The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-05-21
Terrible Fire in sommerset.

of Somerset Pa. was destroyed. The fire
originated in stable in front of the Keim
Foundry, at A p. M. on Thursday In
few minutes the two adjoining stables were
in blaze, and the unusually violent wind
blowing at the same time, in few minutes
carried sparks and blazing shingles over
the business portion of the town, and the
fire became general
The origen of the fire is attributed by
some to the sparks from the Keim Foun-
dry, falling on the stable. A gentleman
who was on the ground at tho time says
the same moment, and unhesitatingly at
tributes it to incendiarism. Every business
house is destroyed except Holdcrhaum's
grocery, every hotel except the Barnett
House, both the printing offices and the
Presbyterian and the Lutheran churches.
In a largo number of cases the stores
were used at the same time as residences
and many, in fact the majority, of the
losses represent all the owners had.
Goods were removed from the houses to
be destroyed in the streets, or in some cases
to be carried off by miscreants to the
country. Scarcely anything was saved,
the complete destruction effected being one
remarkable feature.
Said a young man who forgot that he
had lost all, "My old father, rich at noon
yesterday, hadn't dollar at night, and
with his two daughters, had to beg floor
to lie on last highland he eighty four
years old"
Another said, Beside Chicago this will
appear small, but we won't get help, but
God knows we need it,-it was all we had"
Yet there was no needless complaining,
and all tried to smile and talk cheerfully
and hopefully of the future. None can ap-
preciate the scene unless they stand with
father looking over the ruins with his
family, not dollar or mouthful to eat
in the world and cheerfully say, cit will
all come right"
The following buildings were destroyed
in order named. The dwelling of Messrs
Huntsecker and Bear the grocery store of
w. W. Davis 81 Bro, cabinet shop w. B.
Coffroth, with his fine block on Main street.
including Flck's Washington House and
the Odd Fellows Hall; ID. S. Knees hotel;
Samuel Piles dwelling house; Noah Case
beers tinware establishment; store and
dwelling OF A. J. Casabeer e Co.; Sayer
& Conover's hotel, the Rose House. Here
| f,a 81,
away the finest establishment in the place,
that of Knabble & Sutton j. ii. Miler's
stove store; the postofiice kept by Mrs.
Ogle; the banking houses and dwelling of
NJ. A Sanner & Co.,; the Glade House, a
large hotel; then the dwellings of II. f.
| Schell, +. j. Kooser, DR.. E. M. Kimmell
and Mrs. Wilson. Leaping across the
street, the flames Tapped up the properties
of Mrs. Chorpenning Neff and George
Chorpenning; the drug store of DR.. A. G.
Miller HifIley & Bro. IS clothing store G.
w. Benford's drug store; j. ii. Zimmer-
mans shoe store the Bear Mansard block
was also destroyed, including the library
and photograph gallery of w. II. Welfey,
/ anu tiiO iai 30 BiOSSiy SVOio VI W l4' hllOdUh
& Co. Next went the banking house of
| Schell & Kimmel, r. G. Parker's store, and
the entire block ending with the Lutheran
church, also the law offices of A. J. Colburn,
| s. Gather, Val. Hay, w. III. Postlewaite
and others MarshaPs and PisePs stores,
and the dwelling of Mr.. Stutzman; the va
riety store of Mrs. j. s. Hinchman; A.
Dennison's saddlery establishment, the
dwellings, of II. G. Benitz, ]. G. Kimmel
John Knabbe, Cyrus Myers, Mrs. Ankeny
and Samuel Thence the fire spread to the
fine large building occupied by ii. G.
Benitz, j. +. Blymer, A. ii. Coffroth ]. L.
Pugh, County superintendent, and the
elegantly furnished lodge room of the
Masonic fraternity Mrs. NJ. ID. Tredwell's
millinery store, and barber shop. Mr.
Isaac Hugus' dwelling, one of the old land
marks of the town, which was built nearly
seventy years ago, next melted away in the
fervent heat. Both of our newspaper Of
fees, the Herald and Democrat, with their
presses and material, were destroyed, the
loss of them being some $4,000. The
Presbyterian church was also burned, and
the dwellings of Michael Keipner and d. s.
Weand, and an engine house, Pittsburg
C0mmercinI.