December 30, 1880 Fire On Main Street

In January 1952 Nelle Bradley prepared a paper for the Historical Society Meeting entitled, So As By Fire, about THE fire on Main Street on December 30, 1880. The entire paper can be readhere.

The entire article is six standard pages long, and therefore I’ve taken paragraphs from that paper and added photographs from the socieity’s collection to show before and after of some of the buildings. What follows are direct quotes from the paper, my notations being the captions to the pictures.

Looking at Main Street from the steeple of the Baptist Church, pre-1880.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #383

The story goes, that on the present site of the Masonic building stood a frame house occupied by Peter R. Shafer, a jeweler.

In the middle of a very cold night, 16 below zero, on the 30th of December 1880, flames were discovered coming from Mr. Shafer’s house. He had emptied hot ashes into a wooden ash barrel.

The village was without fire-fighting equipment with the exception of a small hand pump. Men, women and children carried water and did everything possible for human beings to do to stay the fire’s progress, but it continued on up the street.

The next house to catch fire was that of the Widow Carman and her two daughters, one of whom was a dressmaker. George Mosher’s harness shop burned next and then a small one-story building owned by Enoch Covert and used at that time as a meat market.

There was no stopping the fire’s advance now and it leveled the hardware store of Frank Case, a brother of C. Fred Case. Thad Rappleye’s tin shop was on the second floor of this store.

The general store of James C. Knight was next in line. It was much larger than the other stores and a porch roof, similar to the one at Minor’s hardware store, reached over the stone sidewalk.

James Knight Store, Main Street, pre-1880 fire.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #47

In a corner of this store, Jas. C. Knight & Co., established in 1860, the first banking office in Farmer. The safe he used is purported to be the one now in use in the Interlaken Post Office. [see also December 10th Ira Johnson Funeral Bill.]

On the corner of Main and Lodi Streets (now West Avenue), separated by a few feet from Knight’s store, stood the old Exchange Hotel. This hotel had been built by Jacob S. Rappleye in 1823, early in Farmer’s history.

It had thick brick walls and a balcony along the front and side extended over a flagstone porch. Good pictures of this hotel have been preserved.

Deyo's Hotel, front of James Knight's store on right.
Corner of Main Street at West Ave. pre-1880 fire.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #139.

It was thought that this brick hotel would escape destruction so people from the burning buildings brought things to the hotel for safety. One little panic stricken woman limped in with a bed pillow under each arm and her sister came carrying only a piece of underwear. The story is told of Mr. Knight that he salvaged a large cheese box but when he found it empty of cheese he was so angry he threw it back into the fire.

Wet carpets were spread on the hotel roof, but it was doomed, too, as a barrel of oil in Knight’s store, exploding, blew out the hotel windows and flames sucked in.

Hattie Taylor says that an agent from the city, spending the night there, was slow to be aroused when they shouted, “Fire.” He asked, sleepily, “What ward is it in?” He was told, “If you don't get out it will be your last ward.”

Many things were carried from the hotel to the Baptist Church yard only to fall into the hands of looters. Mr. Trusdell and several others had no insurance. Across from the hotel the residence of C. Q. Bergen (now occupied by Clarence Pell) was not reached by the fire. It was a fairly new house at this time, but let us leave our story for a while to tell of the building that originally stood on that site, facing up Lodi Street. [2017 the U S Post Office is at this location, see January 30, 1961]

But we must return to the Big Fire and we find that the hotel barn, which was also on the east side of the street, has been saved by heroic efforts of Mr. Goodrich, a school teacher, but a bolt of fire from the oil explosion in Knight’s store had shot across the street and ignited the Post office on the present site of Jack Wiggins’ service station.

The name of the Post office had been changed from Farmer to Farmer Village in 1865. It was the first real post office in the village; a little white, one-story building. On one side of a narrow aisle stood a wooden bench and beyond it a small stove. On the other side were the boxes lettered in green. John B. Avery was Postmaster for many years. It was known that D. C. Wheeler subscribed to a daily paper! Some of the mail was burned, but the letters were saved.

