The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1872-06-05

per ofIiccs, the Herald and Democrat
with their presses and material, wer.
destroyed, and the Presbyterian
church and the dwellings, of Michae
J Keifer, andD. s. Weyand, and engin,
house and other buildings belonging
to parties the owners names ofwhicf
we could not learn at the time.
The many incidents of the fire
worthy of mention would fill Q
volume. There were many hair
breadth escapes and many daring
deeds. Men risked their lives to save
the property of others, and in severaI
, instances their work was successful
particularly SO in the. row of fran,
buildings in the vicinity of Mr.
Simpsons residence on Union street
and at the Barnet House.; and fine
dwelling Belonging to Mr.. W. j.
Bacr and the Courthouse, and also al
the large brick house under the hill on
Main street. The sc0rched and char.
red sides of these buildings tell toe
plainly of the intense heat to which
they were subjected; /; they each were
on fire at least twenty times, but for.
tunately men with pals of water rap.
idly passed up TO them on the roofs
put out the flames, as also in all other
eases in their respective vicinity to.
wards the west. Had the Barnet
House, and the row of frame build.
ings mentioned, burned, the confagra-
ton would doubtless have extended
to the remainder of Somerset.
One of the first rays of encourage
ment the stricken people received was
the arrival early in the morning after
the fire of q wagon load Of bread and
provisions from tha good people OF
Berlin--a neighhoring town. about
nine miles distant. This wagon was
followed soon by others from the sur
rounding vicinity and it was not long
before commisssry department was
set up in the Town Hall room of the
Courthouse and the needy We're sup
piled with. food
In the afternoon Of Friday town
meeting of citizens was called at the
Courthouse for the purpose of making
arrangements for the relief of the
sufferers. Hon. Judge j. w. Rowe
was called to the chair, and ID. J.
Brubaker and G.. Walter, Esqs., ap-
pointed Vice Presidents, and Hon. w.
II. Sanner and Elias Cunningham,
Esqs., appointed Secretaries. Among
the proceedings the following resolu-
tiOns were unanimously passed.
Resolved, That Edward Scull, Esq,
Hon. w. II. Koontz, and Hon. Isaac
Hugus be committee to prepare an
address to the public detailing the true
character of the calamity that has
befallen US, and the extent of the loss
Resolved, That committee of FIVE
be appointed, whose duty it shall be to
receive all contributions and distri-
butte the same, and that they have
power to appoint such subcommittee
as may be required, and that NJ. A.
Sanner. Daniel Weyand, Edward
Scull, A. J, Colborn and A. H. Cof-
froth, Esqs; be said committee.
Resolred, That the thanks of the
people of this stricken. borough be
rendered edtotbe.ncsle .citizens Of Ber-
lin borough for the instantaneous and
well-timed relief which they brought
us.
Resoired, That all the policy holders
and resident insurance agents meet in
the Courthouse tomorrow at 10
O'Clock a. m. for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the exact amount of insur-
ance
Resoired, That it is the sense of
this meeting that inasmuch as the
county buildings and records have
been saved By the citizens of the bor-
ough, that the Commissioners should
make an appropriation of $50. 900, re-
lying upon the endorsement of the
people for their action.
Mr. Geo. Charles, one of the editors
of the Cumberland Daily News, was
introduced to the meeting. Mr.
Charles stated that he had come sim
ply as a reporter for his paper, but
that he could say to the people ofSom-
erset that the people Of Cumberland
had heard of the disaster that had be-
fallen the fair town of Somerset, and
that, as neighbors and friends, hispeo-
pie felt deep sympathy forthe striek-
en- ones, and that he was assured by
the Mayor and several of the Coun-
cilmen, upon the eve of his departure,
that a town meeting would be called
for the purpose of raising fund for
their relief; that he wished the Relief
Committe would place themselves in
communication with Mayor Piatt, of
Cumberland, and let him know what
was most needed, and he felt assured
the citizens of Cumberland would res
pond nobly.
Mr.. Holsinger, of the Dale City
Christidn Companion, also made SINH
lar remarks for the residents of his
town, pledging that the people Of the
Meyers Mill region would literally
contribute to the relief of the sufferers.
The meeting then adjourned to meet
again on the following afternoon.
By Saturday morning the commits
sary department in the Courthouse,
under the charge of Mr. Hertz Kieser,
was well provisioned, and Mr.. Keiser
dispensed the food and other supplies
to the callers-ladies and children,
many of whom came with baskets: !
On Saturday forenoon Mr.. NJ. A.
Sanner received an encouraging tele-
gram, of which the following is q
copy:
JoHNsrowN, Pa, May 10th.
Draw at sight for 81 600 Hope to
do much better at public meeting to-
night.
ii. /. Roberts, Cashier.
Assurances of help from other
places were received during the day,
and the people began to feel more
hopeful for the future.
The large iroa safes of the bankers,
Messrs. NJ A Sanner Il Co. and
Messrs. Schell & Kimmell, were found
cool enough to be handled at about 10
a. m on Saturday, and these gentle
men proceeded to open them. All
money in charge of these banking
bouses had hqep safely carried 70 n |