Posted by msubulldog (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 4:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Allington? Is that the home that burned in 2002 located on John Qutiman way off the road. If so that is a tragedy. I realize how expensive it is to rebuild but did he have insurance? HMMM

Posted by bulldozer (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 6:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

why don't the owners of Arlington sue the fire department for not doing their job right.

Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 6:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Commissar Seibert, please liason with your counterpart in Jefferson County and have them institute procedings against the Historic Natchez Foundation for demoliton by neglect on the Wagner Store in Church Hill. The roof is falling in and rainwater is demolishing the building.

The Foundation, accoridng to sources in Jefferson County, is holding 160,000 in donations and state grant money so their inaction on the store restoration constitutes both physical, moral, and official neglect, in my opinion.

P.S.- tell them the store is in the wrong spot, historically speaking. I don't know whose bright idea that was. We are missing a whole damn church as well. If you know where Greenwood Presbyterian Church is please let us know so we can come get it back.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 6:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

That is a good question Enkikikur. I wish they would go ahead and finish the Wagners store project. i went in there as a young man many times. I like the Wagner family and wish the property was being restored.

Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 6:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The city should sue the owner of Arlington for what he has allowed to happen to that historic home.

Posted by concordiaresident (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 7:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

bulldozer, that's so stupid. The Fire department done their job and done it well. It's a shame that the fool that owns that house has let it get in the shape it's in.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 7:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Lets not point fingers. The damage is done, now bulldoze them down and move on.

Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 7:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

redman - It sounds like thats what needs to be done, point fingers, put out some orders and get things done. I am glad to see the Preservation commitee taking this on. People always want to complain about the commitee, but these buildings should of been save before it got to this point. Arlington's fire couldn't of been prevented, but there is no reason for it to sit like it has for so long. Good job Preservation Committee.

Bulldozer - How did the fire dept not do their job. Are they supposed to predict when fires are going to start?

Posted by bulldozer (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

listen...... the most basic tool for a fire fight is WATER. Nothing Stupid about not knowing how to get it to were you need it the MOST. Done their job well is not a fact......

Posted by shewoman1960 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 7:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why now?? These two buildings could have both been saved if "the committee" was so concerned. Both of these buildings were beautiful buildings and still could be. Arlington - what a waste. Fire may have been a destructive factor however the owner has allowed the home to just fall in. Money and lots of it would be needed, but what a shame to shove it down.

Posted by SayItRight (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The owners of Arlington have let it rot. If they don't care, why should anyone else?

Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ok what about all the buildings in the back streets and allys that are just sitting there? I dare the commission to go down N. Wall, N. Canal, some of the streets off N. Union, then start talking about tearing down some old rotten buildings.

Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This was on national news, don't know why it didn't make it here:
Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi and His Two Bodyguards Indicted on Civil Rights Charges

Washington – A federal grand jury in Jackson, Miss., returned a three-count indictment against Frank E. Melton, the mayor of Jackson, Miss., and his two bodyguards, Jackson police officers Michael Recio and Marcus Wright. The three men were charged in connection with a conspiracy to tear down a private home in Jackson and thereby violate the civil rights of the owner and resident of that home, announced Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

The indictment alleges that on Aug. 26, 2006, the defendants invited several young men onto the city’s mobile command unit. The group allegedly drove to a home on Ridgeway Street, where Officer Wright ordered the occupants outside at gunpoint. Thereafter, Mayor Melton allegedly knocked out several windows of the home with a large stick and ordered the young men accompanying him to destroy the home using sledgehammers while Wright and Recio stood guard.

Notice that this was a Federal Grand Jury, not just the state.
PW beware.

Posted by BaltimoreReader (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's never good to lose an historic structure such as Arlington. My heart is sad.

Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

WHOA!

Posted by guy2co (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

bulldozer, the fire dept. did their job. They saved the majority of the house. If they had not, there would be nothing left. This fire dept. has a bunch of hard working men that do heroic stuff. I hope you never have to realize how good the fire dept. is. People usually do not appreciate firefighters until they are needed. You can try to point blame on the fire dept., but they did a good job! Especially with what equipment they had. The Natchez fire dept. has one of the largest districts in the state of Mississippi, it covers 440 square miles with four fire stations.

Posted by SayItRight (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Arlington was ignored way before the fire. The place was falling down around and on valuable antiques and items that other people would have treasured. It is and was a shame for a long, long time.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

There are a lot of buildings in Natchez that need to be plowed down. But these are the only historic ones on the list because they are more visible than others that need to be buldozed.

Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am glad that they are taking action about Arlington - it has been ignored for 6 years and is in dire need.

