The Queen’s Hotel and Other Buildings Burned

A BIG BLAZE

HEAVY LOSSES       

Narrow Escape of Orient Hall and Other Large Buildings

             On Wednesday morning at 6.25 o’clock the town tocsin sounded the alarm of fire. A glance showed the scene of conflagration to be the Queen’s hotel, a large three-storey frame building on the south side of East Main street, owned and occupied by Mr. Wm. Early, and in a most

DANGEROUS SECTION.

            Our town bell is so low toned that its cadences are more apt to put one asleep than arouse attention, but nevertheless alert firemen and others speedily rallied, but some precious minutes’ delay was occasioned by cutting a hole through the ice to get water. The hotel, from the nature of its material and construction

WAS DOOMED

beyond hope the moment the flames got headway. To the east of it was Whalley’s clothing establishment, a two-storey brick block, with a frame addition to the rear. East of Whalley’s is the Dexter House, three-storey brick. West of the burned hotel first stood Sauter’s furniture shop, then an unoccupied shop owned by Mr. Lock, both frame buildings, and west of them Lock’s brick store and Orient block. But the most dangerous position was in the rear, where 20 feet from the hotel stands its barn, a fine large new frame building, but fortunately lined with sheet iron plates. Eastward of the barn were the Dexter House and Mansion House barns; and westward were Sauter’s sheds, planing mill &c., all close together. The fire, therefore, was in the centre of a space almost crowded with highly inflammable structures. Happily it was almost a dead calm at the time and the roofs were covered with snow. It is only due to these conditions, coupled with the untiring exertions of the firemen and others, that a

WHOLESALE CALAMITY

was avoided. About half-an-hour after the fire started things looked blue metaphorically, but literally

DECIDEDLY LURID

There had been a delay in getting at the water. Upon starting, one section of hose gave way, and had to be replaced. The fire by this time had obtained such headway and the buildings were so inflammable that the water thrown on the flames made but little impression at first. The Queen’s was one mass of seething flames, a veritable furnace. Sauter’s shop was on fire. The addition to the rear of Whalley’s was burning, and the roof of Whalley’s brick and the Dexter House were both on fire. The blaze of the burning hotel was so great that it forbad close approach and scattered cinders quarter of a mile around, although there was no perceptible wind. The roof of Orient block, which we were surprised to learn is of shingles, was covered with coals, only the

COATING OF SNOW

saving the building, its height and the position and slant of the roof rendering it impossible to fight the fire had it once got a foothold there. The buildings on the north side of Main street were also in danger. This was the situation at its worst, and black enough it was. But soon the tremendous amount of water thrown by the two steady streams on the fires began to take effect. The engine never made a skip. One of the branches was taken to the rear, succeeding after a terribly

HOT FIGHT

in saving the barn. But so great was the heat that the glass in the barn window broke out, and Capt. Anger informs us that the solder melted and one sheet of the iron dropped off. But with men in the barn with pails and the hose playing on its front and roof, the barn was saved, and the terrible consequences of its destruction avoided. The other branch of hose was directed to preventing the fire spreading westward, and to keeping down the blaze of the hotel. What little wind there was, however, blew toward the west, and Sauter’s shop was literally

DEVELOPED IN FLAMES

of the large hotel alongside. The hotel and Sauter’s were completely destroyed. The next building westward, Lock’s unoccupied shop, caught fire and partly torn down and partly burned, is an almost worthless wreck. The fire, however, was stopped here in this direction. Owing to the greater necessity for the services of the firemen elsewhere, the brick building occupied by Whalley and the Dexter, were left to fight the flames comparatively unaided and noble was the work done by those interested and other volunteer assistants. The cornice of the Dexter was burned off, but the flames were stopped there by smothering out the fire with wet blankets. Whalley had a hotter place, with the burning hotel at one side and the burning frame addition to the rear. But the little brick stood the siege well. Its cornice was also burned off, and fire got under the felt of the roof, taking some hours to chop it out and extinguish it, but it was finally done. Happily Mr. Whalley’s store goods were not removed and escaped injury.

ORIGIN OF THE FIRE

Mr. Early’s hotel was mainly heated by a furnace in the cellar; but there was a small box stove in the bar, used part of the time. It was the custom to make a fire in the mornings to warm up, and dry the floor after scrubbing. Mr. Early, who sleeps in the room above, woke up, and noticed that a very hot fire had been made on the drum, being red with the heat. He was about to call below to close the draft of the stove when he heard that done. This was about six o’clock. He then went to sleep and was wakened a few minutes later nearly choked by the smoke. He ran down, got a pail of water, and came back with it, but although the rooms were full of smoke, and the fire could be heard crackling, it could not be seen or got at. A moment later and the flames broke out at the rear of the house, and in a few moments more the whole house was in flames. The fire evidently traveled rapidly along between the joist, which lay north and south, kept from breaking into the rooms by the flooring and carpets, until it reached the back of the house, when it broke out through the weatherboards. Another minute and the fire followed the smoke up through the floors. The room at rear and directly over the line of fire was occupied by Mr. Hanning, agent for Massey Mfg. Co., and his wife, who had not yet risen from bed. They were nearly suffocated by the smoke, and forced by the leaping flames to jump from bed and run into the Dexter house for refuge. They lost everything but their night clothing.

