Fires in old Delphos and more news

By Robert Holdgreve, The Delphos Herald
Published:  Monday, January 21, 2008 (11 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Four Fires in One Week
The fire boys are beginning to think that it is not exactly a good thing to be a member of the Fire Department, especially this week as they have been called out to fight four fires since Monday afternoon. The first one on the list was the acid fire at the railroad shops Monday afternoon, then followed the burning of the H.A. Reeve barn on Clay street, Tuesday night. Thursday morning four box cars were burned at the Clover Leaf Shop yard and the boys were saved from work because they could not reach the fire with the hose.
The fourth alarm came this morning at about 11 o’clock. The Cloverleaf switch engine again sounded the alarm. The fire was located in a roof of the Peter Goehring, Jr. property at the corner of Twelfth and Washington streets. It is thought that it was from a spark from a passing locomotive. The blaze was confined to the roof.
The firemen had the flames extinguished half an hour later, by getting into the attic with two streams of hose and only the roof is damaged. The residence was occupied by Mrs. Tilton and children and Joseph Tilton and family.
Mrs. Tilton has been keeping boarders, having about 35  railroad men.
Delphos Herald, July 12, 1901
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Four Cars Destroyed
at the Cloverleaf Shops
At 4 o’clock this morning, shortly after freight train No. 45 on the Clover Leaf had pulled into the yards from the north, the light yard engine was switching the train and a drop of seven cars and the caboose was being made. The engine was to be run onto the sidetrack at the lower end of the yards, near the Ft. Jennings road, and the cars to be sent down the main line. Due to a misunderstanding the engine was given the main track and the cars sent down the side track. The cars that were run into the sidetrack could not be stopped in time to prevent them from crashing into the caboose of train 45, causing a lamp to break and the burning oil set fire to the car. The trainmen were at the other end of the yard, making up the train. Thomas Plescher, the fireman on the switch engine, entered the caboose and tried to extinguish the fire, but it had too good a start. The caboose was an old freight car made over. The flames spread with almost lightning like rapidity and the clothing of Conductor Rigdon and Brakemen Prescott and Deatrick was burned up, together with other articles of value.
Several tramps were in the yards and Conductor Bell, of train 45, enlisted their services together with the night men at the shops who had hurried to the scene, and the cars that were in danger were pushed out of the way by man strength. The switch engine removed the cars that were next to burning ones on the north side. A car loaded with pulp wood was the first in the cut that was sent onto track No. 1, and it was soon afire. Two cars loaded with cotton were directly opposite on track No. 2, and in a few minutes they too were afire.
When it was seen that a dangerous fire was progressing, the switch engine whistle shrieked an alarm and inquiry was made to someone at the tower by telephone from the City Building, elicited the information that he thought the coal dock was on fire. A few minutes later another series of blasts were given by whistles and a call came from the shops for the hose wagon. The department did not turn out at the first alarm because the fire was outside the corporation and could not be reached from the last fire hydrant north of the Paper Mill.
However, when the request came for the hose wagon, an alarm of fire was sounded with the bell and the hose wagon went to the last hydrant. It was useless, as there was not sufficient hose to reach the fire and they returned. The bales of cotton were still burning at 7:30 and the small fire steamer was taken to the creek near Roth’s slaughter house, and the hose was laid along the Jennings road to reach the fire and extinguish it. Water was thrown on the cotton bales for five hours.
The fire is a very expensive one as the cars are valued at about $400 each. With twenty tons of baled cotton, the total loss will be not less than $3,000. The particulars were telegraphed to the officials at Frankfort as soon as the fire started and they wired back to call the Fire Department. The cars could have been saved if they could have been moved by the switch engine up to near the tower, but it was too hot to accomplish.
Delphos Herald, July 11, 1901
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Lang Milling Co.’s
Feed Barn Destroyed
At 1:20 o’clock this afternoon, fire started in the feed barn of G.F. Lang Milling Company, back of the Burnett Hotel on the canal bank, discovered by Otto Lang. The fire seemed to start in one of the stalls. There were four horses in the barn and the big grain wagon recently built. All were gotten out.
The fire spread with lightning like rapidity, in fact so fast that although the hose wagon was there in a few moments, the entire roof of the big barn was ablaze before any hose was laid. The firemen, assisted by citizens, soon had six streams of water going. One of the streamers was placed at Second Street bridge, but it was not needed and was not fired up.
