HOLOCAUST

HOLOCAUST

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A Terrible and Destructive Fire this Morning

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Two Blocks of the Best Business Rooms Entirely Destroyed

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Frank Law Meets a Horrible Death---Ten Horses Burned to Death---Help from Neighboring Cities

Perhaps the most destructive fire that ever occurred in Cambridge broke out this morning and burned with unabated fury until property estimated at $125,000 was consumed. The fire originated in Davis' livery barn at about 1:00 a.m. and rapidly spread across the alley to stables in rear of the Lyndon hotel, to Carnes' livery barn, to residences of Isaac Turnbaugh and Dorcas Savage, and the blacksmith shop of Frank Johnson. These buildings were promptly consumed. In an hour the rear of Monumental hall was on fire and this led directly to the Taylor block and toward the Berwick hotel. The spread was rapid to George Shairer's residence and saloon, to

John M. Richardson's residence and restaurant, Downer's drug store and to the Lyndon hotel building and Dr. Moore's drug store. On the east and south the fire was checked by the walls of the Lenfesty block, thus saving the Times Office, Guernsey National Bank, the post office, Wolff's store and the halls and offices in that large building.

The fire led from Monumental hall toward Wheeling Ave, consuming Schau's bakery and restaurant,

Mrs. Forsythe's millinery and notions store, Carlisles & Grimes hardware, Nelson's confectionary and news stand, the C & M General offices, R. T. Scott's and A. R. McCulloch's law offices, the school room and lodge halls, Gillespie & McCulley's furniture store, Steele's grocery and Hornbrook's shoe store. The fire was checked on the west by the fire wall of the Berwick hotel, thus saving from destruction C. Ayre's store and the new hotel.

Among the valuable property destroyed was Col. Taylor's private library, containing many rare and valuable books that cannot be replaced and Scott & McCulloch's law library. Much property was saved by being hauled and carried to places of safety, some of it badly damaged. Arnold & Barber had removed their shoe store to the new room in the Byndon building and were ready to begin business this morning. They promptly loaded their goods up and brought them back to their former stand at J. O. McIIyar's.

The saddest feature of the fire was the terrible death of Frank Law. He and "Chuck" Creighton were sleeping on cots in the little office in the southeast corner of Davis' stable and when Creighton was awakened by the roar of the flames which were breaking into the office he attempted to awake Law and after much difficulty he finally succeeded. Law was standing in the middle of the room fighting the flames off with his hands when Creighton jumped out the window, exit by the door being cut off by the fire. Just at this instant Wm. Davis came running up the alley from his residence and Creighton cried "For God's sake get Frank out of there." Mr. Davis ran to the window but was driven back by the flames, which were then shooting out the hole made by Creighton when he jumped through.

Mr Laws' mother was informed that her son had escaped, and hopes were entertained for several hours that he had got out through the lower part of the stables, but he did not appear. At 6:30 hope was abandoned and searchers began to dig in the debris for the body, which was found after half an hour's work. His body was lying on the springs of one of the cots, and covered with bricks from the chimney and part of the stove.

The body was burned and blackened. The feet, hands and head were burned off and the cooked flesh was only held on by the scorched clothing. The sight was sickening.

Mr. Law's body was taken to Bair's undertaking establishment from which he was buried this afternoon.

J.W. Davis & Son estimate their loss at $5,000, insurance $1,000. Eight of their horses were burned outright or so badly injured that they had to be killed. James T. Cain's driving mare was burned. W. H. McIIyar's horse was badly burned but escaped from the stable. Among those burned in the stable were the beautiful matched chestnuts, so well known by every citizen. They were side by side in their death agony. The old horse that hauls the express wagon was not injured---George Schairer saved a part of his saloon fixtures and household goods.

J. M. Richardson saved a portion of his goods. The building and restaurant were insured for $1,800.

Carnes' barn was entirely destroyed, horses and carriages all saved. Insurance on the barn and contents $1,800.

Carlisle & Grimes lost everything in the store except some powder that was brought off to a safe place. They saved their horses and dray, that were in a stable that was destroyed, loss $10,000, insurance $7,500. They will begin business in their house near C. & M. depot.