The hitching sheds of the hotel, also on the east side of the street, were back of George Murphy’s cobbling shop. These all burned, and then the 1815 store building that Mr. Knight had moved across the street and was occupied on the lower floor by Mon Chandler's pool room. Upstairs, A. W. Porter had a photograph gallery. A paper of 1876 speaks of his “excellent pictures.” Probably there were destroyed some pictures of the early village and its inhabitants, which we should greatly prize today.

Stone and Crise had a meat market next north, above which lived the Auten sisters. Ed Redman’s grocery store is now on that site. That, too, burned and the fire finally was stopped at the frame house now owned by Charles Wiggins, but at that time was the property of C. Q. Bergen, who had a furniture store in the front part, while in the rear was his brother Jacob's undertaking rooms and printing office. Here Jacob Bergen, my great uncle, edited for one year (1867) the Saturday Evening Journal.

C. Q. Bergen building, now bank parking lot.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #21
See also July 9 Snippet

New Year’s Day, 1881, but who on Main Street, looking on those ruins, cried, Happy New Year!

In front of the ruined hotel, still swung in the breeze the sign, Stewart House, W. D. Trusdell, Proprietor. Mrs. Trusdell had rescued all the turkeys that had been prepared for New Year’s dinner, but the contents of the cellar, the winter’s supply of vegetables, cabbages, potatoes, etc., burned and continued to smoke for six weeks.

But in the minds of some villagers, plans were already forming. Mr. Sessions, of Cleveland, Ohio, the father-in-law of Frank Case, was in town, having been called here by the illness of his daughter. Evidently, he was a man of vision and quick action. He learned that the owner of the hotel was Nina Kraft, of Syracuse, and he directed Frank Case to telegraph her immediately to ask for an option on the hotel lot. It was secured and the following day a village lawyer was sent to Mrs. Kraft to close the deal.

On that site, as soon as possible, Frank Case began to erect a brick building for his hardware store. Later, C. Fred Case and H. H. Rappleye conducted the store for a number of years. The present owner is Don Hanford and it is still a hardware store.

Built in early 1881 following the fire of 1880
Interlaken Historical Society photo #12

When this building was being erected, John B. Peterson got the idea of having a store next to Case’s so they arranged for a party wall between the stores and Mr. Peterson continued the block with a grocery and shoe store. That part is now a show room for Hanford's electrical appliances.

James C. Knight continued the brick block, intending it for his general store, but he died that next summer, and C. Q. Bergen moved his furniture store there. It is now the Wickes’ Drug Store, and carved in the stone entrance is the date 1881. The tread of many feet across that threshold had worn down the carving so recently Charles Wickes had the date recut.

The 1881 date was carved in such a way that it can be read as you enter the store or leave.
Photo by the author.

Mr. Knight added a shallower building on the north with the idea of housing the Bank of O. G. and D. C. Wheeler, but they chose the location where now is the theatre, and Knight’s building was later extended beyond its original 40-foot depth to accommodate the tailor shop of Ed and Joe Foote. It is now the Red and White Store.

This block was further extended to become the Covert Saddlery Works, which, at first, was two stories high, but later a third story was added. Starting in a small way on the east side of the street and doing only hand work, Enoch Covert and his brother Jim, enlarged their business and in the new building, the Saddlery Works became a thriving concern. Until the automobile crowded the horse from the road, it had a wide market for its goods, shipping to Nova Scotia, Germany and Australia, and one special order was filled for the Czar of Russia, Charles Teed personally doing the finishing work on it.

Covert Saddlery Block, 1952 Crane feed and display rooms.
photo taken before the wooden structure to the north was built

Originally, the stone sidewalk in front of the whole length of this block was roofed over.

The Carmen women rebuilt next. Theirs was a frame house which since has had several additions and is now the liquor stare.

Carmen family home 1890s, later Wiggins, Emmons and Overslaugh
The Covert Saddlery on left and Masonic Hall on right
Interlaken Historical Society photo #1567

About 1889, a blacksmith shop occupied the lot where the fire had started, but that happily, was replaced in 1893 by the Masonic building, the main floor of which is the H. C. Peterson Dry Goods Store.