Desperate efforts were made to save the Burnett Hotel property. The men rushed up near enough to get two of the streams onto the smoking hotel building, but were driven back by the intense heat. By the time the fire of the barn could be sufficiently whipped down, the west side and roof of the Hotel property was ablaze.
It was soon put out, the most damage being done to the hotel by water. The shed over the corn dump at the mill caught fire several times and a piece of burning shingle set fire to the roof of the Alex Shenk property on First street back of the office of Dr. C.C. Bliss.
The fire started about 1:20 p.m. and just 40 minutes later, a fire that looked like it would develop into a conflagration, was under control and at 2:30 p.m. the fire apparatus was back at the station.
Delphos Herald, Aug. 29,1901
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Tall Fire at Hinde & Dauch
The Delphos Fire Department had a unique “experience” Wednesday by beating a sprinkler fire extinguishing system at its own game. The Department was called to the Hinde & Dauch Paper Mill to quash a fire which had started in the tall building near the north side of the mill.
The building houses a heating plant that is used to heat the water in a warming part of the automatic system with which the plant is equipped as a protection against fire.
The fire had started on the roof around the stack from the heating plant. Little trouble was had in extinguishing the blaze in the building and on the roof, but the flames had traveled to the wood box, enclosing the pipes that carry the water to the tank, extending to a  height of 150 feet. The department had some difficulty in their task. They succeeded, however, before the blaze set off the sprinkler located directly under the tank at the top of the box.
The damage amounted to about $150.
Delphos Herald, Dec. 22, 1921
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Engine Plows Into Wagon,
Scatters Logs Along Track
The entire rear part of a log wagon was demolished and log butts were scattered along the right of way when Pennsylvania train 93 plowed into the wagon at the State Street crossing at 5:40 p.m. Friday night. No one was hurt, although several people had narrow escapes.
A local train had been doing some switching and the gates had been lowered. After the crossing was cleared the gates were raised in order to allow vehicles to cross. J.E.  Young started across with a load of logs and was followed by Fred Wahnstroth with another load. As the second wagon drove upon the tracks, Wahnstroth was warned by Young and others of the approach of the fast train from the east, but was unable to clear the track with the wagon. Fortunately, he was walking at the time and was able to leap from the track in time to save his life.
The logs and other wreckage were thrown a great distance with considerable force. A part of the wreckage passed through the windshield of an auto driven by Charles Closson of Ottawa. The top of the auto also was damaged and several spokes broken from a wheel.
Some of the butts were driven into the front end of the engine which was so badly damaged that it could not proceed with the train. An engine was taken from a passing freight and used for the passenger train.
It is said that the train was traveling at better than eighty miles an hour and that the gate tender had no time to lower the gate after receiving the warning of its approach. A part of the wagon was carried as far as the Jennings Creek. The train ran to the overhead before it could be stopped.
Delphos Herald, Dec. 27, 1920
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Old Landmark Demolished
The razing of the old building on West Second street, on the Grothouse land, marks the passing of the last of that which was once the Commercial Hotel, at one time considered one of the finest hotels in northwestern Ohio, and within whose walls many distinguished men have been entertained.
In giving the history of the building, the Herald does not guarantee that every statement will be absolutely correct, but like all history, it will be subject to correction. Many old citizens have been asked to give their knowledge of the Commercial house since its existence, and among those who contributed toward that are J.H. Wahmhoff, Mrs. M.J. Chambers, S.D. Chambers, D.M. Bliss and Gus Grothouse.
Charles E. Ross erected the building in 1847, two years after the canal was completed, with the intention of making it a boarding place or hotel. In 1853, he opened the Commercial House and in October of 1858, after Mr. Ross’s daughter died, the family moved to Van Wert. Thos. Chambers, father of S.D. Chambers, assumed the management of the hostelry until December of 1859, when Mr. Ross returned from Van Wert. After remaining as landlord for many years, Mr. Ross sold the place to W.D. Jones. About the year 1868, Mr. Jones turned the place over to Daniel Helt and went to Muncie, Ind. Mr. Helt died and Mr. Jones came back and took over again. Mr. Jones was still manager when the big fire occurred in 1872, but it soon quit being a hotel and was used by various parties as a saloon.
