The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-09-09
FIRE In
Loss aIso.ooe.

accoun. of The fire is condensed from
the Cumberland Neips:
At about twenty minutes past one,
on Saturday afternoon a fire broke
out in the loft Of Beall & Koch's
store, located on Main street, Frost
burg, nearly opposite the St.
Michael's Catholic church. The
alarm was quickly given and several
gentlemen ran up stairs, expecting to
reach the fire by way of the trap
door in the floor of the Is aut by
the time they arrived there .i,s loft
Immediately ut and arou i5iqt place
was burning, and it was found i'm
possible to get up. Some water was
brought, but it amounted to nothing
in extinguishing the flames, and in q
very short time the whole roof was
on fire. She flames spread very rap
idly to the adjoining roofs of KeIlar
and the Old Franklin Block, and the
people who were fast c0ngregating
from all parts of the place judged too
well that, with their inadequate fire
protection the fire could not well be
checked, and would certainly prove to
be very destructive. There was an
effort on the part of many to work at
the fire, but this seemed useless to.
The greater number then betook
Themselves to assisting the proprie-
tors of the burning establishments in
removing their goods or in putting
water on the roofs Of houses in the
neighborhood, which were or soon
would be in danger. Soon the row
of buildings, including also Marx
Wineland's extensive store were burn
ing, and all being very dry aud wood
en- in a few minutes time were one
sheet Of fame. Goods were carried
out as long as it was possible for men
to enter the burning premises-the
heat being so intense and the danger
constant and great from falling tim
bers, etc.
Large quantities of goods were
taken to the Catholic Church, par
sonage, and the yards Of both, oppo-
site. as well to stores and dwellings
farther removed from the fire; but
the major portion of the large stocks
of Wineland and Beall & Koch, a
mine of riches in elegant dress goods,
solid staples, rich carpetings, fine
furnishing goods, notions, novelties,
etc, were destroyed, together with
most of the large stock of substan-
tials, in the way of groceries and
provisions, belonging to Nj. j. j.
Keller.
Two of the occupants of the Frank
lin block, having light stocks, sue
ceeded in removing a good portion
Of their goods. These were Metz
ger & Co, ~stationers, and Theophil,
confectioner. Madame Van Kaiser
also removed some of her millinery
stock but Mr.. Huntley, who had a
heavy stock in n respect-it being
hardware-lost nearly all, and IN
fortunately, was not insured.
On the East of Wineland was
Hitchins Brothers store building-a
substantial brick. This FIRM became
alarmed, and removed q portion of
their stock, as did the Mossrs. Oder.
of the Journal, who carried nearly
everything out of their Office but the
presses. This proved to be %unneces-
sary, as the solid wall of that build
ing withstood the strong heat, and
the fire advanced no further in that
direction. Directly on the north of
the burning block the fire was also
prevented from progressing up Main
by the brick house, with slate
roof, of Douglas Percy, Esq, which
on the corner Of Main and
F.,
From the Franklin Block the fire
moved southwark on Broadway, tax
ing back buildings in its way, and
crossing Mechanic street to the large
owned by the Hoblitzell heirs,
and rented by Mr.. L NJ. Gorsueh,
for the stabling of about twenty
horses used at the fire brick works.
This was a rich morsel for the flames
and was licked up with great ra
paiditv.
On the next lot, but fortunately !
with some space between, are the
residence and Office of DR.. Getzen- .
danner. 1t required the strongest ,
efforts of many strong men (miners
and others) 10 save this property,
and it seems remarkable that they /
succeeded. Back of the stable on ]
Mechanic street the fire spread to l
three small dwelling houses owned t
by Hitcbins Brothers, which were S
destroyed, as were two houses be- :
longing to Mrs. Keller, her own resi-
ience escaping. :
Immediately opposite the stable
stood the large new building owned
BY Levi b. Porter, known us "Por-
.er's Hail." aud the Wind having :
changed carried, the fire to its roof and a
ront. This building together with a c
arge stock ofliquors, which could not $
DC removed, was burned, and was one :
If the heaviest losses of the day. a
rhe change in the course Of the wind +
vas fortunate for the Presbyterian I
congregation, whose neat little church, B
south of Porter's escaped injury. ii
On Mechanics Street westward the it
spread, destroying buildings on q
both sides of the street-shops, dwell v
ngs and DR. Englar's stable The f
tore room of William r. Percy, e
grocery, which fronts on Broadway, c
llso caught fire from the Mechanic e
street houses. and gas damaged, as 4
vas a building owned by douglas
Esq. From Mechanic the fire i
swept aronad on Water street, in both p
directions, burning two small business T
looms toward Main stree, and q small e
on the other side. Southwark, n
however, it burned much faster, the !
Did and dry structures, on the east a
side, consisting of shops and three {,
double dwellings houses, owned by /,
he Hoblitzell heirs, burned Ike tin P
der On the other side Of the street ?
four dwellings were destroyed, one !
built of brick and occupied by the 1
owner, Mrs, Taylor, which was the :
best residence burned. q
At2 p. II. the following despatch h
was received by Mayor McCully. r