BIG FIRE AT RUSHFORD!
For the Fourth Time It Is Swept by Devastating Flames
Rushford, April 15, 1885
This village was again roused by fire at 2:30 o’clock this morning. It was in the cabinet shop of S. Root and doubtless started from a poor stove. It had made so much headway when
discovered as to be entirely beyond control and soon extended west to the Lathrop block, occupied by Holden & Bond, hardware; M. Claus, harness shop and R. Murray’s shoe shop. On the east
the Mason block occupied by E. M. Edson, barber shop, and A. Ray, barber, as shop and dwelling. Dr. Peter’s dental office adjoining, and beyond that A. Howser’s blacksmith shop. By the
efforts of the bucket brigade the flames were stopped at Howser’s house.
Had there been a breeze from any quarter the fire would have been much more extensive. The plate glass front of Taylor’s store on the south side of the street was cracked and Merrill’s
store was well blistered and most of the glass broken.
Losses so near as can be learned are as follows: L. Lathrop, building $1,500, insurance $500. Holden & Bond, stock partly removed, loss $2,000 insured for $500. Claus and Murray
saved most of their goods. Root’s loss on building was $400, and on stock $1,000, with no insurance. The Mason block, owned by parties in New York, loss $1,500, insured for $900. The
barbers goods were mostly saved. Dr. Peters lost most of his goods with no insurance, which is the harder as he lost his entire office in the fire of December, 1883. Howser’s loss on shop
is $500 with no insurance. Most of his tools and stock were removed.
It is feared that the ground will not soon be rebuilt.
