Voris - 1899 - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The handsome residence of Mrs. Elizabeth A. Voris the corner of Water and Jefferson Streets was rendered a total loss by fire Tuesday morning between 5 and 6 o’clock. It was discovered about 5 o’clock by Harry Evans who was sleeping with a student friend, Carl Peters who occupied the front room upstairs. About the same instant Arthur Mull, who occupied the room adjoining was awakened by the crackling of flames which were then bursing out overhead and in the side wall. Without waiting to dress the three young men gathered up a few clothes and galloped down stairs in their night dresses awakening the family and then hustling out into the street where they dressed at a temperature a degree or two below zero. Harry Evans, coatless and with but one shoe on ran to the fire box corner Washington and College Streets, three blocks away and having turned in the alarm sat down on the icy pavement and completed a decadently negligee attire. Mull and Peters, having donned a few clothes gave the alarm in the neighborhood and went to the rescue of Mrs. Voris and her aged mother, Mrs. McCranor. The former got out all right and managed to save a few clothes and personal effects but the aged mother was confused and although her room was ablaze she was loath to leave her bed.  Seeing she was unable to help herself Mull gathered her up and carried her out and across to the residence of Mrs. Harper and none too soon of scarcely had they left when the ceiling fell in. By the time the department got there several of the neighbors were out but the fire had spread throughout the house and only a very few articles of furniture on the lower floor could be taken out. The firemen went to work with a will and several times thought they had it under control when it would break out elsewhere. From all appearance the fire caught near the furnace although from what cause it is impossible to determine. The flames crept up a hollow partition to the attic, a splendid draught being afforeded and thus it burned above and below at the same time. It must have spread rapidly too else the occupants would have discovered it ere it gained such headway. Only the shell of the house now stand presenting a sorry looking spectacle. The residence, a modern and well built house was erected by Mrs. Voris three years ago at a cost of nearly $4,000.  She had $3000 insurance in the Ohio Farmer which will cover the loss. Besides this she had $500 in the same company on the contents but that will not nearly make good the damage. The fire would have been an ugly one to right under any conditions and with the mercury standing at zero it was terrible on the firemen. The water froze as it fell and in short order their clothes were frozen stiff.  It was 7 o’clock before they left and Chief Vance maintained a watch after that. During the fire it was necessary for the hosemen to play occasionally upon the houses of Ben William and Tom Nicholson to keep them from following the disastrous suit.  Mrs. Voris is inclined to believe that the fire originated in the attic and the fact that it raged fiercer there than below supports the theory.  If that is correct it must have caught in the timbers from electric light wires. Arthur Mull and Claude Peters, the roomers lost most of their effects. At an early stage Peters rushed back to his room and packed most of his valuables in a trunk tray but in the excitement forgot to play the tray in its place and lugged the trunk down practically empty, leaving the hastily packed tray to go up the flume.