Early photo of the Masonic Hall Association building
Meeting rooms on the second floor and retail space on the first floor.
See May 30 Snippet for dedication of the meeting rooms
Interlaken Historical Society photo #2033

On the east side of the street, ideas had been taking form also. Mr. Trusdell had purchased the land where the Post office had stood and where now is the Wiggins’ Service Station. Mr. Trusdell moved back the old hotel barn and built the Robinson House, again naming it according to custom, for a Mr. Robinson.

It was a three-story building with mansard roof and had upper and lower porches along the front. John King was the builder. He also built the Catholic Church.

Hotel Robinson
Interlaken Historical Society photo #720

Then, on a bitter cold, day in February 1939, it, too, burned to the ground, and

Jack Wiggins’ Service Station takes its place.

1941 Wiggins Gas Station
2017 Quik Fill shops
Interlaken Historical Society photo #1505

Meanwhile, masons were at work erecting a building north of the Robinson House, the exterior of this brick block being similar to the one across the street, but a wooden porch ran the length of the building, the porch and stone sidewalk being roofed over.

It is said that it was financed by Sam Stone and John Bainbridge.

In the north half, Sam Stone and Adam Crise continued their meat market. The smaller part of the south half was taken by George Mosher for a harness shop, while to the storage space between these two, A. C. Peterson transferred his dry goods business from his residence on Seneca Street. Later, Mr. Peterson bought this store and the wall between his and the Mosher store, was removed to accommodate Mr. Peterson’s growing business. A central stairway led to living quarters on either side of the second floor and where, for a while, the Petersons lived and where Howard C. Peterson came into the world.

Sam Stone's Meat Market on the left, Peterson's Dry Goods on the right.
1952 Redman's grocery stone, Hurlbut Caskets and Bill Jay Shoe Store
Interlaken Historical Society photo #332

And so, we arrive back at the old Bergen building that has stood for no-one-knows, how long. It was a wagon shop in 1842 and has a number of times barely escaped destruction by fires from the north and from the south and is now owned by Charles Wiggins.

Ca 1900 photo from the steeple of the Baptist Church
Left side, roof lines of the new brick buildings.
Right side, the Robinson Hotel, Peterson and Stone building
Behind the trees the Bergen building. Top the "new" Goodman hotel.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #1189

The public, in general, was, as is often the case, a gainer by the fire, for from its ashes rose a neater village, but let us hope that further improvement in the appearance of the village will come by planned construction or remodeling and not so by fire.

Dewitt’s Diary, Saturday, December 30, 1972

Temperature 32, cloudy, rain predicted.

Worked in the wood after filling the grain bin with wheat for the chickens this morning.

Around the house playing lazy this afternoon.

Warming up to 40 tonight. Snow mostly gone.

Corn picking mostly at a standstill. Too wet and not froze enough. Many ears of my corn moldy inside the ear.

Took Tim out for coon, got one in the east woods at Lantos. Could not get Tim to come in at 11 o’clock so left him out. Got up at 4 and he was barking in the old Miller wood down east, so went down there at 4:30 and shot another.

Snow gone, strong south wind and 52 at 5:30 this morning (Sunday).

October 18, 1913 Boyer Opera House Fire

Another of the Snippet items that needs no introduction.

Interlaken Review, October 24, 1913

Boyer Opera House, Burned October 18, 1913

The clang of the fire bell, that most unwelcome sound, at 2:35 last Saturday morning, awoke most of the citizens of Interlaken, brought a large crowd to the Boyer opera house on Cayuga Street.

Boyer Opera House, Cayuga Street, the barn in the background is still standing
The Hubbard Heating and Plumbing warehouse is located where the opera house was.
Interlaken Historical Society photo  #20.

When discovered, the dressing rooms on the south end of the building were a roaring furnace, and a few minutes later the flames burst from the roof of the main building, while a pillar of smoke was rolling from the tower on the north end. The firemen soon had the engine at work at Dr. Hill's pond, with two lines of hose pouring water to save the blacksmith shop of Charles Reiley, less than 30 feet east of the opera house, and his barn, about the same distance from both shop and hall.

It was a terribly hot and quick fire—all down within an hour. Mr. Reiley’s barn was burned, but his horse and wagons were saved. The barn contained about four tons of hay. All the contents of the blacksmith shop and a good share of the furniture in his house, about 20 feet east of the shop were removed.

