Manchester, New Hampshire, USA
1903 - FIRE AT MANCHESTER. The Massabesic Hotel Destroyed - Probably the Work of an Incendiary.

Manchester, N. H. May 14. - The Massabesic hotel in this city was destroyed by fire tonight. The hostelry, was one of the landmarks of Manchester, situated on the shores of Lake Massabesic where it had been a public house ever since the old stage coach days.

The fire was doubtless of incendiary origin, all the circumstances tending to make significant a postal card message received at the office of the Manchester Union, this evening, to the effect that there would be at brilliant illumination of the heavens to the east of the city about 8:30 o’clock tonight. This was signed “Fire-bugs,” The fire was discovered at 8 o’clock and at the hour predicted the sky was red from the blazing structure.

The building was not occupied and contained but few hotel furnishings and as it was out of repair the loss was slight, amounting to about $2000. On the premises was stored a hobby horse outfit valued at $2500 which was utterly ruined. There was no insurance on either the building or its contents.

Daily Kennebec Journal
Augusta, Maine
May 15, 1903

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