Hotel Fayetteville Fire, 1885
| A WOEFUL COMBINATION THE FAIR AND THE FIRE IN FAYETTEVILLE Special dispatch to the News and Observer Fayetteville, N.C., November 5 At 11 o'clock today a special train with Gov. Scales, treasurer Bales, attorney general Davidson and Maj. Finger, superintendent of public instruction, arrived from Greensboro, N.C. The party went in procession to the fair grounds on arrival here. Congressman Wharton J. Green introduced Gov. Scales, who made an excellent speech, also attorney general Davidson. Robert S. Huske, Esq., introduced Messrs. Bain and Finger, who made brief speeches. As the latter was concluding, an alarm of fire was given, caused by the burning of the Fayetteville hotel. The fire broke out at 1 o'clock, caused it is thought, by a defective flue in the kitchen. The building burned slowly. It is of brick, three stories high, 150 feet of Hay street and 155 on Donald street. The value of the building is $40,000. The owners are Messrs. Thorton, Ray, Hinsdale, the John Gilchrist estate, Hollingsworth & Robinson. The furniture is owned by W. G. Matthews and Charles Glover, proprietors. The house has been refurnished in the last three months at a cast of $2,500. Insurance on the building, $11,000; nothing on the furniture. The scene is one of great confusion. The fire department is miserable, the water supply poor. The indications are that the buildings west on the block, owned by E. J. Lilly and A. B. Williams, will be burned. They are among the finest in the place. Much property has been saved. The Governor and other State officers were all at the hotel. No person was injured. The military are guarding the property. The Raleigh fire department was called on at 1.15 for aid. F.A.O.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, March 1885 / Fayetteville Map, Circa 1890 LATER Fayetteville, Nov. 5 - 9:15 p.m., The fire in Fayetteville hotel did not extend beyond that building. In the hotel building were three stories: F. W. Thornton, clothing; nearly all the goods saved; loss $250; no insurance. J. M. Lee, groceries; many goods saved; loss $500; no insurance. C. W. Marsh, confectioneries; loss $250. There was also an office occupied by the Singer sewing machine company and Gen. A. G. Brady. These suffered slight losses. In the west wing of the building was Fayetteville hall and above this the lodge rooms of Cumberland lodge knights of pythias, the masons and the independent order of red men. These overall lost considerable property and valuable carpets. They had about $1,000 insurance. There were 280 guests in the hotel. None suffered any losses of importance save Capt. John B. Broadfoot and H. M. Robinson who lost furniture. The people in the hotel were kindly cared for by the citizens. The Governor and State officers, along with Mrs. S. M. Finger and Mrs. T. F. Davidson, were taken to the fair by Congressman Green. The train bearing the Rescue steamer and thirty-four firemen, in charge of chief T. W. Blake and foreman W. R. Dick, arrived at 5.20, having left Raleigh at 2.40. The engine went to work at once. The firemen were cheered and treated with the greatest cordiality by the residents. Water was taken from the historic Cross Creek. The firemen saw the smoke of the fire when ten miles away. T. Mortimer Fleming was the engineer and made quick time over the road, which was strange to him. The firemen expect to return home tonight. The exhibit at the fair is highly creditable, especially as to farm products. The attendance today was fairly large. Tomorrow it will also be large. The fair ball will be given at Williams' hall tomorrow evening. F.A.O. References:
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