Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-05-22
PARTICULARS OF THE LATE TERRIBLE
FIRE AT SOMERSET, PA.
From the Philadel phia Press.

E1hE Al SOMEkSEI, RAs
From the Philadel 9hia Press.
The calamity which overlook the town
of Somerset on Thursday, the Oh inst /.
has awakened the deepes. sy -apa.5y
throughout the whole Commonwealth.
Such sweeping, destructive conAagra-
tion has not visited any part oe the cour-
try since the great forest Gres in the West
and the burning of Chicago, last fall.
Al out three-four'hs of the place is in
ashes; and property to the extent of
about Sl,Oo00oC,, bat small portion of
which is covered by insurance, was swept
suddenly on. of existence
Somerset is the county seat of Somer-
set county. Pennsylvania. and is situated
on the plank road from Cumberland. Nd.
to West Newton. Pa, about 70 r.iles
southeast from Pittsburg. The borough
was Incorporated in 1904 and was burn
ed once before, about forty years ago.
Its population in 1860 was 2,776. The
population of Somerset county N 1870
was 2S 22S.
The following interesting facts in re-
gard to this deplorable confagration are
taken from the Somerset correspondence
of the Pittsburg COMMERCIAL:
The fire originated in stable in front
of the Keim Foundry at P. N. on the
9th inst IN few minutes the two ad.
joining stables were in a blaze. and the
unusually violent wind blowing at the
time in few minutes carried sparks and
blazing shingles over the business por-
ton of the town, and the FIRE became
general.
The origin of the fire is by some attri.
buted TO sparks from the Keim Foundry
falling OIL the stable. A gentleman who
was on the ground at the time says the
three adjoining stables burst into flames
a. the same moment, and unhesitatingiy
attributes it 10 incendiarism Every
business house is destroyed except Hol-
derbaum's grocery. every hotel except
the Barnett House, both the printing
Offices. the Herald and Democrat. and
the Presbyterian and Lutheran Churches.
In large number of cases the stores
were used at the same time as residences.
and many, in fact the majority, OF the
losses represent al tie 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, Ny 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 4:
Beside Chicago this will appear small.
and we won't get help, but God knows
we need lit 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 en- the ruin with his fam
lily, not dollar or a rnouthrul to eat in
the world, and cherfully saying. "it will
all come right
The total amount of insurance is placed
at $50 600. The loss will not be less
than sl,00O,OOO in all The insurance
was placed in the following companies.
the losses falling in the order named
Lycoming, Fayette county Mutual, Far
mers', of York North American, Etna.
Franklin, of Philadelphia Manufac-
turers'. of Philadelphia, ami Artisans.
of Pittsburg.