Two Newport Homes Burn as Volunteers Fight Without Enough Hose

Last Friday about 4 p.m. the Seeley home in this city was entirely consumed by fire, together with all its contents. A storm, accompanied by flashes of lightning, was rising at the time, and the manner in which the fire spread all over the house in an incredibly short time would indicate that it was struck by lightning. Before the citizens could arrive with the hose carts the house was entirely enveloped by flames, the family having been forced to flee without saving any of their effects.

Realizing that it was an impossibility to save the Seeley home, the citizens and volunteers directed their efforts toward saving the J. L. Montzheimer home on the next lot south and removing its furniture to a place of safety. By that time the wind was blowing a fierce gale and a heavy rain falling, and the heat of the flames was so intense that the volunteers could not get close enough to do effective work. With but one line of hose and handicapped by lack of pressure from the mains, they were unable to keep the Montzheimer home from catching fire, with the result that it is almost a total loss. The heavy rain came just in time to prevent further spread of the fire, as the wind was carrying blazing cinders all over that part of the town.

The Hugh Kennedy home, next south of Montzheimer’s, did not catch fire, but the contents were greatly damaged by being carried out, and carpets, curtains, windows and doors torn off, so that the house looked as if it had been through a cyclone.

Mr. Seeley carried insurance to the amount of $2,000 on the house and $1,000 on contents. Having experienced a total loss on both, his financial reverse is a heavy one. Mr. Montzheimer had $800 on the house and $200 on furniture and is also a heavy loser.

Mr. Montzheimer has already begun the rebuilding of his home, and Mr. Seeley will in a short time start the erection of a fine new home.

The burning of two of the finest residences in Newport ought to bring our people to a realization of the lack of protection from fire. The volunteers worked hard, but without proper equipment and organization were unable to do much. The city has not enough hose, nor is there adequate pressure from the mains. A few more disastrous fires like that of last Friday seem necessary to rouse us to the needs of the town.