Dr. D. S. Perkins, PresidentParish of Calcasieu
Jno. McNeese, Supt. Secy. and Treas.Board of School Directors
F. M. Hamilton, Asst. Supt. Lake Charles, LA
4-30-10
Dear Emma-
Last Sunday I returned from Longville to witness all the excitement & sadness growing
out of the fire. Have been so busy and anxious myself that I have had very little time towrite any one at much length about it.
The loss may cover one million the way they estimate. The insurance will amount to
about three hundred thousand which if all spent to replace loss will help times & conditions much.The places destroyed no doubt will all be rebuilt as they were in the most quiet part of the city. It is thought that the Sisters will change the site of the Convent & that the Court House may be where the Convent was. This is all gossip, but never the less suggestive. Bunker square is also a good site either for the Court House or the Convent.
The police jury can now enlarge the Court House square by taking in more on each side
as the fire made a clean sweep.
The fire went in a South East direction spending its force when it reached the place of
Mrs. Reynolds there being nothing else in its path. Gorham has good insurance & can rebuild a house large enough for him now as his family is not so large. Bolton place is clean as a floor.
Poor Daigle was quite a loser. He talks of putting up a large boarding house. The
Catholic graveyard was almost destroyed from the heat around it & fire jumped rightover it & went on. So you may know the wind was blowing agale.
There was very little luting. Most every one got their odds and ends together. I find
some of my books everywhere. One lot was away down on the lake bank around toward Gills.
We are now in the CalcasieuBuilding, Room 14 on the 2nd floor. It faces west & I
fear will be very hot about 4pm., like office was up stairs in the old Court House. Mrs.Fields was entirely burned out tho I believe she has a good insurance. Her mother and sister is with her.
The Court will be hold in the Eddy old Dry Good store down toward the ferry wharf
but most all the Court house gang will be in the CalcasieuBankBuilding.
Ma is having quite a deal of praise because of her participation in the fire; tho a woman,
She is quite a fireman. If it had not been for her, we would have been in a bad fix indeed.No one realizes it as fully as I do. The Minutes were left out of the safe or vault. They cover a period before I became supt. To day looks like rain. We do pray for it. Hope I may see you soon. Affectionately Pa & Ma