At onetime the roof of the shop was all ablaze but the firemen got a stream and conquered the flames, but it was a terribly hot job to stick to the hose between these buildings, but the fire fighters won the battle, and saved the shop and house.

Mr. Reiley had no insurance on either barn or shop, letting it lapse over a year ago.

The opera house was insured for $2,500-about one half its value. While the firemen were fighting these fires, a hard fight had to be put to save L.W. Seaman’s storage building, not far to the southwest. The roof was on fire several times.

Residents on the north side of the street were in very warm quarters for an hour, heat blistering paint on the houses owned by A. V. Minor. The sparks came like a snow storm on the houses on North Main Street, keeping watchers there on a jump, until the opera house building fell in.

While working on the roof of his father's house, George Stout fell backward and landed in the cellarway, spraining his ankle and being severely bruised.

Warren Miller was the first to discover the fire, when he got up to let the cat out. Without waiting for shoes or other clothing, he ran and pulled the fire alarm. His quick action no doubt saved other property, by getting people quickly to the fire.

The firemen are entitled to much credit for the work performed on Saturday morning. A number of young men took hold of the fire engine and stuck to it, until their services were no longer needed. As is usual at such times, a number of able-bodied men stood around, with hands in pockets, and refused to work on the brakes. It demonstrated most clearly the urgent need of a water works system right here·in Interlaken, and we will all be wise when we get it—instead of talk about it.

The Boyer opera house building was erected in 1853, by John Stout, as a machine shop. He sold it to John Kennedy who, for several years, used it as a place to fit horses for the eastern markets, with indifferent success. Next a subscription paper was started, and the building purchased for a town hall. Later the company, known as the Farmer Village Town Hall Association, was formed with the late John B. Avery at its head. After a number of years it came into the possession of D.C. Wheeler, who sold it to the late W. W. Boyer, March 1, 1894, who remodeled the building into a commodious opera house, and it was owned by his estate. The building and equipment could not be replaced for $5,000. There was $2,500 insurance on it. As the place will not be rebuilt, it is a decided loss to the whole community.

“The Girl of the Streets” Company played there Friday evening. All their outfits, in seven large trunks, went up in flames. The management said $1,000 would not replace the wardrobe of his company. They went from here to Willard, and the manager to New York, to buy new outfits. He said he would be ready again in a week.

After the above article was printed in the Interlaken Historical Society newsletter, a question was raised about the cause of the fire. In the paper the following week it was noted a cigarette was the cause.

Dewitt’s Diary, Saturday October 18, 1924

Francis and I shook off 72 bushels of apples and picked them up.

Francis shot a large Red-tailed hawk 48 inches across the wings.

Heavy frost this morning. We have had several heavy frosts lately. 

October 6, 1950 First Fire House Sold

The Village Board had voted in September 1950 to sell the first fire house property on Main Street, (now 8377 Main Street).

The property was acquired on June 9, 1891. Patrick and Alice Mathews sold to Eldred Frost, supervisor of the Town of Covert, “all that tract or parcel of land, situated in the Town of Covert…described as commencing in the centre of the highway in Main Street Farmer Village, forty-eight South of the southwest corner of land of Amos H. Leet and running East seventy-one feet; thence South sixteen feet, West seventy-one feet North sixteen feet along the centre of the highway to the place of beginning…”

Included in the deed was the intended purpose of the building, “…to be used  only for the accommodation and benefit of the fire department of Farmer Village and to be under the control and care of the Board of Trustees duly elected by the said Fire Department.” The resolution, as printed in the Fire Department minutes, goes on the explain that the Fire Department was no longer using the building, and that Theodore Day, then supervisor of the Town of Covert, should sell the building to the Village of Interlaken.

The “resolution was duly moved by Ainsworth Gardener, seconded by Clarence Haskins and unanimously Adopted. Signed James L. Daily, Homer Stewart and Chas. J. Wickes, trustees.”

At the October 6, 1950 meeting, the three bids were recorded, $1,100, $1,285 and $1,250. “On motion by Morehouse, seconded by Hildebrand that the old fire house be sold to the highest bidder, which is Daily Bros at a price of $1,285.”