The 1st Baptist Church has been neglected for 20 years and when developers finally bought it last year and started work the planning commission seemed to do everything it could to delay the project. Then the financial/housing meltdown hurt the developers chances of getting funding. I still think they intend to build condos but it is not in much worse condition than it has been for years.

Why did they not list many other buildings? - some have had no repairs for years and the owners seem to have no intention to restore them. The 1st Baptist people have spent over $100,000 and have an architect working the plans for it.

The Dumas building Franklin St. is in a terrible state,
The old Ritz theater has no roof and huge trees growing in it
The old Stephens building is also neglected and the front facade is in need of repair.
A house on the bluff (Clifton Ave) owned by a local Judge is a disgrace
A city owned property on MLK is also falling down (although some work has been done recently.)

Why do they keep picking on the 1st Baptist people? - yes work has stopped but at least they have shown an intent to proceed.

Many many others have had no work, no investment and any efforts from neighbors to buy the property have been refused.

I hope this will force Tom Vaughan to restore Arlington or to sell it. The reality is though that nothing will happen - he will ignore the letter and it will continue to deteriorate.

Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Freedom - Mayor Melton antics and Phillip's actions while apparently similar are not.

Frank "the sledgehammer" Melton tore down a house that was inhabited and in livable condition. He destroyed private property of the renter and of the landowner.

PW tore down a city owned property that was dangerous and an eyesore. The city owned the building and even with the MDAH listing the building as a landmark, the city could declare the building as a menace and in need of demolition. PW did and tore it down (unlike Frank though he did not drive the bulldozer).

PW - should not have torn down the building - but it certainly did not violate any federal laws.

Frank has already been cleared in a state trial - I doubt the feds will get a different verdict - unless they move the trial away from Jackson.

Frank is crazy - PW is not!

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

natchez1 they are both kinda crazy, they must be to be in Mississippi and think they can change things where they live.

Frank took on the crackheads, Phillip took on the blue-hairs..but they both tried to change the town they live in.

Posted by Pixieview (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

First, the owner of Arlington had no insurance. Second, he put in a new alarm system without checking or replacing the decrepit wiring. The house full of beautiful antiques was used as a storage dump for the owner. I was in there a few days after the fire and saw the piles of accumulated junk all over the house, including ice chests and old bicycles piled on a bed in an upstairs bedroom. The fire department did their job. The landowner did not do his. He had had several offers for his house and refused to sell to people who wanted to fix it up. I understand it has been in his family for generations but if you cannot or will not take the time with such a treasure you need to let it go.

Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Pixie,

The alarm system was never installed - The police department had lent Tom a wireless alarm system after the house had been broken into numerous times. Many of the little items had been stolen prior to the fire.

Tom refused to return the loaner alarm - re-programed the system so it called him in Gulfport rather than the local police station. I don't know if it called him when the fire started - if so he never called the NPD to tell them to check on the house. He took over a week to return to Arlington.

Tom Vaughan destroyed Arlington and millions of dollars of furnishings and artwork. Arlington's neglect was a tragedy, if cruelty to a house and furniture was illegal he would be in jail.
Arlington's fire cost Tom over 6 million dollars - the money was never the issue though - he loves the house in his own way.

Posted by RobinBrownHayes (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 9:34 a.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Robin - I hope Arlington will be saved - it is not too late - many people would buy the house and have the money to restore it.

The furnishings are safe and the downstairs furnishings can all be restored. The upstairs was a total loss. The house was well documented though and all the furnishings could be replaced if wanted.

All it will take is money - lots and lots of money!

Posted by RobinBrownHayes (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Natchez1- I haven't lived in Natchez for 6 years but my family is still there so I come back to Natchez frequently. Every time I pass by Arlington it makes me sad to know that a "preventative" measure would have preserved this home that I always felt when passing by, had a mysterious quality to it. I can remember walking past it as a teen-ager thinking that there must be ghosts in that house. And through my teenage imagination, convinced myself of that. But after meeting Mrs Vaughn and Anne I knew that there was much love in that house.

Posted by humorme (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The guy who owns the bulldozer doesn't lose.

Posted by John (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The city should do something about A and ist Bapt. But if you watch the replays of the city council, time and again old and decrepit buildings are brought up. Letters are sent, lawyers consulted and NOTHING happens....WHY? NO answer is ever given, at least in public.

A major city to our east, had a state law passed allowing them to take over such properties. THey worked with a local Army Reserve Unit to bulldoze blocks and blocks of such buildings. It looks nice, but unfortunately no one has ever rebought or rebuilt on the properties. Very sad.

Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 2:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hallelujah!!!