THE LOSSES

Mr. Early’s hotel was mostly new, haying been added to until the original structure formed a small part of the premises. Everything was in A 1 condition. Mr. Early, who was a very tasty man, was always and fixing up. His latest improvement last fall was to make a cellar under the house and put in a furnace for heating purposes. The amount of his goods saved from the fire was but trifling. His loss is about $5,000. Insured for $1,500 (in the Caledonian Co.) on building; $800 (in Citizens) on contents, and $100 on piano-which was burned.

MR. SAUTER

Lost his building, a frame in good condition, insured for $500 in Citizens, and about forty coffins, and furniture material. His finished furniture was mostly got out-some of it damaged. Stock insured for $500 in the Citizens. Mr. Sauter will be a loser over the insurance.

MR. LOCK’S

Unoccupied store, which is now about worthless, was insured for $400 in the Northern. It was a frame building similar to Mr. Sauter’s, old but solid and serviceable.

MR. WHALLEY

Had his furniture partly moved out and damaged by water. The canned fruit and contents of pantry were destroyed. The contents of the tailor workshop were also destroyed. Loss unknown; perhaps $300. Partly insured.

MR. HANNA

Of Chippawa, owner of the building occupied by Mr. Whalley, will be a loser to the extent of probably $300 by the burning of the frame addition and damage to roof of brick building. No insurance.

THE LESSON

Of the fire is the utter folly of building a mass of wooden buildings together, as this part of the town was composed. Had there been much wind and the roofs been dry, half the business part of the town would have been destroyed, and nothing we have at present could have prevented. The saving of the adjoining brick buildings, within three feet of the burned hotel, and of the plated barn in the rear, conveys a lesson that should not be disregarded. Experience, however, has shown that people will build wooden buildings anywhere and run the risk. It can only be prevented by the passage of a fire limits by-law, and unless such a measure is passed and enforced a terrible devastation by fire will come sooner or later.

IN PROSPECT

Messrs. Early and Sauter intend to rebuild, and Mr. Lock will probably do so. We understand the supply of brick in town is exhausted, which is unfortunate, as the parties requiring the buildings as soon as possible, may be tempted to erect frame buildings. We hope not, however. Taking into account the saving in insurance in the course of time brick is the cheaper as well as the safer.

HOPES

            One excited occupant of the Queen’s carefully surveyed his wardrobe after reaching the street, and then went to work saving what he could for others. Upon closer scrutiny and when the fire was almost extinguished, he found that one foot was bootless. It is fair to say that he was excited.

             That was a thoughtful act of those citizens who furnished hot coffee and lunch to the workers, many of whom stood firmly at their posts with but scanty clothing hurriedly donned.

             The vacant store of Mr. Lock’s, which was almost completely destroyed, would have been tenanted forty-eight hours later.

             We are informed that the weak state of the hose would not permit the engine to give the force that it is capable of giving. This should be remedied.

             If the wind and the weather had not been “just so,” Welland would have been a fearful sufferer-is what everybody says.

             Capt. Anger and the firemen are to be congratulated on the brave and effective work done. Capt. Anger’s position was all the more onerous owing to the absence from town of Mr. Alvin Beatty, chief of the fire department.

             Mr. Turner, reeve of Thorold, and a veteran fireman, congratulated Capt. Anger and Merritt Fire Co., on their successful and praiseworthy combat with the fire fiend.

             When it was found that the fire could not be got under control by our fire department, Mayor Ross telephoned to Thorold for the loan of a steamer, and our sister town was about sending to our assistance when the order was countermanded by Mayor Ross, it becoming apparent that the fire was being got under control.

             Charley Platten, a boarder at the Queen’s, who was eating his breakfast when the alarm of fire was given, made a dash for his room and succeeded in getting out his trunk and clothing, except his overcoat which got on fire before he could get it in the trunk and had to be abandoned.

             Mr. Early and his family have the most sincere sympathy of our townspeople and all, not only on their loss, but at the sudden and ruthless manner in which he and his were torn from their pleasant home at an unseasonable hour.

Welland Tribune

27 January 1888

             E.A. Sauter has begun to rebuild. The partially burned building adjoined, belonging to Mr. Lock, will be torn down and replaced with a new structure in due season.

Mr. Early has been negotiating for the purchase of the Frazer house, but no bargain for the same has been closed as yet; and of course may never be.

Welland Tribune

17 February 1888

             Mr. Sauter’s new shop is up, and will be pushed rapidly to completion by Mr. Schoemaker, who has charge of the work. The building will be covered with metallic shingles.

Welland Tribune

24 February 1888

             MR. EARLY has completed negotiations for the purchase of the Frazer House, and expects to enter into possession next month. This will settle the question of tavern licenses in this town for the present.

Welland Tribune

2 March 1888