There are several artifacts relating to the building as fire house. Possibility the most recognizable, is the photograph of Main Street with the fire bell prominently featured, even though the building itself is not shown.

Main Street looking south. The fire bell, in front of the original fire house is on the left.
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #96.

Daily Brothers owned the building for a number of years. The law office of Victor Mount was on the first floor and an apartment was created on the second floor.

One of the features of the building, from its creation was its “central stairway.” The door on Main Street opened to a landing and stairway. To the left was the door into the law office; going up the stairs there were two doors, one right, one left. It was this central staircase that prevented Seneca County from tearing down the old Darling Restaurant. While they started the work, they had to board up the exterior. After purchasing the building in 1980, we completed the demolition of the south portion, put in windows in place of the south doors, and made a single-family home out of the old fire house.

Today, the front of the building has a double window where once the fire equipment came and went from the building.

Dewitt’s Diary, October 6, 1949 and 1950

Thursday, October 6, 1949

Temperature 42, partly cloudy and mild. Trees are very beautiful now. I saw just a little frost down by Halstead’s spring across the road.

We began pulling beans today. Most beans are not a very good crop, too dry most of the time.

Brooklyn 1, NY 0.

Friday, October 6, 1950

Partly cloudy and cool, temperature 38. Frost in the orchard this morning.

Setting up field corn this afternoon, after finishing the sweet corn. 

September 20, 2015 Truck 504 Arrives at the Fire House

After years of discussion, planning, getting specifications, and then waiting for the truck to be built, the big day arrived.

On a warm, sunny fall afternoon, fire department personnel, village board members and others gathered to take possession of the new rescue pumper. Mark Oswad from Four-Guys Fire Trucks was sharing baseball caps to all present.

The rescue-pumper, designated 504 is 32 feet long, and seats five personnel. Four of the seats have built-in air-pack storage, allowing firefighters to strap on their first air pack in-route to the scene.

The tank holds 750 gallons of water with a 750 gallon per minute pump. There is one master intake port and eight discharge ports. For those times when darkness prevails, there is an on-board generator and four-head light tower.

In addition, the multiple storage compartments hold vital equipment such as the “jaws of life,” generator, first responder medical equipment, more air packs and much more. The top bed also has three long hose lays and additional compartments.

Pictures and more pictures were taken of people beside the new truck. The compartments were opened and examined.

Slide-out tray with fire extinguishers 

Compartments waiting for supplies

Seats with air pack storage

Ovid Fire Chief looking at one of the compartments 

Looking over the new truck 

Pump panel

Photos by Karen Nelson

Then came a point in time as I watched the old red rescue truck leave the station and head north. Sitting, waiting for its first tone-out, was the bright shiny new truck, and as 541, the rescue truck drove by, I could imagine one saying to the other, “Well done. We’ll take over the watch from here.”

The old and the new
Photo from the author's collection

On 504’s maiden run she performed her job to full capacity. Delivering personnel, providing illumination and putting the jaws and tools right where they needed to be for a car into tree MVC. Since that time she continues to be an outstanding member of the fire department and has become popular with the surrounding companies for all of the same reasons. Especially with the light tower.

Stocking 504 under the lights 

Dewitt’s Diary, Wednesday, September 20, 1972

Temperature 40. Clear and a taste of what is to come.

We went over all of the wheat ground. Art Horton planted it for me this afternoon.

A cool fall day. No frost around here.

My field corn shows ears dented on more than half of them. Corn is very backward this year, a few more days before frost will make a big difference in the crop.

We dug out 8 bushels of potatoes. The first row went about 10 bushels of sorted potatoes. I have 26 rows of late potatoes.

August 6, 1924 The New Fire Truck

This is another “then and now” type article. The then is from 1924; the now is a work in process. I was asked to research the purchase of a fire truck in 1924. The request was to assist the department in the restoration of the truck, now out of storage and awaiting the needed work.

March 24, 1924, Village Board meeting minutes, “On motion made and duly supported and carried that L P Detro be appointed a committee of one to contract for chassis for Fireman not to exceed three hundred ninety dollars ($390.00).”

