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The Chelsea Fire

The Chelsea Fire image
Parent Issue
Day
21
Month
February
Year
1894
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Chelsea has again been visited by a big fire, the largest in the history of that thriving village. For nearly three hours the flames laughed at the chemical engines which constitute Chelsea's sole fire protection and it was not until help had arrived from Jackson that the flames were got under control but not until the Glazier stove works office and warerooms, and part of the Chelsea House on Main street had been burned and the Congregational church and parsonage on Middle St. The rear of the Glazier stove works is near the rear of the Congregational church which accounts for the spreading of the flames in that direction. A big block of stores on Main street were saved. The losses foot up in the neighborhood of $35,000, while the insurance was $22,300 as follows; L. Babcock, building, S7, 000, insurance, $4,000; F. Staffen, building, $2,000, insurance, $1,000; Congregational church, $4,000, insurance, $3,000; parsonage, $1,400, insurance, $1,300; Glazier stove works, $20,000, insurance, $13,000. The Glazier stove works in Chelsea is a new industry, which has been doing a thriving business. The insurance office of Gilbert & Crowell was in this building. Our Chelsea correspondent sends us the following account of the fire: The most destructive fire for many years in this village happened last Sunday afternoon. A fire broke out in the basement of the Babcock building, occupied by the Glazier stove factory, probably from the furnace, about two o'clock, and was only got under control about five o'clock. The village chemical engines were of very little use. The fire soon gutted the Babcock building with its contents, and the south half of the Chelsea house, owned by Frank Staffan. The contents of the hotel were mostly saved in a damaged condition. The fire then went to the Congregational church and parsonage, which were soon in ashes. The contents of these were partl-y saved. About 4 o'clock. a steam engine that had been telegraphed for arrived from Jackson, and was soon in control of the fire, saving the north part of the Chelsea house, owned by Mrs. Gillam, in a damaged condition. Considerable damage was done to the Winans and Hatch building next south, and to the windows on the west side of the street. The propertydestroyed will aggregate at least $20,000, and all more or less insured, but not enough to cover the loss. It is a great loss to the property owners as well as to the town, because the property was all good and nearly new, except the church. The fire could easily have been put out before much darnage was done if the town had had a steam fire engine. More companies will yet withdraw from the town unless it provides better protection against fire.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier