Lord Fire01

Waupaca County Post

December 20, 1888

Destroyed by Fire

At 5 o’clock last evening an alarm of fire was rung and it was found Wallace Lord’s elegant new house at the south end of Main Street was in flames. By the time the engine arrived on the scene the flames had made such headway that it was useless to try and save the building and it was allowed to burn.

Neighbors saw the smoke issuing from the house and gave the alarm and those first on the ground succeeded in getting most of the furniture out of the lower rooms, but the summer clothing and furniture in several bedrooms and closets on the second floor burned. The fire caught, it is supposed, from a defective chimney in the partition between the woodhouse and kitchen, as that was where it was first discovered.

Mr. Lord was in Milwaukee, at the time, but response to a telegram came home on the train leaving Milwaukee at 5 o’clock. The building and contents were insured for $5,000, $2,000 on contents and $3,000 on building. The only loss to Mr. Lord will be in the building, which cost about $4,500.

A root house on Mr. Lord’s farm also burned yesterday, and with it over a thousand bushels of potatoes. Thursday wasn’t exactly a lucky day for Wallace.