An 1862 street map of Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, showing the location of the store and hotel that were destroyed by fire on May 1, 1886. To this time, this was the worst fire that Gratz had ever experienced. Note: Chestnut Street on the map was later re-named Center Street.
The Millersburg Sentinel reported the following in May 1886 (as repeated by the Harrisburg Telegraph, May 7, 1886):
Gratz has met with a greater disaster than any in her history, the fire fiend having done sad work. Early on Saturday morning Mr. Staltzer and son were about going to their work at the mines they saw a bright light in Klinger’s Warehouse and then gave the alarm of fire. The people rushed to the spot and worked vigorously, but the combustible contents of the warehouse burned so rapidly and created such a heat that little could be done. It communicated to the roof of Klinger’s Store and soon it was wrapped in flames. The furniture of Mr. Klinger was mostly burned and a large quantity of his store goods, although some were saved. Blyler’s Hotel was next in line and this very fine property was soon succumbed to the flames.
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The Lykens Register reported the following in May 1886 (as repeated in the Harrisburg Telegraph, May 7, 1886):
The wife of Mr. H. Kauderman, of Gratz, expired suddenly on Saturday morning last. Mrs. Kauderman was aroused by the alarm of fire that swept away Blyler’s Hotel and Klinger & Brother’s Store. She dressed herself and went out of the house, when she was suddenly prostrated by the excitement and died about 11:30 a. m.
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And, the Harrisburg Daily Independent, May 7, 1886, focused on the dollar value of the fire:
The destruction of the Blyler Hotel at Gratz a few days ago involved a loss of $6,000. Other valuable property was also destroyed.
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According to information in the Gratz history published in 1997:
On April 4, 1883, the administrators of the estate of Edmond Umholtz transferred his undivided half share of the tavern and property to Daniel C. Blyler. A public auction held in December 1882 at the hotel, transferred the property to Daniel Blyler, the highest bidder. The sale bill for the hotel described the property as follows: “A two-story log weather boarded house, two-story hall attached, frame shed, frame ice house, butcher shop, hog stable, stock yard, and other out buildings. Also a well of never failing water in front of the house, and a large cistern at the kitchen door.” The other undivided half share held by the state of John Wiest was sold to Daniel C. Blyler on April 13, 1883.
While Daniel C. Blyler was the proprietor of the hotel, many events took place. Soon after he purchased the hotel stand, he had it completely remodeled at great expense. Then, on May 1, 1886, a disastrous fire took place. It was very early on a Saturday morning that two miners discovered the fire. The miners were walking past the hotel on their way to work when they saw a bright light in a warehouse. The warehouse was on the adjoining lot to the west. It quickly spread to the hotel building, and within a short time, the firefighters realized the building could not be saved. The main problem was that the fire equipment was a bucket brigade.
One of the firefighters was Henry Kauderman who had been a previous owner of the hotel. The excitement of the fire was too much for his wife Phebe [Hoffman] Kauderman. When Henry returned home, he found she had died of a heart attack. She was the only human fatality due to the fire.
The Gratz history goes on to say that within a short time, Daniel C. Blyer made plans to build a new hotel and entertainment center, which he was able to accomplish before the end of 1886, when the Union House opened to great excitement in the community. This building was one of the losses of the Great Gratz Fire of 1924.
As for the Klinger Brothers Warehouse and Store, the Gratz history of 1997 states the following about the property:
During the mid 1880s, tenant George Klinger was a resident merchant. His brother, Daniel S. Klinger, served as postmaster of Gratz, 1885-1888….
George S. Klinger was a tenant… in the store in 1886…. On May 1, 1886, a disastrous fire broke out in the warehouse next to the store resulting in much loss of property. About a week later the Klinger Brothers moved into the lower room of the Odd Fellows building…. They continued their business in that place for over a year….
On November 4, 1888, George S. Klinger and his brother Daniel S. Klinger bought the lot [the site of the store that had been destroyed by fire]… [and] as partners they built a new store… [which was conducting business as early as February 1889].
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
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