C. Ayre got a large part of his goods out of the rooms and will at once rearrange them in the same rooms, and go ahead. His loss is considerable by damage to goods.

H. C. Hornbrook got out a part of his stock to places of safety. his room will be repaired as the roof was burned off. Some goods were badly injured by water.

The C. & M. general offices saved their books and papers, loss covered by insurance.

Scott's and McCulloch's libraries were entirely consumed and we learn were not insured. Some papers were saved.

Harry Forney, the architect, lost part of his office furniture. There was no insurance on Col. Taylor's valuable library.

Gillespie & McCulley saved most of their stock. Their iron sheeted and roofed ware room preserved the stock in it. This is the second time that ware room has gone through a fire and come out all right. Mc. & Mc. saved the goods stowed there at the time of the Berwick fire, a fact favorable to iron siding and roofing.

Isaac Turnbaugh saved a part of his goods, insurance $500. Dorcas Savage saved a part of her goods, no insurance.

The Lyndon belonged to W. B. Crosgrove, loss $17,500 insured for $10,000 taken out last Saturday.

J. M. Logan's loss was $1,000, insured for $800. A. D. Steele's loss is estimated at $1,300, insured for $1,000.

Col. Taylor estimates his entire loss on buildings at $30,000, insurance $15,200.

William Schau, the baker estimates his loss at $800. A small part of his stock was saved, no insurance. Carnes Bros. estimate their loss at $2,000, insurance $1,800. Forsythe's millinery and notion stock is estimated at $5,000, nearly all destroyed; insurance $2,500. The furniture of the school room destroyed is estimated at $200.

There is hustling among victims to find rooms in which to begin business. They are difficult to find.

The Cambridge fire department was on hand without delay and did heroic work. Three cisterns, including the large ones were speedily pumped dry and the engine was removed to the creek and worked from it direct to the fire, but after the arrival of the Barnesville engine the Cambridge engine pumped to the 6th street cistern and the Barnesville engine worked from that point directly on the fire.

Dispatches for aid were sent to Barnesville, Zanesville and Newark. Barnesville responded with engine and hose and did excellent work; Newark came with engine and hose but were not needed, the fire being under control; Zanesville men came and assisted but brought no machinery as they do not use fire engines in that city. Barnesville arrived before six o'clock. Chief Osler formerly lived in Cambridge. Newark made the trip in one hour and two minutes by special train. Cambridge extends grateful thanks to these neighboring cities for prompt response and heroic work.

Jerry and his team hustled, the bucket brigade worked like heroes, the citizens and city officials gave every possible support to the firemen. The breaking of the hose was a serious drawback to prompt execution. We recently called attention to the condition of some of the hose and we trust we may not be again caught with rotten or imperfect hose.

Women were promptly on hand with pots of hot coffee with which the men who worked were liberally supplied. They are angels of temperance and charity.

H. C. Hornbrook and Gillespie & McCulley will occupy the large front room in the Berwick hotel. Carnes Bros. will resume in Hammond & Johnson's stables and will at once rebuild. J. R. Downar will occupy a room at Reeb's. The school board have secured a room in the Craig block for the 4th grade school taught by Miss Gibson and which was burned out. The C. & M. general passenger and freight offices will be at F. G. Nye's residence on West Wheeling avenue. The president and auditor's office will be at the C & M depot. Capt. Kidd can be found at his residence.

Transcribed from the Daily Jeffersonian , Wednesday, October 2, 1895, Cambridge, Guernsey CO., OH

Letters remaining uncalled for in Cambridge Postoffice, week ending Oct. 5, 1895. Please say advertised when called for.

Eli F. Boyd, Wm. Boyd, Emma Dollson, Cahrely Edwards, Mrs. Lida Evans, Caroline Graham, T. E. Gill,

J. F. Hickman, Hearing & CO, Thomas A Huggins, Mrs. Alma Hardesty, John Hickman, Arthur M. Lockark, Mrs. James McCleary, W. M. Miller, Mrs. Minnie Moore, Mrs. Lizzie Millhone, James Reese, T. J. Roby, A. T. Sarchet, Bessie Smith, Fred Stewart, Holten Scott, John Strend, Nellie Williams, Minnie Wagers, Miss L. C. Whissel, Ella Wendell.

