ROSINE FIRE

Hartford Weekly Herald, October 22, 1890

ROSINE BURNED, FIRE DESTROYS HALF OF THE BUSINESS PART OF THIS STIRRING TOWN.

The Wind Blowing a Very Gale Carries the Destroying Flames Through Houses in a

few Minutes.

The Depot and Other Railroad Property a Total 1oss, With no Insurance on Any of the Property.

A DANGEROUS KITCHEN FLUE.

All the buildings on the South side of the rail road at Rosine, consisting of the N. N. & M. V. depot, Judge C. G. Crowder's residence, J. W. Ragland & Son's large drug store, the elegant frame hotel occupied by L. C. Leach and owned by Hon. H. D. McHenry, were consumed by fire last Saturday at noon. The fire originated in the cookroom of Judge C. G. Crowder's residence and soon spread to all the buildings mentioned above. The wind was so high it was utterly impossible to control the fire from the beginning. The estimated losses are as follows: The depot of the N. N. & M. V. railroad, valued at $1,500; Judge C. G. Crowder's residence and contents, $750; J. W. Ragland & Son's drug store and stock, $2,000; hotel, $1,800 - furniture in same about $300. All of the above is a total loss, as there was not a cent of insurance carried. J. W. Ragland & Son saved a small portion of their stock but it was so badly damaged it is almost worthless. Judge Crowder saved only a few of his household goods, L. C. Leach succeeded in getting out only a small portion of his furniture. It was thought for awhile that the whole town was destined  to be consumed by the raging flames. A keg of powder was placed on a small building between Ragland's drug store and the hotel, with the hope of tearing out the building, thereby stopping the spread of the fire, but all was done to no effect. The hotel was so tall it was feared that the fire would ignite other large buildings only about 75 yards away. So when it was seen that it was impossible to save the hotel, a small dynamite cartridge was placed under it, with the view of making quick and short work with the destruction of the hotel. But the cartridge was too small to have the desired effect, and the flames had to be allowed to take their course. Fortunately nothing more caught on fire except two cars that were on the side track, and about $85 worth of staves belonging to M. S. Ragland, and about $15 worth of staves belonging to Jonathan Raley, all of which was burned. The people turned out en masse, worked faithfully but to no avail. A house about 300 yards up the railroad was ignited from sparks but was soon discovered and the fire put out. All the time during the fire there was a heavy wind from the North-west.