Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-10-21
l1WlSByRR EIHDN1Rhs
Disastrous Fire.
OCTOBER 81, 1858.

The most serious fire ever witnessed ir
our town broke out on Saturday evening
last, abou. ii o'clock, in the steam saw
mill, and boat yard Of Messrs Frick, S!i-
fer & Co, totally destroying the mill, the
new county bridge over BuiIalo creek,
three boats on the stocks, jus; finished and
ready to launch, for the Delaware L Hud-
son Canal Company, and i large quantity
Of valuable boat stuff and sawed lumber.
Two boats lying under the bridge in the
creek, were greatly damaged, but eleven
others were fortunately saved uninjurej,
together with a considerable amount of
lumber, boat ribs, &c. Trick, Slifer & Co.
estimate ihcir loss at $50, ,000-insurance
only 81 500, The bridge cost $1,000 and
is total loss, except portion of the mate
rials in the abutments and pier, The FIRE
spread with unexam pied rapidi!y, raging
20 furicusly as to cut of all possibility Of
reaching either mill or bridge.
The air was provideniialiy very calm,
and numerous ware houses aud dwellings,
further down Stream doubtless owe their
safety to this circumstance alone As it
was, sparks and burning cinders fell from
q great height, all over the southern part
Of the town, causing much apprehension,
but luckily doing no damage except burn
ing hole in the roof Of Mr.. Dcn,ler's
stable, iu the rear of the Lutheran church
Quantities of cinders were found next
morning as far south as the barnyard of
Mr.. Thomas Penny, three miles from town,
causing much wonder until their origin
was beard Of As severe proPortionate
loss as any, was the destruction Of about
thirty chests of tools, belonging TO as many
derent workmen, very few, if any, of
whom are able to replace them, and not
only need but deserve friendly assistance
in this emergency.
As no bells wege rung, portion Of our
people remained in blissful ignorance Of
the disaster until mex: morning, but the
remainder labored encrgetically at the fire,
the Ladies as usual doing more than their
share, while male Lipeds calmly stood with
their hands in their pockets, enjoying he
sublimity." Great credit is due to the
Milton frcmen who were on hand in a very
short time with their engines and hose car
riage-forty minutes, We believe, was the
running time Of the bose-and performed
timely and most effective service. Supper
was provided for them BY ord.r Of the
Town Council at Blair's, WeidenssuTs and
the Misses Black; and Mr., William Frick
set full table at bis own residence.
vv.--.-I-A---A>-.--- -.------.-~--- -'~.'' "cfffc, on
their return, Mr. HENRY FRIcK, Editor Of
the 4Btitoniun, and another fireman named
James Murphy we're accidentally run over
BY an engine, and seriously injured, but
at last accounts were slowly recovering.
The fire is believed to have been the
work Of an incendiary. A young man
named Benin F. Stone, who had that day
been discharged from the yard, and is said
to have made threats against the proprie-
tors, was arrested at Northumberland on
Sunday morning and after a protracted
investigation before John A. Mcr;z, Esq,
# this place, was committed to Jail at New
Berlin in default Of s., 900 bail. We un-
dcrstand he is to have hearing to-day be-
Ore Judge Marshall on a haJeos corpus.
A portion Of the machinery of The mill
an be repaired for service, and T. s. &
Go. expect TO have a new mill up, auA
saws running again in about three weeks
The most important queries now are,
how many more narrow escapes must Lew
isburg have before suitable engines and
hose will be provided for her safety, and
ought no. some definite, reliable arrange,
ment be made to have alarm bells rung
hereafter!
I