Local news: Mr. M. Shea has been appointed postmaster at Sheen through the representations of Mr. Murray. The position was previously held by Mr. M. Hayes, mayor of Sheen, etc.

The old parsonage building has been demolished to make room for the proposed new structure, which is to take its place this year, and for which stone and building material are now on the ground.

“It is mighty queer,” says an exchange, “how some people will rear up on their hind feet and paw the air when some item of news happens to be a little off on facts, yet these same people would not tell you the item if you asked for it before the paper was printed. There are some people from whom you could not draw a local with a corkscrew—they absolutely don’t know any news. But after the paper comes out they will say you are misinformed about some local happening and wonder why you can’t get things straight.

A destructive fire broke out in Mr. C. Turpain’s hotel, on the corner of Cobb and Clarendon streets on Wednesday morning, which resulted in the complete destruction of the hotel and Mr. Wm. H. Clarke’s residence and blacksmith shop on the opposite side of Clarendon Street. With great difficulty the fire was kept from extending further through Turpain’s sheds and stables, Mr. Stewart Hart’s residence and shop, and Mr. W. H. Clarke’s foundry were in imminent danger. Had the wind been high the whole central part of the village would have been consumed. Mr. Turpain is absent, but Mrs. Turpain is of opinion that the fire originated in the room of some of the guests. The loss on the hotel will be between $5,000 and $8,000, and Mr. Clarke’s loss between $1,500 and $2,000. It is stated there was no insurance on any of the buildings.

It is stated by those who were there that considerable thievery was resorted to during the fire at Bryson on Wednesday last—both of liquor and goods from the Turpain building, and that the illegitimate acquisition of the former made itself unmistakeably manifest during the afternoon. One enterprising individual is described as having his shirt so distended with a belt of flasks as to give it the appearance of a life preserver.