Source: North Manchester Journal, May 11, 1905

REX RESIDENCE IS BURNED
Suspected Incendiary Fire Does Much Damage.

About three o'clock Tuesday morning fire wrecked the handsome residence of Orlando Rex, on West Main street, damaging the building beyond repair and practically ruining all of the household goods.

It was a little before three o'clock that Mrs. Walter Smith, daughter of Willis Funk and wife, who live next door, heard a crackling sound. At first she thought it was someone trying to break into their house and she called to Mr. Funk. By that time the sound of the fire was plainly audible, and the light from it was lighting up the whole block. By the time Mr. Funk could get to his door it seemed that the whole west part of the Rex house was in flames. The fire had started in the basement under the west part of the house, and was rapidly running up the walls having eaten through the lower floor and the west wall of the room.

The fire alarm brought out the fire company as quickly as could be hoped for at that time of the night, but by the time a line of hose was laid to the building the west room was a raging furnace and the flames had broken through into the east rooms and had ascended to the second floor. From the start it was a hard fire to fight and it soon became evident that the building was doomed.

The front door was broken open and the furniture and carpets were removed from the parlor, but not until many pieces had been more or less damaged by the heat and water. Mr. and Mrs. Rex were not at home at the time of the fire, having gone in Wabash Monday morning, remaining there over night. Mr. Rex was called by telephone while the house was burning and told of his loss, but there was no way for him to get here until Tuesday at eleven o'clock.

The house as it stands today is a complete wreck, there being nothing more than the foundation walls that would be of value. The large chimney at the east side of the house still stands, but the roof of most of the building has fallen in and the windows and doors are damaged beyond repair.

How the fire started is a mystery. There had been no one at home since about ten o'clock Monday, and there had been no fire in the furnace for some time. There was a small fire in the grate Sunday, but this is on the extreme east side of the house while the fire evidently started on the west side. From the best evidence at hand it seems that the fire must have started under the floor of the west bed room. The floor in that room is burned out completely, while the other floors are not burned much. The basement under this part of the house was not finished, and was not used. There is a small window on the west side, which has always been kept shut, and a wire screen has been at this window, but after the fire neither the window frame nor the screen could be found. This fact gives reasons for the belief that the fire was of incendiary origin. Some of those who first reached the house say they noticed a smell of coal oil and the theory is that the fire was kindled near the west basement window. The noise that awakened Mrs. Smith was the cracking of the glass in the windows. This glass was of heavy plate and made a loud noise in breaking.

The building was insured for three thousand dollars. Of this amount $1,800 was in the Shively agency and $1,200 with the Adams agency. The household goods were insured for $2,000, the A.P. Smith agency having $1,200 and the Clevenger & King agency $800.

The house, while not large, was known as one of the best finished residences in town, it being complete in its appointments in every way. The furnishings were rich, Mrs. Rex, who is an artist of much ability, having many pieces of her own handiwork in the house which represented much labor. Besides the furniture and bric-a-brac, Mr. and Mrs. Rex lost all of their clothing except what they had with them.

Besides the damage done by fire, Mrs. Rex was the loser of fifty dollars in money. She had that amount in bills in a drawer in one of the desks or bank cases that was taken from the house and Tuesday when she came to look for it the drawer had been opened and the money was gone.

A man named Stevens had his wrist badly cut by a piece of falling glass while breaking one of the windows to let water into the house. The wound bled profusely, and was dressed by Dr. Balsbaugh. Stevens works at the J.A. Browne & Co. factory.

Relative to the value of the property a real estate man tells the Journal that Mr. Rex has twice within the past few months refused an offer of five thousand dollars for the property.

Source: North Manchester Journal, July 27, 1905

Workmen have been busy for some time rebuilding the residence of O. Rex which was nearly destroyed by fire some weeks ago.