Fire at Smethport
Great Loss of Property
The Astor House Block, A.N. Taylor’s
Store, Miss Nancy Holme’s building and the Barn & Co connected
to the Astor House, entirely destroyed by fire.
The McKean Miner: March 28, 1868
On Tuesday morning last, the 24th at 20 minutes after one o’clock
fire broke out through the roof of the Astor House barn, owned by
William Haskell. The alarm of fire was given and in less than ten
minutes more than fifty men were on the ground. Great expectations
were made to stop the spread of the flames but all was in rain, the
sheds of the barn connecting A. N. Taylor’s store on the east
and the Astor House on the west, so thick it was impossible to stop
the spread of the flames at the junction. Mr. Clinton Young, Mr. Taylor’s
clerk, was still asleep in the store; having gone to bed very late
and being very tired, he could not be wakened until after the store
doors were broken open and they had got into the room where he was
sleeping. After the doors were opened they immediately commenced carrying
out the goods, and succeeded in getting out a good portion of the
dry goods before the fire had got into the store room, it was apparently
but a second before the whole inside of the building was in a blaze,
and in less than twenty minutes the building was burned to the ground.
Estimated loss about $25,000, Insurance $11,5000.
By the time Taylor’s store had fallen in, the east end of the
Astor House was in flames. In the mean time the furniture which had
been stored in the east end and belonged to Dr. Sprague, had all been
removed with the exception of a couple of stoves. Mr. Wm. Haskell
owned the Astor House, or the east end of the building. His estimated
loss is about $3,000; insurance to almost cover loss.
The furniture, burned in the Williams House or in the west end of
the Astor House building, belonging to Mr. H. F. Williams and Mr.
G. M. Smith, was being removed as fast as possible, and although it
was but a few minutes from the time the flames got into the east end
of the building until it was entirely contained, nearly all the furniture,
carpets, & provision was saved, although the furniture was materially
damaged by moving. We understand that the Williams House had recently
been sold by Mr. H. F Williams to Mr. G. Corwin and A. N. Taylor,
who had barely insured it. The estimated loss is almost $9,000; insurance
$5,000.
The building recently occupied by Mr. McCarty for a shoe shop owned
by Miss Nancy Holmes, standing between the Astor House and A. N. Taylor’s
store, was also destroyed. No insurance.
By covering the roofs with wet carpets and keeping them saturated
with water the residence of Mrs. Milliken and Mr. H. Hamlis, on the
opposite side of the street from the Astor House, were saved, although
the furniture and contents of Mrs. Milliken’s house were all
removed, and were considerably damaged. The residence of Byron D.
Hamlin, Esq., on the east and the old “cash store” on
the west were also saved, by covering the roofs with wet carpets and
keeping them saturated with water.
The morning was a very favorable one, there being but very little
if any air stirring. We have probably not had another such a calm,
still morning this spring.
The fire seems to have been the work of an incendiary, and will undoubtedly
be ferreted out.
We would here state that the citizens interested and owning property
in the vicinity of the lat conflagration, with perhaps an exception,
feel extremely grateful for the assistance rendered them in their
hours of peril.
