Thomas Mott's House Burned

New York, 1895

Nearly Everything in the House Lost — $30,000 Damage.

The handsome country residence of Thomas Mott, president of the agricultural society, was destroyed by fire Sunday morning, together with nearly all the contents. Mr. Mott lives in a secluded neighborhood near the west shore of Hempstead harbor, about one and one-half miles from Port Washington. The house was comparatively new. It was occupied by Mr. Mott's family during the winter, and Sunday there was also present Frederick Hicks, of Old Westbury. All the hired men, excepting one, had gone away for the day.

About 10 o'clock Mr. Mott and Mr. Hicks stood in the door-yard talking. Mr. Mott chanced to glance upward and was horrified to see flame and smoke issuing from the roof of his home. He rushed into the house and alarmed the ladies, who were seated in the dining room. A hasty examination convinced Mr. Mott that nothing could be done with the means at hand to subdue the flames, so the members of the family turned their attention toward saving as much of the contents as possible. Nearly all the furniture and bric-a-brac on the lower floor, together with a small safe containing valuable papers, was successfully removed before the fire reached that part of the building.

When first seen, the fire had gained considerable headway, and had spread so rapidly that it was impossible to ascend to the second story. The family therefore saved only such articles of clothing as they wore when the alarm was given.

Mr. Mott's loss is heavy. The house alone cost $20,000, and the upper floors were filled with antique furniture and bric-a-brac which cannot be duplicated, much of it being heirlooms of the Mott family. The building was insured, while the contents are a total loss, Mr. Mott will rebuild.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 5, 1895, p. 8.

Wouldn't Sell the House

1901

The house in which Joan of Arc was born is still faithfully preserved in pious veneration at Domremy, where it is looked upon almost in the light of a shrine. Passersby invariably cross themselves and utter a prayer for protection as they go by.

The story goes that a rich and eccentric Englishman tried hard to buy the place in 1837. It was at that time the property of a farmer named Girardin. The Englishmen offered to let him name his own price, but the old man held firm. "No, no, no," he cried. "I would not sell it even to a Frenchman, much less to a foreigner and especially an Englishman. People here would call me a traitor and a coward were I to part with the house from which Joan of Arc set out to serve France."

The Englishman convinced himself that further bargaining was useless and went his way.

Soon after an officer from the king's household arrived in the village and asked to speak with Girardin. Before the whole village, assembled in the street, he said: "Girardin, the king has learned that you have refused to sell your house to an Englishman. He desires to reward you, but not in coin. He knows that you no more want the money of the French than of the English, therefore has he commanded me to present you with the cross of the Legion of Honor."

Moving A House By Water

1896

A remarkable feat of engineering has just been successfully accomplished by a Pacific coast firm. An attorney named Ernest Sevier is the owner of a two-story house at Arcata, twelve miles from Eureka. Owing to a decline in the value of property at Arcata Sevier determined to have the house moved to Eureka, where he intended having it set up on some land that he owned.

A firm of contractors undertook to remove the house intact and set it up, uninjured, for the sum of $1,200. In case it was unfit for occupancy upon its arrival they were to receive the dwelling as their compensation.

The trip was made principally by water. To remove the house to the edge of the bay was the first difficulty to be overcome, as it necessitated taking the building over a large dyke and a marsh. This was accomplished satisfactorily and the house was transferred to two railroad lighters that had been lashed together in readiness for the trip.

The journey by water was completed with the aid of a tug without accident, and an immense crowd assembled at Eureka to welcome the strange craft.

Amid the cheers of the spectators and the tooting of steam whistles the lighters were made fast and the house transferred to land once more. It was a comparatively easy matter to convey it to its new site and the strange engineering feat was accomplished without any more damage being done to the house than a slight cracking of the plaster.

House of Mystery Built, Kept Up, Remains Unused

1911

HOUSE OF MYSTERY

Illinois Dwelling Which Has Had No Occupants

Building Was Erected Fifteen Years Ago, But, With Its Elaborate Furnishings, Remains Unused to This Day

Chrisman, Ill. — The years glide by, the population changes, but the "mystery house" of Chrisman remains unsolved. For fifteen years the residents of this city have sought to penetrate the atmosphere of uncertainty that always surrounds the premises, but all in vain. The curtains are always down, no one appears to take any interest in the future occupation and the identity of the builder or owner remains a secret to this day. There may be material here for a Sherlock Holmes or perhaps a Dickens, and some day, when the story becomes public, there may be abundant food for the gossips. For the present, those who knew, keep their counsel and whether they will ever satisfy the inquisitive public or not, is a matter for speculation.

It was fifteen years ago that the "mystery house" sprang into being at Chrisman. One spring morning, excavators and bricklayers appeared upon the scene and prepared a cellar and foundation walls for a house. Carpenters followed and later came decorators and furnishers. Every workman was pledged to secrecy and would give the curious villagers no hint of the owner. Crowds would stand around as the mechanics wielded their hammers and saws and fashioned the structure into shape, hoping that some clue could be secured concerning the builder. Eagerly they awaited the completion of the structure, being confident that some one would take up their residence there and thus put an end to the speculation. It was the general belief that the builder planned the home for a bride and that a wedding would follow the completion of the structure.

With the departure of the carpenters and decorators, came the furnishers. Expense was not spared to fit up the home in palatial style. The rugs were Oriental; the curtains imported; the china of the highest grade and everything was sumptuous and artistic. Neither money nor time was spared to secure handsome and comfortable results. From parlor to kitchen, from garret to cellar, the house was completed in every detail. The whole was enough to make a woman gasp with delight and admiration. There was nothing lacking but occupants. Strange to relate, they never came.

With the completion of the beautifully furnished home, the shades were dropped, the keys were turned in the lock and the house commenced its long career of idleness. As the years went by, the lawn was trimmed, the shade trees given attention, the exterior and interior painted as made necessary, and everything kept in shape as if the occupants might arrive any day.

With the flight of the years, the people of Chrisman fixed the ownership upon one or the other of two well-to-do young bachelors, but they would never confirm an interrogation. It was the general opinion that they had charge of the building and occasional attention and that some day, one or the other would marry and bring a bride to the vacant home, but the wedding bells were still and the bride came not.

Four years ago some miscreant made an attempt to destroy the house by fire and heavy loss was inflicted. The mechanics came promptly and rebuilt the damaged section and replaced everything. Within a few weeks, all marks of the fire was erased.

To add to the mystery, a number of attempts have been made to purchase the house and some have sought to rent it, but all without avail. Set amidst the dark green foliage of the surrounding trees, the wide windows seem to stare back enigmatically at the people as they pass by and gaze curiously at the curtained windows hading this inanimate thing of mystery which baffles solution.