A Big Fire.

Early last Monday morning the people of Coldwater were aroused from their slumbers by the awful cry of fire and the report of fire arms. The two frame buildings east of the Sombart-Miller block caught fire between four and five o'clock in the morning and were about half consumed before the people could get to it. The hook and ladder wagon was hurried to the scene. Presently smoke was discovered issuing through the grating in the curbing over the windows in the cellar of Sombart's drug store and in an hours time the handsome Sombart-Miller brick block was in flames, and in another hour nothing remained ot if but the grim, smoky walls.
Two of the four large store rooms in the block were occupied, one by Sombart's Pharmacy, which was entirely consumed and the other by G. W. Snyder's large stock of general merchandise, which was all saved except a few hundred dollars worth in the cellar.
Part of the upstairs rooms were occupied; by V. J. Miller as an office; Sombart Bros., B. F. Smith, F. H. Hurlbut, J. T. Gentry and son Roy, Chas. Holt, and Mrs. Emma Trummel and children as living rooms.
The smallest of the frame buildings was occupied as a lunch counter and "joint." The large two story building at one time occupied by Sombart's drug store, and later as a hotel, was unoccupied.
The Sombart frame building and hotel furniture, valued at about $2,000, insured for $1,000.
The Chapman frame building was valued at about $200, and no insurance.
The total insurance on the Sombart-Miller brick block is about $14,000, and the original cost of the building, except the excavations, was about $25,800.
The Sombart drug stock, sleeping room and office fixtures and furniture was insured for about $4,200.
V. J. Miller's office furniture and library was insured for $500; most of the stuff was saved.
G. W. Snyder's merchandise stock was insured for $5,000; all the stock save about $1,500 worth was saved.
G. W. Vickers' residence, demolished by falling walls, was valued at about $500, not insured.
The origin of the fire is yet a mystery, but there is considerable evidence show that it was the work of an incendiary. It does not seem possible that fire could have started in Sombart's cellar, from the burning frame buildings, as there was no way for sparks to get into the cellar save through the grating in the storm curbing in front of the store and that seems hardly possible considering the direction and force of the wind, and the fact that men were there with water to watch any such accident.
A Man, R. G. Thompson by name, stopped at Gentry's barn with horses, etc.. last Sunday night, and was one of the first persons to discover the fire. This man testified before Justice Greenwalt, last Tuesday night, that he saw a man enter Sombart's drug store, saw a few flashes of light in the store, like a burning brand, saw the fire descend as if thrown into the cellar; saw the man come to the door of the store, produce a bunch of keys from his pocket, lock the door and run away from the building, and identified the man as Charlie Patterson.
Patterson was arrested upon the man's information and is now under bond to answer the charge.
The continuation of the preliminary examination of Chas. Patterson before Justice Greenwalt is under headway as we go to press.

Also see:
Coldwater Centennial Notebook, 1884 - 1984 by Evelyn Reed.
A $50,000 BLAZE! -- Coldwater's Principal Business Block in Ashes.
The Western Star, March 3, 1888.

Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!