An addition on the west side, at the corner of Second and Canal streets was used as a parlor and kitchen for the hotel, and later by a Mr. Updegrove as a billiard hall, the first ever conducted in Delphos. This part of the building was moved away and is now a residence, the first south of the business house next to the opera house block on Canal street.
Jos. Will rented the property for a blacksmith shop, entering the business in competition against  Joseph Grothouse, with whom he had previously been in partnership. Mr. Will erected the building on the corner of Second and Canal streets that is now occupied by the Grothouse blacksmith shop. Later Mr. Grothouse bought out his interests and combined the two shops, in the present location. The part that stood next to the canal and was torn down about eight years ago, was formerly occupied by the wood working department of the shop, conducted by Frank Shaffer, for three years, after which Mr. Grothouse bought him out and continued in business alone up to this time. At the time the east part was torn down, an addition was built on the north side, for a paint and wood working department, which will now be moved to the south side of the lot. Mr. Grothouse has been in business on that corner for about 40 years.
The erection of the Pennsylvania House, now the Burnett Hotel, in 1855 by Henry Brown, rather detracted from the Commercial House, aided by other smaller and less pretentious hotels and boarding houses. Jos. Hunt, John Teely and other old residents, when business was dull on a rainy day, congregated at the Commercial Hotel or spent the day in shooting at marks with rifles.
The first hotel in Delphos was the Traveler’s Rest, opened in 1845 by a man named Savage, at the corner of Second and Canal Streets. In 1845, Jas. Grover built the Ohio House, opposite Mrs. Conkling’s present boarding house. A Mr. Butler also built a boarding house opposite City Hall in 1845, boarding the men who worked on the railroad. This place was burned in the fire of 1872. The American House was built at the corner of Main and Fourth streets in 1846, and was in charge of a Mr. Peddicord for two years, Risley & Higgins then taking over. It was burned after the war. The Neil Hotel, at the corner of Main and Third, was established in 1847. It is at present used as a residence by G.C. Frankenberg and family. The Union, later called the Hacker House, was built in 1848 about where the dry goods store of A.J. Schmidt now stands. Then came the Burnett, the Phelan and the Rose House, now the Beckman. The facts given in this paragraph are taken from a history of Delphos written by Mrs. G. G. Frankenberg.
Delphos Herald, Oct. 28, 1901
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New Filling Station
Coming Here
Delphos is to have another new filling station, and one that will be a credit.
The new station is to be erected at the intersection of Lincoln and Harding Highway, by the Johnson Oil Co. This company recently bought a piece of land, 63×63 at the northwest corner of Main and Fifth from Fred Kundert and now has a force of men busy tearing down the old building formerly occupied by the Longden bakery.
It is stated that this building will be of brick construction with a pressed brick front and that it will be decidedly pleasing in appearance.
With the tearing away of the old building, another of the old landmarks of Delphos will disappear, this building having been erected more than 50 years ago.
Delphos Herald, Apr. 13, 1925
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Old Lath Is Found
While Razing Building
An interesting little incident in connecting with the razing of the old Kundert building, Main and Fifth streets, occurred in the finding of a lath bearing the name of Fred Kundert, and dated 1884.
The lath was taken from a building owned by Mr. Kundert, at the present location of the G.L. Boot Shop, in the year 1884 and was later placed in the Main and Fifth street building when it was being remodeled by Mr. Kundert.
Delphos Herald, Apr. 17, 1925
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Tommy German Awarded
Service Medal
Tommy German is proudly wearing a ‘medal of honor,’ which has been awarded him by the Delphos Fire Dept. as a reward for his prompt and efficient services at the fire at the Henry Holdgreve residence on West Fifth street.
At least Tommy thinks that the award was made by the department. It came in the mail and shows that someone fully appreciated Tom’s ability as a firefighter.
He was the first on hand when the alarm sounded and placed a ladder and was on the roof and in action when the department arrived.
When the fire started, Tommy didn’t wait to shed  his apron but “ran” immediately to the scene and “got busy.”
The medal is of “near bronze” and contains Tom’s name and the inscription “Reward for Service.”
Delphos  Herald, Apr. 17, 1925
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Cows in Cornfield
The average age of a farmer is 66 years and if he wasn’t obliged to run and yell so much to get his neighbors’ cows out of his cornfield, he’d probably bring it up to 81.
Delphos Herald, Sept. 9, 1880

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