Of course the buildings can still be saved and I hope that the owners will quit stalling. The owner of Arlington couldn't care less. I understand he is a doctor on the coast making plenty of money and takes his inheritance for granted. In regards to the old First Baptist Church, I can only think that those developers were just trying to salvage whatever they could drag out of that building to sell, and were not really interested in renovating that building. They pulled a fast one on our fair city. Now stick it to em and tear it down if they don't get off their butt.

I'm glad to see this..

EKK - that's right, demand fair action across the board.

Either fix em or tear em down.

Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All the city can do is force them to secure the buildings - board up windows and lock the doors. They can insist the roof is repaired but sadly little more if the taxes are being paid. They can also force them to mow the grass and keep the property tidy. They can not force a private landowner to restore the property or to sell it if it is secure and closed to the elements.

Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 2:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't know if anyone has walked up and looked inside of the house, but, there is nothing left to restore. It is nothing but a hull or a shell of what it used to be. The historic "Pick and choose foundation" would do better letting the place be torn down and sell the bricks for a profit. Natchez is full of more "historic homes" that are no more historic than a house in montebello subdivision. Not to mention more historic homes and old businesses have been torn down or demolished, defaced or let rot away while this foundation has turned a blind eye. It's all in who you know. If the pick and choose foundation was so worried about this house, why wait till now to start a fuss? As soon as the fire was out they should have been pulling some strings or working to help get the property one of the many grants they bla about to help save the property or slow its demise. I wonder what they would have said if the owner would have wanted to put a fire sprinkler system in the roof of the place or tear out the old walls and put fire retardent walls in before it was burned. Only in Natchez will a select few call the fire dept after the house is burned down. Or better yet, start another fire and fuss after the first fire has done enough damage. My gosh! they need to use their effort to find a house, landmark or something they can save. And do more than talk, put up or shut up. This property buned down, the grass has been unkept, not to mention one of this towns most historic barns or buggy house is right beside it and was rotting down before the house ever caught on fire. Never heard anything about that did we? What about the old buggy house in duncan park beside the first ball park that is used as a dilapidated lawn mower shed. Walk over there next time you're in the park and take a look at that historic building. I think what is at play here is a money grab by the pick and choose foundation. They want to bulldog this person to selling it for peanuts to the foundation. Maybe they want to restore it and open up a new downtown visitors center or sell jelly out of it, maybe have some historic office for themselves. Natchez is still in America last time I checked. If he wants to bulldoze it, put a peanut patch in it, or put a bungee cord off of the side of it so be it, it's his. Everybody should worry about their little red wagon in their backyard, and not worry about mine or anybody elses unless it is rolls into your yard.

Posted by RobinBrownHayes (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 2:33 p.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by wonderingirl (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 3:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

EnKiKur, I think I know where your church is. Years ago, I was having lunch with an elderly gentleman who owned one of the historic homes here in Natchez. He was very knowledgeable of this whole area, having lived his life here. Among the stories he was telling me was that the tall part of Westminster Presbyterian Church on Fatherland Road was an old church that had been moved there from Churchill. It had been bricked and added onto in it's new location. I have no personal knowledge of this. Only his word. You like to check facts, so maybe you can check this one.

Posted by huggybear1156 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 3:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RIGHT ON guy2co !!!
hey bulldozer... try dropping what you're doing, quickly put on 100 pounds of firefighting gear in 95 degree heat, drag a fully-charged fire hose up steps, through doors; and try to save something that doesn't even belong to you ! Not to mention dragging a smoke inhalation victim out. A BRAVE and unselfish act purely to benefit a fellow human being...
Now I'm a pretty stout 200 pounder; not a firefighter but I work with fire hoses almost every day on my job. Even in blue jeans and a t-shirt on flat concrete it's a WORKOUT. Try and show a little respect for your brave firefighters.

Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We have suspected for a while that someone from Natchez was in on the churchnapping wonderingirl. If what you say is true, we Church Hill residents may have to impose sanctions on Natchez until our church is returned.

Posted by wonderingirl (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 4:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

EnKiKur, search The Democrat article "Westminster Presbyterian Celebrates 50 Years April 12, 2008" and you will find your missing church alive and well!

Posted by Zhena (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 7:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I half to agree with NatchezEnema.

Posted by bulldozer (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

huggybear1156...... yea yea yea. It is great to think everybody thinks the way you do. I know their job seems to be hard, it's something they choose to do in life. But don't over look the true meaning that I started. The WATER supply was not delivered to the firefighters at the front line in the correct manner. What was the nozzle pressure? What was the gpm's being discharged? What size hoses was deployed? Was there more than one firefighter per attack lines? How far away was the water source? How many pumpers were being used? So if you can answer these questions, I will explore my point with you.

