Welker Hotels


Finding these newspaper articles, I now believe the hotel that my Great Great Grandfather built upon coming to Kane in 1865 - was the MOUNTAIN HOUSE - After the destruction of this one - he then built the KANE HOUSE and was proprietor of it until 1886.
Typed transcript follows newspapers pictures.

KANE WEEKLY BLADE - Thursday January 1879

KANE WEEKLY BLADE - February 27, 1879







KANE WEEKLY BLADE - pg 2
Thursday March 6, 1879
LOCAL BREVITIES
George Welker lost his gold watch and about 100 dollars in greenbacks at the recent fire.

 

KANE WEEKLY BLADE - week of February 27, 1879

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT KANE

On Saturday night last, about 8 o'clock a fire broke out in the upper story of the Mountain House, situated on the west side of Fraley Street, owned and occupied by George Welker, and in less time than it takes to write this, the whole of the upper portion of the building was in a sheet of flames, surely indeed , did the fire spread so rapidly, that not an article of any kind contained in the upper story was saved. Beds, bedding, clothing ,carpets, furniture, and all therein contained, came prey to the devouring element. A great many articles on the first floor were saved, but in a damaged and almost worthless condition. The flames were at once communicated to the newsroom and dwelling of James Hyde, which was also in a few minutes leveled to the ground by the fiery element. The major portion of his household effects were taken out of the house, but were, like those from the house where the fire originated, rendered almost entirely worthless, from the rough usage they received at the hands of the excited citizens. The next in order in the course which the fire was going, was the building occupied by C. V. Gillis as a drug store and dwelling, and standing as it does, only a few feet from the burning buildings of James Hyde, it is a miracle that it escaped a like fate. But for the united efforts of the citizens, and especially of two or three men (George Dean, James Kelly and Robert Kane), who mounted to the roof, and there fought the flames in the face of a fiery heat til the last, the building would have been destroyed. These men deserve especial praise for the noble part they performed in arresting the flames where they did. Nearly all the goods were removed from the drug store, and were also the household effects from the part occupied as a dwelling. The barn belonging to the Mountain House, and situated in the rear of the same, was then discovered to be on fire, and that too, in a short time was burned to the ground; and the course of the wind changing just at this time, the store of Bell Bros., dealers in general merchandise, was in great danger, the wind blowing the sparks and cinders in that direction. The efforts of the citizens were then turned to save that building, and with great effort on their part the building was saved and further spreading of the flames arrested. The glass front in the store of W. E. Blew, directly opposite the Mountain House, was broken by the heat, and this, with the blistering of the paint on that end of the building, is about all the damage he sustained.

The loss summed up is about as follows: George Welker, total loss $4,000, insurance $1,500; James Hyde, $2,000, no insurance; C. V. Gillis, damage to goods in removing was considerable, and his loss cannot be fully ascertained till an inventory is taken, a great many of his goods being stolen after they were removed from the building, covered by insurance. The loss of W. E. Blew is slight.

 

INCIDENTS AT AND AFTER THE FIRE

While the fire was in progress, petty pilfering seemed to be in order, and as fast as the kegs containing wine and liquor were thrown out, they were broken open and the contents were spirited away. Even barrels of liquor were broken open on the street , and the contents drank or carried away in pails.

R. E. Looker rendered efficient service by taking his team and hauling water from his well to the scene of the fire.

The glass front of the newsroom of James Hyde, was taken out, before the flames reached the building, and had been removed to the opposite side of the street, and just then a young man conceived the brilliant (?) idea of breaking the glass, and did break one of them by kicking it with his boot, but before he could break the second one, James Hyde, who happened to see the transaction, gave him a blow with a club that he will not soon forget. He threw up his arm when the blow was received and out from under his coat, there fell a miscellaneous lot of articles that he had stolen, which were promptly taken charge of by the proper parties.

The origin of the fire is a mystery, and will probably remain such. It is asserted by some to be the work of an incendiary, but this view of the case can hardly be sustained.

After the fire had been subdued the whiskey, beer, &c., suffered to a considerable extent, and judging from the manner it served some of the partakers thereof, they were not accustomed to drinking mixed liquors.

James Hyde, who lost his all, the savings of years of hard labor, merits the sympathy of all, and everybody expresses sympathy for him, it now remains for them to demonstrate by deeds as well as words just how much they are sorry. Sympathy expressed, unless accompanied by something more substantial , will go a very little ways towards relieving his present necessities . Let some of his friends circulate a subscription paper in his behalf. Who will make a move in this direction?