the unconscious woman out of the window. It was all done in shorter time than it takes to tell the story. Morgan Hawks escaped from a back window by breaking the glass and jumping to the story below. One of his hands was badly cut.

The fire spread rapidly, and seemed to penetrate every part of the building. A half dozen streams of water were playing on the frames within twenty minutes after the alarm was first sounded, and several lines of hose were laid afterward. The firemen worked as never men worked before on similar occasions, and to their coolness, perseverance, and luck is due the saving of the adjoining buildings and one story at each end of the block. The citizens worked willingly and hard to save what they could of the contents of the stores and the furniture above, and large amounts of property were removed, but nothing was gotten out of the basements.

Shortly after 12 o'clock, Kalamazoo and Holland were telegraphed to for aid, appearances indicating that it would be needed to save adjoining property, but by 2 o'clock the flames were under control. No locomotive could be procured at Kalamazoo to convey a fire engine here, but the Holland department responded promptly and everything was ready for a quick run to Allegan when word was sent that help would not be needed.

An occasional crash of falling partitions or floors was heard, and shortly after 2 o'clock the front wall between stores No 1 and 6 fell with a loud report into the street. Several spectators were slightly injured by flying debris, but no one was fatally hurt.

The most serious injuries were received by Chas. Born, E.C. Derhammer, and John Barney, firemen. They were on the Peck block holding a line of hose when the roof under their feet was torn up by an explosion of steam and hot air. They were hoisted several feet and then dropped into the opening made in the roof. Had it not been for the hose, to which they clung and climbed out by, they would have fallen into the flames below and burned to death. They were severely burned about their faces and hands as it was, except Mr. Derhammer, whose injuries were mostly cuts on his hands and face. All are recovering, though Mr. Born is yet confined to his bed.

It is difficult to ascertain the entire loss occasioned by the fire. Many of the occupants of the block had no insurance, and several were insured for less than one fourth the value of the property. What the block itsef was worth is a matter of judgement. It cost when built, in 1870, $84,000. It was originaly intended for a hotel, with business places on the ground floor, and was used as such several years. During the last ten years or more, it had been used for teachment purposes. A conservative estimate places the value at $20,000. It was owned by several parties. Below is a very full list of the losses and insurance, with the names of the companies.

German American--R.C. Turner $500, L.M. Watson $1,000.
Lancashire--G.A. Piper $800, $400 each on dental outfit and household goods; L.M. Watson $1,000, J.B. Fenton $300.
National--Fred May, owner of part of Chaffee block, $1,500; John Claytor $300; Kellogg estate $2,000.
Hartford--Mrs. Rossman, store occupied by Smith Bros., $1,000; D.M. Ambert $2,000.
Hamburg - Breman --Fred May, second and third stories over Smith Bros., $600.
Rockford--Smith Bros. $600.
Concordia--R.C. Turner $2,000.
Home, New York--Mrs. C.M. Welton, Medina, Ohio, No. 6 Chaffee block, $2,500.
Grand Rapids--No. 3 Chaffee block, $3,000., D.M. Amberg $1,000, Kalamazoo college $1,500.
Fire Association -- Maccabee hall $200.
Phoenix--L.M. Watson $1,000.
Phoenix--G.L. Hicks $300, E.F. Bucher $500, J.E. Davis $500.
Manchester--L.M. Watson $500.
Commercial Union--D.M. Amberg $1,000.
Connecticut--D.M. Ambert $1,000, C.O. McDuffee $450.
Detroit Fire Marine--O.R. Johnson $600.
Grand Falls--O.R. Johnson $800.
Milwaukee Mechanics--D.M. Amberg $1,000.
Niagara--R.C. Turner $1,000, L. Perrigo & Co. $2,000, H.B. Peck $500.
Philadelphia Underwriters--R.C. Turner $1,000.
New York Underwriters--E.F. Bucher $500.
Northern--H.B. Peck $500.
The above figures were furnished by F.H. Williams, H.F. Marsh, T.S. Updyke, and H.E. Stanley.
The Royal, Northern, and Westchester paid their losses Friday.
R.C. Turner's loss may reach $500. Nearly all his stock on the ground floor was saved. Damage mostly by water. He will begin business again at once.
Hicks & Davis' loss is $2,000. Very little was saved of their carriages, sleighs, and implements. Now located in D.E. Burgess' store, opposite Sherman house.
O.R. Johnson, total loss, $2,400. Not even books saved. He will begin business in the Peck block, next W.J. Garrods's soon.
G.A. Piper's loss was $1,500. He had a large amount of silverware packed away for use in his new house. He will resume practice in Dr. Rowe's office.
John Claytor, barber, loss $450. Now located in City hotel.
Smith Bros. carried $3,000 stock. Saved about $1,000 worth.
L. Perrigo & Co.'s loss $4,000. Part of stock saved. Damaged mostly by water. Will move to Chamberlain building.
H.D. McDuffee's loss $1,800 on twenty-nine furnished rooms.
J.B. Fenton's loss $900.
C.O. McDuffee's loss probably $800. In his front room was found a trunk full of clothing uninjured.
Joseph Damoth and U.S. Smith lost all of household goods and clothing. Loss unknown. Probably $500 or $600 each.
W.F. Clark's loss will reach $1,500. About $200 worth saved.
L.M. Watson's loss $1,500. Damage mostly by water. E.F. Bucher's damage $100. They were in the Peck block, which was saved. Mr. Bucher is now located in E.M. Gay's.
The roomers in the block, number unknown, escaped with lives and very little clothing.
The law libraries of W.B. Williams & Son and W.W. Warner were removed. Their losses will not exceed $50 each. Mr. Warner saved all his pension papers and files, and all vouchers sent to him to be filled out were mailed before the fire occured.
T.S. Updyke's damage will be nominal.
The E.A.L.E. and P. company's loss was $150. Four arc lamps were destroyed besides considerable wire.
The Harrison Electric company's loss was about $155.
Will Brown, barber in Claytor's shop, lost all his tools. Loss unestimated.

The damage to adjoining buildings was considerable, but the exact amount can not be stated. It will probably reach $1,000. All the windows in the McDuffee block on the Brady st. side were broken.

The ruins are still smoking. The debris in the street was removed Thursday and all dangerous wall pulled down.

G.A. Piper found a highly-prized watch uninjured and one of his wife's hats scarcely harmed in the ruins next day. Mr. Piper heroically braved the smoke to arouse the sleeping inhabitants of the block.

How much business interests of the town will suffer can not be told. All hope the ruins will be removed and the space filled with substantial buildings, but it is yet too early to tell what may be done.

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