Henry County, Indiana
Genealogy and History
Estimated Damage $12,000
Transcribed and Contributed by DJ Faust
New Castle, Ind., Dec. 2.- The fire which visited this city at 2 o¹clock this morning destroyed half a block on the main business thoroughfare.
The section burned is what is known as ³The Bowery,² in Broad street, near the Union depot. The buildings were occupied by John Holland & Son, barbers; Diehl Bros., cigar store and temperance pool room; James Banks¹ saloon, Jack McGrath¹s saloon and the last room was only vacated last week as a restaurant.
The origin of the fire is unknown. The loss is estimated at $12,000. The fire company worked hard, but made little headway owing to the peculiar construction of the buildings and their inflamable nature. In less than two hours all four buildings were burned. The losses and insurance follow:
John Holland & Son, fixtures, etc., for barber shop, loss $400 with $150 insurance; W. E. Jeffrey, who owned their building, lost $700 with $300 insurance; Diehl Bros.¹ cigar store and pool room, $1,700, with $500 insurance; R. Wisehart, building loss, $500, with $400 insurance; Mrs. Michael Dolan, building $800, with $500 insurance; Jack McGrath, saloon, loss $2,600, with $1,400 insurance; L. D. Needham, of Chicago, double business room building, loss $900, with $600 insurance; Independent Telephone company, cables and wires burned in two and east end phones put out of commission, estimated loss of $2,000, with no insurance. Much of their Broad street cable work will have to be rebuilt. The Bell Telephone company lost four phones, valued at $100. The city sustains a $100 loss to wires for electric light system, being burned in two and hanging on the ground from burned poles. The district will not be rebuilt with frame structures in the business district.
The three-story Jennings building on the west of the burned building prevented the fire from going farther.
Thoroughfare Wiped Out- List of the Insurance