The Names of the Unfortunates.

Just after 3 o’clock this morning, 26^th, fire was discovered in a building in the rear of Lord & Kimball’s second-hand furniture store on Division street, near the corner of Monroe. An alarm was given at once, and the firemen were on hand reasonably quick, and commenced playing on the flames without delay, but again when the flames were under control and there seemed no danger of their spreading to the adjoining buildings, the

WATER

and the engines had to be, sent to one to the reservoir at Jefferson avenue, and another to the canal to play into the reservoir at Monroe and Justice streets, which had been emptied. Notwithstanding the efforts of the citizens and firemen, the building in which fire commenced, the little two-story brick building on the corner of Monroe and Division streets, the two-story structure on Monroe, the old Congregational church in years gone by, were

COMPLETELY DESTROYED,

and the roof was burned of the one-story brick structure, just west of the old church building, owned by Perkins, Bros. & Co. The fire was at one time supposed to be under complete control and it was believed the old church building would not burn. So confident were some of the tenants, they began to think of moving their goods back.

THE LOSSES.

Hon Lewis Porter of Washington. Owned the old church building and the one where the fire began. His loss is about $8,000. Lord & Kimball occupied the building where the fire originated as a second hand furniture store. Loss on stock about $1,500, or more, on which there is an insurance of $1,000 said to be worthless. The three stores in the old church were occupied by S.R. Brown as a drug store, Eason & Tucker as a second hand furniture store and C.C. Norton as a meat market. The second story was occupied by G. Bosch was a tailor shop. Mr. Bosch lost all of his property at the great in Holland City in 1871-and by J.C. Eason, A. Faun, Wm. Wood and W.H. Steveris, who resided there. The most of the personal property in the building was removed though in a badly damaged condition. Total insurance on it is $3,075. Loss probably not more than $2,000. Perkins Bros & Co., have $1,000 insurance on their building on Monroe and Official streets which will cover all the loss. It was occupied by P. Dykenis as a flour and feed store. Loss, $2,000; insurance, $500. E.K. Powers owned the brick block on the corner of Monroe and Division streets. His loss is fully insured. It was occupied by A. Zierlyn and jewelry store, and C. Krekel as a fancy goods store. Their stocks were nearly all saved, and their losses are covered by insurance. The second story of the building was occupied by a painter named McKay, who lost several hundred dollars of property, only saving one portrait, and a milliner whose goods were partly saved.

ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.

When first discovered the fire was seen in the iron-clad building back of Lord & Kimball’s, in a sub basement in which stoves were stored. The proprietor say no fire had ever been built in the building, there were no chimneys in it, and the fire must have been the work of an incendiary. Whether some prowling villain, some drunken vagrant or some over insured man was the scalawag who set the fire, or whether spontaneous combustion caused it, are questions that are much discussed.

MISCELLANEOUS

Some of the citizens say that the fire is no argument in favor of plenty of water, as last night a pailful was brought from Kalamazoo when telegraphed for, and water any handler would be no object. Some others suggest that water was plenty enough, but the firemen did not use it judiciously, and that they were not really anxious to put out the fire. Of course they will not resent the implied insult, for no one ever puts on a coat of this kind unless it fits. People will talk, and they have some chance now. Meanwhile the members of the Council are getting ready to make preparations to think of discussing the feasibility of proposing to the people of the city the propriety of agitating the project of talking about the proposition of eventually deciding whether Grand Rapids shall have water works or not.