HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE CITY'S GAS-WORKS 'AND WATER-WORKS, AND SOMETHING ABOUT FIRES.
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The next large fire was in 1826, and entirely consumed a two-story frame building on the northwest corner of Columbus and Chestnut streets, owned by John Shure. The corner now belongs to the heirs of Stephen Smith. In 1832 the plow factory and blacksmith shop of Robert O. Claspill was totally destroyed by fire. It stood on the ground now occupied by the English Lutheran church. A large hotel which occupied the site of the Talmadge House of to-day, and belonged to John Noble, was burned in 1833, together with the stables attached. Gotleib Steinman was keeping the hotel at the time. Very little insurance. St. Peter's German Lutheran church was burned in February, 1840. It stood on the east bank of the canal, in the northwest part of the city. The church records were destroyed by the fire. In August, 1853, a large steam flouring mill standing on the west bank of the canal, between Main and Chestnut streets, the property of Daring & Company, of Chillicothe, was totally burned, only the books being saved. There was a large amount of wheat and flour on hand, which was all lost. The mill and machinery were valued at $l5,000. The fire originated in the roof of the engine house, situated on the west side of the building. The mill was partially insured. Between 1850 and 1860 the rear part of D.Talmadge's residence, Columbus street, together with the stables on the west side of the grounds, were burned. There was a heavy loss of personal property. Partial insurance. In the fall of 1856 the two-story frame dwelling of John Effinger, north side of Main street, was destroyed by fire at night. Little of the furniture saved. No insurance. About 1856 the Mithoff House stables were burned, involving considerable loss. The Green block, with several adjoining buildings, occupying the northwest corner of Main street and the public square, were burned about 1857. The fire broke out in the middle of the night, starting in a small shed in the rear, where oysters were being cooked. This was the most extensive fire in the history of Lancaster. Six buildings were destroyed, and a large amount of merchandise, together with books and records. Fourteen firms were thrown out of business. The insurance was very light. Between the years 1860 and 1870, the buggy and carriage factory of Giesy brothers, on Main street, near the canal, was burned, with heavy loss, partially insured. Several adjoining buildings were burned at the same time. In August, 1870, three stables on Center alley, belonging to Charles F. Shaeffer, J. D. Jackson and H. Scott were burned, causing a loss of about $500. Not insured. In September 1870 there were two extensive and disastrous fires. The first included the lumber yard and the machine shops of H. Orman & Sons and the large warehouse of Reber and Kutz. The lumber yard and machine shop stood on the east bank of the canal, between Wheeling and Mulberry streets. The warehouse was on the187
bank of the canal near the corner of Wheeling street, and contained about eight thousand bushels of wheat, which was nearly a total loss. The warehouse was partially insured. The loss on the lumber yard and machine shops was $10,000, uninsured. Within ten days after the above, the large barn in the rear of the Schaeffer Hotel took fire in the haymow and the flames spread till the Schaeffer and Talmadge House barns with contents, the Baptist church which took fire from the rear, together with a row of one-story wooden buildings fronting on Broadway and known as "Rat Den Row," were totally consumed. All the buildings being of wood, the work of destruction was soon complete. Partial insurance on some of the property. The large steam tannery, known as Irvin's tannery, situated near the canal, in the southeast part of the city, was burned early on the morning of January 19, 1873. There was a heavy stock of finished and unfinished leather in the building, oil, and a large number of tools used in the business, and a large amount of tanbark. The loss was $40,000. No insurance. The old Smith & Arney foundry on the south side of Columbus street, at the south end of Broadway was burned in the spring of 1879 together with a number of adjacent buildings. The foundry building had stood for more than fifty years, and contained an engine and other machinery, not then in use. Loss about $5,000. Not insured. In May, 1879 the dwelling of Joseph Mergin was burned about two o'clock in the morning, and Mr. Mergin's eight-year-old daughter, Agnes, was smothered to death and her body partially burned. The other members of the family barely escaped with their lives. The contents of the dwelling were a total loss. No insurance. The large ice-house of T. Sturgeon on the bank of the reservoir was burned in the spring of 1880. Loss $1,000, uninsured. The Bent Wood Works of Niel, Tippett & Co., situated at the rail- road crossing, south end of Maple street, were totally burned in February, 1881. The establishment had been located in that place less than a year, and the buildings were new. Nothing was saved. Loss about $40.000, about half insured.188