Posted by justthefactsman (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 8:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My comment is made for BULLDOZER. How dare you say the Fire Department didn't do there job correctly. I want to ask you how many fires you have ran into lately? I can tell you ZERO. The Natchez Fire Department was not at fault for anything that went down that day. The fire department SAVED that building. The bottom floor of that house had 150+year old books that were salvaged. It is not the Fire Departments fault that the owner of the building didn't have Insurance on the house. I think that is stupid. I personally know that in that house sat an article of furniture that was valued at over 1 million dollars. This fellow is not even the least bit worried about rebuilding or even fixing the roof to keep the rain out. And as far as an alarm system goes...there for sure wasn't one. I know. It really chaps my behind to see people bashing the Fire Department and the Police Department. Mr Bulldozer I bet you wouldn't have run into Arlington that day it was on fire and put your life and your friends life on the line to try and save a piece of history like Arlington. UNTIL YOU WALK WHERE THE DEVIL DANCES, you have no right to talk bad about your city's fire department. If your house catches on fire who you gonna call????

Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 9:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Having worked at Arlington and seen the house after the fire - the fire department did a great job. The upstairs was full of paper and for the house to survive almost intact downstairs was a miracle.

The fire had been burning for quite a while before it was spotted.

This was entirely the owners fault. He left lots of appliances plugged into extension cords he stacked tons of crap in the house, he disabled the alarm. He left the house unprotected and many people were breaking in and some were even living there.

Why blame the Natchez Fire department?

Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 9:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

So, you reckon the Ruins of Windsor needs to be plowed down? It did burn back on Feb. 17, 1890.

It would have been terrible for someone back then to have made the decision to tear down the 29 columns of the most stately Greek Revival mansion built in Mississippi, now, wouldn't it have been? Just like it would be a disgrace now to bulldoze Arlington now. There was nothing left of Windsor to restore, yet, the 45 foot columns still stand today and still make a statement about the historical significance about the grande home.

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on July 10, 2008 at 10:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How has the petticoat mafia allowed this home to be in this shape for this long? The things that make you go hmmmm.

Posted by kpage (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 12:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The owner of this house sounds like a real horse patootie. If what RobinBrownHayes and others say is true about him, I pray for his soul in the afterlife! All major religions of the world say the same thing...you get what you deserve, eventually.

Firefighters need yearly raises.

Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 12:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

UH-OH somebody gaurd the window pains and brick from these buildings!! that 'high society club' in town catches wind that some one trash is anothers man's treasure will be on ya like a ....... well i want go that far... lol ;)

Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 1:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It boggles the mind. One article and all the people say throw out the committee because people need to do their thing. Yet on another, those same people say the committee ought to take the places and do with them as they will. Makes you know, you cannot win for losing here.

Posted by realdeal1150 (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Seems Bulldozer knows more about fire fighting than men who train daily to be the best they can. Maybe he should think about trying out for the chief's job. Unless he has been involved on a personal level and was there onscene he has no right to condemn anyone on that department. A lot of things affect the outcome of a fire and some things that happen are beyond human control. Those men and women have devoted themselves to a job that is thankless, stressful and most of the time unrewarding. They risk their lies everyday in order that people can know if they need help they can call the fire department. As far as his question about , how many people were on a hose, what size was the hose, and the distance to the water source evidently he must know the answers. I would like to know his background in firefighting and what gives him the right to question the chief officers who were onscene that night. From what I saw and have been told the Natchez Fire Department did an excellent job on a structure that was old as dirt and built when there were no fire codes to help protect it from fire. As far as me I want to say to the Natchez Fire Department, Great Job guys! Oh and by the way I am a firefighter and don't live in Natchez.

Posted by RobinBrownHayes (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thanks for what you do realdeal.

Posted by barbarj1 (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 11:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

