REHOBOTH DOWNTOWN FIRE JULY 1919

REHOBOTH BEACH HISTORY

FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1919, MORNING FIRE

Rehoboth is hit by a $20,000 fire about 4 am Friday and three buildings in center

of town were destroyed but a rain helped firemen stop it as it headed toward the

Belhaven Hotel on the south side of Rehoboth Avenue.

It took John Boyds store, the Pennsylvania Railroad Excursion House that Josephine

Carmen managed, the Truitt's Merry-Go-Round, and damaged two of the Masten buildings which used as stores. All were wood frame structures and had some insurance.

The fire was discovered at 4 o'clock this morning and began in the merry-go-round

but no caused has been found. The fire was spreading rapidly but a heavy rain fell and

Rehoboth firemen had to fight the fire alone as Lewes was delayed by the poor road conditions.

.

The Belhaven Hotel began removing it's furnishings as a precaution while the firemen fought the blaze with chemicals and streams of water. Several rail road cars were

pulled from behind the Excursion House and saved, although the engine cut a water hose

by accident. The post office building , except for its porch roof was saved by a southwest wind as was the rail road station and property of Charles Horn at the upper end of the fire zone.

This is the first large fire of several in the past twenty years since the water works

has been installed.

Abstract: Saturday, July 19, 1919, Wilmington Morning News