On April 4, 1924, the Interlaken Review had an article praising the village board. “The village trustees have made a wise move in buying a Ford ton truck chassis from N. R. Boyes & Son, which will have a body added built purposely to carry fire hose, and which will replace the old Chase truck that has been used for several years.”

Among the records at the Historical Society are the oldest minutes for the Fire Department. April 25, 1924 “Committee on hose chassis body reports that he is not ready to report at this time.”

Fire Department minutes May __, 1924, “com[mittee] on Hose Body reports that bids for same have been rec’d and under consideration, and specifications ready to submit to bidder and contract to let in few days, same to be completed within 60 days from date of contract.”

July 25, 1924 “Report committee on siren whistle for new hose wagon reports whistle rec’d and ready for installation.”

The minutes for August 30, 1924 “Bill of Joe Depard for shop work for building hose wagon body $16.00. On motion made and duly supported bill was ordered paid.” “Committee on siren horn reports horn installed and satisfactory.”

It was a few lines later that in the officer reports, “Foreman Donnelson reports new hose wagon received on August 6^th, accepted and loaded and turned over to Dept.”

The April 4, 1924 Interlaken Review article also noted, “This [new truck] is a much-needed addition to the fire department and places our equipment in the front rank ready for instant use at home, and where the Interlaken Fire Department can soon be of assistance to neighboring villages whenever their services may be needed.”

Fast forward to 2016, the old truck, now in parts and pieces is retrieved from a barn where it had sat for many years. The current department personnel moved it to a location where they could begin the process of restoring the truck. The work continues, and at some point, the refurbished truck will again be on display, though not in use.

1924 Truck being transported to work area.
Photo provided by Chief Jim Borden

1924 Truck being loaded for transport to work area
Photo provided by Chief Jim Borden

1924 Truck view of the passenger side.
Photo provided by Chief Jim Borden

1924 Truck driver's side with Jim Wyckoff and Matt Barkee.
Photo provided by Chief Jim Borden

Dewitt’s Diary, Wednesday, August 6, 1924

We drew in 4 load of wheat this afternoon.

It rained this morning about 4 o’clock so we could not thrash today.

You can help with the restoration, attend the 2017 Car Show on Sunday, August 13, 2017. Vintage cars and trucks, vendors and of course the Bar-B-Q at noon. (Click here to read about the Fire Department Bar-B-Qs March 24)

May 5, 1950 Firehouse Remodeling

 Some of the most enjoyable Snippet items come as a surprise. They arrive when an unknown item is found, through a question or comment, or in today’s case, the presentation of a photograph.

Bill Palmer, Ovid’s Fire Chief, brought the Interlaken Historical Society a photo one day with the comment that it belonged here. The photo, shown below, is a clear picture of what the firehouse looked like in the 1940s. It also brought to mind the question of when was the firehouse front remodeled?

Interlaken Fire Department, late 1940s early 1950s.
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection.

I went looking in the newspaper and village board records. The Village Board meeting on March 4, 1950 reported, “Ernest Peterson, fire chief, present, stating need for enlargement of firehouse on main floor and other necessary repairs.”

This may have been prompted by the purchase of a new truck in 1949, a Dodge Model J-152 with pumping equipment. The prices as noted in the two resolutions passed by the Village board totaled under $10,000.

Back to the remodeling of the firehouse. The board approved the work, and so far, I have not been able to find any specifics of the work in either the newspapers, village board minutes or the Interlaken Fire Department monthly meeting minutes.

What I did find is the May 5, 1950 village board meeting minutes, “Motion by Hildebrand, second by Morehouse that Trustee Stewart be empowered to sell overhead door at front of Fire House, carried.” One can presume that the new doors were installed if the old door was being sold. Again, not a perfect date, but it works for this snippet.

Once the remodeling, at least the exterior remodeling, was done, the front had two bay doors. The old entrance door was moved to the side of the building.

Firehouse with two doors, circa 1954, The line through the picture is either telephone or electical wire.
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #

Other remodeling would continue inside as recorded in the Fire Department Minutes. A new kitchen was added between February 1950 and the open house in early 1951.

At some point the stairway was also moved to the outside, or a second stairway added as shown in this photo of the Farmer’s Museum across the street.