Miss Roburta Stevens, of Cumberland, O. gave a Recital at the Menser House, Pt. Pleasant, O. Wednesday evening Oct 2nd. Those whose names appeared on the program are as follows: Edna Siens, Elsie Robins, Georgia McCurdy, Edith Trott, Gertie Floto, Hattie Spaid, Hun Flanagan, Marla Spaid, Clate Jackson, Blanch Spald. A number of patrons were present. After the program was rendered Rev. Floto made some appropriate remarks.

Miss Nellie Stewart, of West Cambridge, died this morning of lung trouble. She was a sister of W. W. Stewart, the well known young attorney. Services will be held at the residence tomorrow at 12:30 p.mp., after which the body will be taken to Mt. Herman cemetery for internment.

Mrs. Ollie V. Selway, who died Thursday, was laid to rest Saturday at Northwood cemetery. Funeral services were conducted at the family home on Hyatt avenue by Rev. F. W. Luce, pastor of the First methodist Episcopal church.

The following from Cambridge went to Barnesville Friday and attended the funeral services for Carl Newsome: Joseph Peyton, Frank Gunn, Charles Smith, Fred Logwood, Rev. J. W. Miller, Charles Jones, Charles Singer, Frank Clark, E. D. Smith and William Singer.

The deceased was the son of Rev. and mrs. E. H. Newsome, a former pastor of the A. M. E. church of Cambridge, and now pastor of the A. M. E. church of Barnesville.

Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the A. M. E. church in Barnesville, conducted by

Mrs. Josephine Regland Wood was born in Cumberland, Md., August 31, 1846, and died Wednesday morning, March 5, 1924 in Savannah, Ga., following an illness of pneumonia. While very young the family moved to Wheeling, W.Va., where she spent the great part of her early life. On December 5, 1868 she was united in marriage with Joseph Martin Wood and to this union were born nine children, two of whom are deceased. Surviving are, Mrs. (Cora)W. E. Riggs, Vero, Fla.; S. J. Wood, and Mrs. (Bertha) W. J. Morrison, of Los Angeles, Calif., William H. Wood, of New York City; Mrs. (Mary Jane) J. C. Landkroher, Coshocton; Mrs. (Laura) Rossel L. Cook, Savannah. Ga., and Mrs (Sarah) George D. Nicholson of this city, and one brother, Samuel Regland of Columbus. The body will arrive in Cambridge Friday afternoon, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Rossel L. Cook, Mrs. W. E. Riggs and will be taken to the home of Mrs Nicholson, 225 North Tenth street where funeral services will be held Friday evening at 7:30 o'clock. The deceased was a faithful member of the Presbyterian church and the services will be conducted by Rev. Lester S. Evans. Internment will be made Saturday morning in the Greenwood cemetery, Wheeling, W. Va.

Funeral services for Mrs. Josephine Regland Wood, who died Wednesday at Savannah, Ga., were conducted Saturday morning at 10:30 o'clock at the home of her daughter, Mrs. George Nicholson, on North Tenth street, by Rev. L. S. Evans, pastor of the First Presbyterian church. The body arrived Friday in Cambridge and was removed to the Nicholson home. Burial was made at Greenwood cemetery, Wheeling.

Note: Given names of daughters added. The maiden name of Mrs. Wood was also spelled Ryland. The surname

Estate of Miraim Perry. Inventory and sale bill filed, amount of appraisment $344.46. Amount of sale $342.95.

Guardianship of Miraim Perry. Final account filed by W. C. Rose, guardian.

