Clarendon House

Clarendon House,
Life Span: 1859-1866
Location: 322 Randolph street
Architect:

D. B. Cooke & Co.’s City Directory for the Year 1859-60

Clarendon House

Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863-64
Clarendon House, 232 Randolph

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870
Clarendon House, H. M. Miller, agt. 152 Clark
Metzke Fritz, hats, caps and furs, 148 N. Clark

Chicago Tribune, April 9, 1859

STREET IMPROVEMENTS.—We noticed that South Wells street is being filled to grade, also on Market street that area walls are being put in.

On Randolph street two large brick blocks, the Clarendon House, near Wells, and the east, adjoining the Briggs House, are being raised to grade.

Chicago Post, January 9, 1866

Fire On Randolph Street.
A still more disastrous fire again called the engines out at half-past four. This commenced in a cellar occupied by one Michaelson, as the salesroom of the National Tobacco Works, No. 234 Randolph street. The building of which this salesroom was one of the cellars, was known as the Clarendon House, kept by Charles Wehlis. On the ground flat there was a large beer and billiard saloon. The building immediately adjoining was occupied by Henry Shovellkoff & Bros., as a general grocery and wine store.

How the fire originated cannot as vet be accurately ascertained. It is stated that Mr. Michaelson, who kept the tobacco store, gave an entertainment to a number of his friends and acquaintances on the previous evening, at which the fun and enjoyment were kept up until a late, or rather till an early hour. At about four o’clock his premises were discovered, by the policeman on duty, to be on fire, and so quickly did the flames spread, that almost ere he had time to give the alarm, they had mounted into the saloon above, and gathering strength as they advanced, swept on with irrepressible fury into the Clarendon House, and from thence into Shoelkopf’s wine and grocery store. Everything contained in it was of a highly combustible nature. Wines, spirits, kerosene, and other fluids of a similar kind were stored in large quantities, and as barrel after barrel exploded, the contents flew in every direction over the building, metamorphosed on the instant from liquids to livid streams of fire. All efforts to suppress or extinguish the flames proved utterly unavailing, so the efforts of the firemen were directed principally to saving the adjoining buildings. The people boarding in the Clarendon House, hastily throwing round them such garments as came to hand, rushed out and fund refuge, some in the private houses and saloons in the vicinity, and others at the neighboring hotels. No attempt was made to save any of the furniture belonging to the Clarendon House, nor of the stock in the grocery. Only one small barrel of molasses was carried out, and all the rest was relinquished to the devouring element. For several hours the engines continued to play upon the burning mass but, in as far as the two houses upon which it had seized were concerned, wholly without effect. It was not till every article had been consumed—till the last rafter had disappeared, and the roof had become a mass of smoldering ashes on the floor—that the flames ceased to rage. The torrents of water poured on them seemed only to increase their strength and fury, aud even when nothing was left for them to devour, they continued to shoot up in forked, arrowy tongues from the mass of blackened ruins, as if asserting that they were still insatiable and unsubdued. The adjoining houses were not seriously damaged and the engines continued to play upon the smoldering mass till about eleven o’clock, at which time there seemed no danger of any new outbreak taking place.

The loss sustained by Henry Shoelkopf & Bros. is about $80,000, which is only partly covered by insurance, as follows: On the building $6,000 in the Garden City Insurance Company; on the stock, $5,000 in the Hartford Insurance Co. In the Illinois Mutual $5,000; Equitable 85,000; Merchants $5,000; Knickerbocker, $2,000; Union, $5,000; in all $36,000.

Mr. Mehlis’ loss is estimated at $6,000 on his furniture, and $18,000 on the house, and is but partially covered by insurance, to what extent could not be accurately ascertained. The loss in the tobacco store is not known as Mr. Michelson, the proprietor, has not been seen since he left his party last night. The origin of the fire is at present, and will in all likelihood continue to be a mystery.

A number of the boarders in the Clarendon House had very narrow escapes. Some of them descended from their rooms by means of the bed cords, and others got out upon the roof and escaped to the adjoining buildings.

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