On a further historical note, the building originally served as William Peterson’s Dry Goods store. Dewitt reported in his diary, June 8, 1929, “Uncle Will had a sale of store fixtures today. The town has bought his store for engine rooms.”

Dewitt’s Diary Friday May 5, 1950

Temperature 45, Cloudy and acting like rain and south breeze. Cleaned up the orchard across the creek. The old apple orchard is about finished although there were apples on every tree last fall. We planted 3 ½ acres of oats this afternoon. Very strong south wind this afternoon.

Geese flying this morning.

Warm temperature 80 this afternoon.

April 18, 1916 Wegner Mill Fire

How easy it would be to say, yet another fire at such and such a place, ta da, ta da, ta da…, but in this case, we get to see the fire from two perspectives, the news report, and the family across the street.

Several years ago, the Interlaken Historical Society produced calendars with photos from a range of topics. One month showed the remains from fires in the area. For the January 2007 newsletter, I wrote an article about several of the fires. Two years later the Historical Society was given the letter Mrs. VanArsdale wrote to her son Lyle the morning after the blaze. Rev. and Mrs. Elias VanArsdale lived in the Manse, or parsonage, on the corner of Orchard and Main Street (beside the current post office). The Wegner Mill was located on the south side of Orchard Street.

Mill owner, Dewitt Grove is picking up remains after the fire.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #1611

After a short greeting, Mrs. VanArsdale goes into details about the fire.

Well, my boy you missed some excitement this morning. Mrs. U[sher] came up to stay all night, and we were very nicely sleeping when I heard the worst noise, I wakened and the mill was all one mass of fire.

We got up, dressed and before we dressed it was so hot in our room we couldn’t stand it, the wind was southwest and coming right on us, but fortunately for us it soon changed to northwest.

The windows in the play room are all cracked. My plants on the shelf are scorched to the roots, setting room and bedroom windows cracked and the house badly blistered.

They hung wet carpets up, to save us. I had my bedding, silverware and clothes all tied up in sheets.

You know Papa and Mr. Villemonte started for Classis yesterday on the two [two o’clock train].

The factory is down to the ground, the barn with VanKirk’s auto and Charlie Rice’s autos are gone.

The Stewart’s furniture is about gone, some things in our barn, but not good for much. The Church’s lost part of their bedroom furniture. The home is completely ruined

On the whole, it was a lucky fire, for the wind was very bad, Trumansburg came and Ithaca and they helped wonderfully.

Hancy’s house was afire, and the canning factory barn (Bradley) a number of times.

We served hot coffee and ham sandwiches at five. It is still smoking some, but I guess not dangerous.

No electric lights tonight, although they worked all day trying to get wired straight.

Well, I am glad the old thing has gone, but it was a bad experience. And I don’t care to go through it again.

Papa and Mr. V will have some surprise when they hear about it.

In the same issue of the Interlaken Review is this card of appreciation dated Trumansburg, April 19, 1916 “The members of the congregation of St. Francis Solanus church wishes to thank the Interlaken and Trumansburg fire departments for saving the church property from destruction by fire, and also one company of the Ithaca Fire Department for their good will in coming to help, had anything remained for them to do.

Very sincerely, T. J. Harrington, Pastor.

Once the site was cleared, several new homes were built on that corner. Facing Main Street was the home owned by Anna Slaght in the 1920s, later by Willard and Evelyn Georgia. Around the corner, facing Orchard Street are the homes formerly of Ernest and Grace Hiltbrand, and Edna Johnson (second from the corner). The Larsen’s home would appear to be the rebuilt Longstreet home. Also new on the block was the larger home next to the church parking lot.

Click here to read the Interlaken Review article, and the role the hand pumper played in saving the homes.

One of the new homes built after the fire. Main Street, at one time Anna Slaght lived here,
later Willard and Evelyn Georgia lived in the house.
Photo loaned to the author in 2005 by Howard Slaght, grandson of Anna.

Dewitt’s Diary, Saturday, April 18, 1936

Duane, Pete and I went to Montour Falls and tried the fishing, but no luck.

Snow on the ground and a cold wet day.

Pete and Marion were home from Buffalo over the weekend.