Estate of John Finley. Clarissa Finley and Wm. J. Finley appointed administrators: Michael S. Trott,

J. W. Murphy vs. Wm. Black et.al; appeal from docket of Justice J. E. Coen.

J. A. Hoopman et.al vs. S. Spira et.al; appeal from docket of Justice John Frye.

After the death of Mrs. Thomas Lenfesty, grandmother of T. M. and W. M. F. Lenfesty, of Winchester, this county who died in Zanesville, Ohio, at the home of her son-in-law, John Carlo, and was brought for internment to the old cemetery in Cambridge, these lots were sold in partition, by John Beymer, Sheriff of Guernsey county. The now Noah Hyatt lot was bought by Stewart Patterson and later conveyed to Judge James DeLong, the first Probate Judge of Guernsey county who built the present Hyatt house.

The next two lots on the north were bought by Moses Sarchet, and he later conveyed them to Andrew Feaster. The lost west of the Hyatt lot was bought by Dr. John P. Tingle; the next by Hon. Nathan Evans, and the next by Robert Yates, the father of Thomas Yates of Cambridge. In the north west corner of this lot was a square acre that belonged to Joseph Holler, grandfather of Elza Turner Esq. On this was a brick yard, the water used was piped from a spring on the now Col. Taylor lot on the north.

James Bichard, of the Guernsey settlers in 1807, grandfather of the writer, bought lots no. 27, 28, 33, 34, 40, 41, 42, 31, and 32. He built a log house on lots 27 and 34, now the site of the Col. Taylor tenant house, on north 8th street, and planted on these a large orchard; some of the old trees are still standing. He was a shoemaker and worked at his house, doing what was called "country work," his customers furnishing the leather. He made sewed work, as at this time shoe pegs were not invented.

Lot 29, now the Craig lot, was bought by Peter Sarchet, lot 30 was bought by George R. Tingle, now the Farrar lot. Lot 39 was bought by Thomas McClenahan, afterwards known as the White lot. The six lots on the west, Nos. 25, 26, 35, 36, 37, and 38 were bought by Thomas Naftel, a Guernsey settler of 1807. He built a log house on lots 25 and 26, now the site of Col. Taylor's residence. On these he planted a large orchard. The trees have mostly disappeared. In addition he owned the land lying north of these out lots, adjoining the old McCracken farm. Thomas Naftel's mind began gradually to give way, said to have been caused by the excitement of a Methodist camp meeting where he heard the Rev. Jacob Young preach a seron on the subject, "God's call to Moses from the burning bush." His dementia began to become manifest, when at times he would build brush heaps, set fire to them and jump through the blaze. When attending the French meetings of that time, he would take off his shoes and say "it was holy ground."

Among the early records of the court of Probate, of this county is a finding by a jury that, "Thomas Naftel is non compos mentis." He gradually became worse and a guard was placed over him. This was before the day of asylums for the insane. One day, in the abscence of his guard, he got away and fled to Wills Creek where he found a canoe and in it he paddled down the creek. The next heard of his he was in the island of Guernsey. This gave rise to the saying, "Naftel crossed the ocean in a canoe." How far he went in the canoe is not known. At

New Orleans, he met a sea captain who knew him and took him in his ship to Guernsey, and from the captain the story of his adventure was learned. He never returned to Cambridge and died a few years later in his former home.

The Naftel and Bichard land came into the possession of John Robinson an uncle of Alex Robinson, of Tyner, this county. At his death it was subdivided among his heirs. One of the shares is the now Rev. Dr. McFarland's land and the rest of it, with the John and Thomas McClenahan lots, belongs to Col. J. D. Taylor.

On the Col. Taylor property, and near Dr. McFarland's land on the south bank near the run, was a double log cabin, who was its builder is not now known. In the side of the bank, years ago, were the ruins of a still house. The last time we passed that way, there was a seedling apple tree growing near the site of the cabins.

Joseph Black, grandfather of Mrs. J. C. Carver, of Cambridge lived there for some time. He was succeeded by Levi Clark, an uncle of A. J. Clark. He was a mason and built bake ovens and chimneys. In the war of 1812, he was of the "Maryland Line" and ran with Gen. Winder at Bladensburg. His wife was a spinner and knitter spinning yarn from woolen rolls into "hanks" and doing a general neighborhood business in knitting socks and stockings. Her reputation in her business was of the highest order.