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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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The Ironwood Times
Saturday, 4 March, 1898

         BIG BLAZE AT WATERSMEET
         
         A Once Prosperous Little Town Now In Ashes
         
         The town of Watersmeet on the North western road,
       situated about 35 miles from Iron River near the
       state line, came very near losing its place on the
       map Monday night. To-day only the railroad build-
       ings of the Northwestern and a few isolated busi-
       ness buildings is all that is left of the business
       portion of a once prosperous little town - the main
       business block is in ashes.
         The fire started about nine o'clock in a shed
       adjacent to Jno. Kelly's drug store. The shed was
       used by Mr. Kelly as a store house for oils and
       ammunition and it was but a twinkling until the
       shed was a mass of flames, exploding the ammuni-
       tion, and spreading the flames to the main build-
       ing. It was but a few moments until the flames
       spread to Gust Peterson's saloon and south to
       T. A. Kelly's saloon building. At this juncture
       the citizen's succeeded in connecting a hose with
       the Northwestern pumping station, and played the
       stream on T. A. Kelly's building and soon had it
       under control, when some unknown party disconnected
       the hose, and before the water could again be
       turned on the building was beyond control. By this
       time the fire had gained such headway that the
       people realized that the whole block, of six busi-
       ness buildings was doomed and every effort was now
       made to save the contents of the burning buildings.
       The most intense excitement prevailed during the
       fire, and several fatal accidents to human life
       was narrowly averted.
         It is believed by the most of the citizens of
       that town that the fire is of incendiary origin,
       and as the place is devoid of fire protection
       the flames had an easy mark.
         It was only last Christmas eve that Watersmeet
       suffered a severe loss by fire, a good part of
       this same business block being consumed by the
       flames.
         Following is a complete list of the losses by
       Monday's fire:
         Phil Lenore - Commercial hotel - entire loss
       $3,200, insurance carried $2,500. The building
       was occupied by E. M. Clark and the contents was
       saved.
         Phil Lenore - store building - entire loss $600,
       insurance $250. This building was occupied by F. C.
       Payne & Co. as a general store and express office,
       but as they had been moving that day into another
       building they suffered but a loss of $200 with no
       insurance.
         Mike Kelly - hotel building - entire loss $1,700,
       insurance $1,000. Contents saved.
         John Kelly - barber shop - occupied by Dave
       Driscoll, contents saved; saloon building, occu-
       pied by Gust Peterson, small loss on contents, no
       insurance; drug and general store, occupied by Mr.
       Kelly, contents saved. Mr. Kelly's loss on the
       three buildings is about $1,800 with no insurance.
         T. A. Kelly - saloon and residence above - entire
       loss over $2,000, insurance on the building $1,000.
       Contents in saloon and residence almost total loss
       with no insurance.
       
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