Reviewing the news: A dull Election Day and the Indian River Inn burns

April 5, 1924: Election Day lacks thrills of olden days 

Next Monday is Election Day in the city and county of Cheboygan. The polls will be open from seven o’clock in the morning until five o’clock in the afternoon. The banks and all county offices will be closed.

In the city the voters will be called upon to express their choice of candidates for mayor. There are but two aspirants to the office. Republican nominee Dr. W. Earl Chapman, and Democrat nominee for a third term, Mayor A. T. McClintic.

For city treasurer there are but two candidates, Benjamin Humphrey, and Leonard McDonald. Both are seeking a first term.

In the several wards the voters will express their choice for an alderman, a supervisor and a constable.

In addition to the various city offices, the ballots have also been printed for an expression of the people of the county concerning a county agent.

The ballot is plainly worded so as to avoid misinterpretation.

Other ballots to receive attention of the voters will be the presidential preferential ballots. On the Republican slate appear the following names. Calvin Coolidge, Hiram Johnson and William G. Stimpson. On the Democratic ticket are the names of Woodbridge N. Ferris, and Henry Ford.

In addition to the above ballots the voters will be asked to express a choice of candidates for the national committeemen. On the Republican ticket are Paul A. Martin, James E. Davidson and Frank A. Rasch. The Democratic ballot contains the names of William Comstock, Etta C. Bittwood and Evelyn S. Merschon.

Little is known of most of the candidates for national committeeman as it is seldom that the names of these persons appear in print. The republican candidates looked upon as most favorable and most widely known in the state is Paul A. Martin, managing editor of a Battle Creek newspaper and former state commander of the American Legion. Mr. Martin is quite well known in Cheboygan and vicinity having been here on more than one occasion in connection with the work of assisting the disabled veterans and bolstering up the welfare and legion work in the county. It is believed because of his acquaintance here that Mr. Martin will have little difficulty in carrying this county by a large majority.

April 5, 1974: Indian River Inn, still standing, but a burned out shell 

The long established Indian River Inn, one of the best known hotels in the area, was destroyed Sunday by a fire which broke out in early hours of the morning.

The owners Mr. and Mrs. Irving Drost and 14 guests at the hotel had to flee in their night clothes.

Everyone got out safely, but seven were taken to hospitals in Petoskey suffering from burns, injuries, or other ailments. A.M. Schneider took six of them to Petoskey by ambulance. They were:

Little Traverse Hospital

Mr. Irving Drost, second degree burns on both feet.

Gilbert Davis, smoke inhalation and a possible heart problem brought on by excitement.

Mr. and Mrs. John C. Suereth of Fremont. He had burns on the feet, and she was suffering from smoke inhalation.

Lockwood-MacDonald Hospital 

Fire Chief Robert Jordan, suffering hyperventilation. He was able to return home with Mr. Schneider.

Richard Merchant, a former member of the Indian River fire department who came to volunteer his services and had an apparent heart attack.

Irving Drost was brought to Little Traverse Hospital by his son Eric. He had cuts on the knee and arm, sustained in breaking down a door to rescue a guest.

Mr. and Mrs. Drost were able to return shortly after being treated. A surgeon closed his cuts with some stitches. Mrs. Drost was supplied with a pair of crutches.

The fire call was received about 4:15 a.m. by the Indian River Fire Department. It was assisted by the Wolverine and Topinabee fire departments. The firemen confined the fire to the Inn.

The Inn still stands, but is a burned out shell. Fire and water damage was extensive throughout. Nothing was saved of it. Mr. and Mrs. Drost and guests losing even their clothes. The Inn had 24 sleeping rooms.

He estimated his loss at up to $250,000, and said he was only half covered by insurance.

Nevertheless he declared his intention of rebuilding and remaining in business at Indian River, with hopes of being able to reopen by July 1. He declared he would like to tear the Inn down and rebuild it bigger and better than ever.

Mr. and Mrs. Drost have operated the Inn only eight months. They came from Charlevoix, where they operated a motel. They bought the Inn last year from George Robinson, and carried out a big program of redecorating and remodeling.

“We had 20,000 worth of equipment in the kitchen,” he cited.

Mr. Drost said the Inn had been enjoying an excellent business and was going “full blast.”

It was a popular dining place, and was chosen for many parties and banquets. Reservations were booked for a number of future banquets.

The dining room and cocktail bar were full Saturday night, said Mr. Drost. He and his wife retired about 2 a.m.

They had only about two hours sleep before being awakened to a smell of smoke. Mr. Drost got up and opened the bedroom door. Heat and smoke rushed to meet him.

Mr. and Mrs. Drost went to work banging on doors to awaken guests, and guided them out. They had people join hands to stay together, and follow them.

Mr. Drost was injured when he had to break down a door to get in one room, which was rented to Arlo Hunt. When there was no response to calls, Mr. Drost had visions of Mr. Hunt being unconscious. But when he forced his way in, the room was empty. Hunt had gone away for the day.

By the time some of the guests could be aroused, escape by the stairway was cut off by flames. Mr. Drost had them climb out onto the roof from where firemen rescued them with ladders.

After bringing down one group, Mr. Drost missed his wife and went back into the burning hotel for her.

Mrs. Drost by that time was safely outdoors. She had guided out a group of guests, who joined hands, one of them clinging to Mrs. Drost’s shoulder as she groped her way through the hall to the stairs.

“I was in my pajamas,” she related later. “As soon as could I had to go and buy some clothes.”

Scantily clad guests shivered as they emerged into the cold and snow of the winter night. They were quickly taken to the warmth of the Fire Hall, located only about half a block away.

Burned out of their home, Mr. and Mrs. Drost were able to secure an apartment only a few roads away from the Inn from Robert Manthaei, located above his plumbing supply store.

Mr. Drost discussed the fire there Sunday with a reporter and said he thought the fire may have been caused by a person smoking cigarettes in one of two sleeping rooms.

He could not tell which, because flames were coming out of both rooms. The mattresses were burned.

He was enthusiastic about the good job of the firemen.

“No one could have done a better job,” he asserted.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Reviewing the news: A dull Election Day and the Indian River Inn burns