YEARS AGO MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE BURNED TO THE GROUND. THE PHONE RECORDS SHOWED THE FIRE TRUCK GOT TO THE FIRE 45 MINUTES AFTER THE FIRST CALL. THERE WERE THREE CALLS IN THAT 45 MINUTES. THE FIRE STATION WAS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY. THIS WAS THE ONLY CALL AT THE TIME SO THEY WERE NOT ON ANOTHER CALL. WHEN THEY FINALLY GOT THERE THEY SAID THE FIRST TRUCK DID NOT HAVE ANY WATER IN IT---THIS WAS IN THE COUNTY, NO FIRE HYDRANTS. OFF IT GOES TO GET WATER AND THE SECOND TRUCK ARRIVES. THEY SAID THEY COULDN`T GET THE PUMPS TO WORK. FINALLY THE THIRD TRUCK ARRIVED. BY THAT TIME THE HOUSE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. IN THE INSUING MONTHS THE INSURANCE COMPANY TRIED THEIR BEST NOT TO PAY. THEY CALLED NEIGHBORS IN TO TALK TO THEM TO SEE IF THEY COULD PROVE THE HOMEOWNERS BURNED THE HOUSE DOWN THEMSELVES. THEY CALLED ME IN AND ASKED STUPID QUESTIONS. ONE OF WHICH WAS DO THEY ARGUE WITH EACH OTHER. WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING. EVERY MARRIED COUPLE HAVE ARGUMENTS. I POINTED THIS OUT TO THE INSURANCE AGENT AND HE QUICKLY LET ME LEAVE. TO GET ON WITH THIS, THE NEIGHBORS HAD TO GET PHONE RECORDS AND PROVE THAT THEY HAD CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY SAID THEY HAD. IT TOOK ALMOST A YEAR FOR THEM TO GET THEIR MONEY AND IT WAS FINALLY PROVED THAT THE FIRE HAD STARTED IN FAULTY WIRES IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM. IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD GOTTEN THERE EVEN TEN MINUTES AFTER THE FIRST CALL THE HOUSE COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED. THEY DID NOTHING BUT STAND IN THE YARD AND WATCH IT BURN. ALL THE CALLS MAY NOT BE THIS WAY BUT I KNOW HOW THIS ONE HAPPENED AS I LIVED NEXT DOOR TO THEM AND I HAD TO WATCH THEM CRY AS THEIR HOUSE BURNED.

Posted by bulldozer (anonymous) on July 12, 2008 at 4:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

realdeal 1150 If you want to talk Fire, let's do. Don't ask a GRUNT question. Ask me about the subject matter...WATER...PUMPERS...FRICTION LAWS...Till then .

Posted by DHOLMES (anonymous) on July 12, 2008 at 7:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Tom Vaugh is a nut with typical Mississipian-Faulkerian issues. He lost his license to practice medicine and I don't think he can deal with reality. He belives everyone is out to get him and even if you offered him millions for Arlington, he would not understand why you are doing it.

The city does not have the money, much less the desire, to demolish Arlington. This notice is only a way to put pressure on Vaugh (ie scare him) into doing some basic housekeeping. The property will not be sold or renovated until Vaugh dies, but someone will eventually get it and return it to it's former status.

In the meantime, he is the owner and I don't think we want the government taking away property rights no matter how poorly he maintains the house.

Posted by realdeal1150 (anonymous) on July 15, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Whenever you are ready! Oh and what are your credentials? I have been a certified fire Instructor for 10 years, How about you? As far as a grunt question those questions are the ones you asked in your previous comment.
Till then.

Posted by been_there (anonymous) on July 16, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bulldozer DON'T BLAME THE NFD. The reason the fire could not be fought properly was due to the fact that Dr. Vaughn did not pay to have a fire hydrant put by his property. When the State St. extension was cut through years ago, people paid to have hydrants put by their property since this area was considered the outskirts of town. Monmouth has a fire hydrant in front of it, as do other homes in the area. The NFD had to place a pumper engine at the corner of State & St. Charles as this was the closest hydrant. As in older times this was considered the end of town and there was a dirt road leading to Arlington. The NFD had to piece together miles of fire hose. The pumper stayed there for days and the NFD & Vidalia FD had to be called back two days later as there was so much paper junk upstairs that it was still smoldering days later and would have started up again had someone not gone upstairs and saw wisps of smoke coming from under what was left of one of the beds from the 1800's. While the fire was going on it sounded like fire crackers were going off. It was live ammo. There were boxes and boxes of it upstairs that had not gone off. Its no wonder one of the firemen were not killed. Then there was no fire and/or burglar alarms either and no insurance. Arlington is one of the oldest homes in Natchez. The remaining shell of the building was pronounced sound right after the fire by an expert from LSU's engineering department and if the HNF had not made Dr. V. put a roof on it, it would be in worse shape. How anyone can say that Dr. V. loved Arlington in his own way is crazy. But to tear it down would be a tragedy. And like it or not, its part of our history. True slavery was very bad, but the plantation history of Natchez has given many a person a job in Natchez, both black and white. I also feel that many of the downtown owners of neglected buildings are the equivalent of slum landlords and should be fined for not taking care of their buildings over the years. This is why towns die. Until Natchez gets some sort of industry, all it has is tourism. And for eons people have flocked to Natchez from all over the world to see these homes. So lets not be too quick to destroy them.