Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1879-11-05
Terrible Fire at Parker.

1t was discovered between the build
ings of John Smullin and Jacob Wal
robenstein. The first alarm was given
by Nightwatchman Cummings, and in
very few minutes the fire companies
were on hand with hose laid, but
could not get water enough to supply
one steamer. There being a stiff north
wind the flames proceeded rapidly to-
ward the northern part of the town,
taking in Louis Hume's tailor shop,
G. d. Prest's vacant building, Jno. I.
Shirley's brick, occupied by w. H.
Spain, hardware and oil well supplies,
the brick occupied by G. D. Prest, dry
goods, the meat market Of c. Ulman,
and c.. Lehman's boot and shoe store.
Crossing the street to T. Ottingcr's
drug store, it destroyed NJ. Dessing's
saloon, the Frisbee House, L. Cohen's
furniture store, VIM Walrobenstein's
meat market, j. Frederick's shoe shop,
C. Sayder's photograph gallery, va
cant building owned by Mrs May,
Markers building, the Titusville House,
G. d. Prcst, Jas. Miller, NJ. Schone,
and j. Smithley's vacant houses, Col
umbia Engine and Hose Company,
George Armistead's house, and a num-
Der of small frame buildings on Centre
avenue.
On the south it swept G. Ahlquist's
tailor shop, NJ. Riedlinger's saloon, the
drug store of w. B. Krosskop, the res
idence Of J. Smullen, j. O'Brien's ho-
tel, j. Normelie's residence, the Pitts
burgh House, and the Office of the
Parker Weekly.
Crossing Third street, at the corner
of River avenue, Norris & Wray's
grocery, Gaskill & Co.'s wholesale
liquor house, Diehl's brick hotel, the
Union Express Company Office, l..
Bachman's building, McCracken Il
McCune's stationery and news room,
M. Schone's barber shop, and Mayors
liquor and cigar store were destroyed.
Crossing a twenty-foot alley, the
flames attacked j. Terke's saloon and
livery stable, Jno Parker's tailor shop,
Gibbs & Sterritt's agency and Thomas
Kings Office
The residence of Thos Hackett and
vacant building were torn down to
keep the flames from proceeding be-
yond Wilson & Manifold's building.
On the other side of the railroad
seven small frame buildings, including
the large barn of the Union Express
Company, were also destroyed.
The total loss is $3.50, 900; insurance
$75, 900.
| CORRESPONDENCE Pittsburgh Dispatch.
PARKER CITY, Oct 30.-Among the
many oil towns which have sprung up,
hourished and passed away, like the
historical gourd of the Prophet Jonah,
few have passed through more adver-
sity or have had harder stream to
pull against than the little city of Par
ker, whose career has just been prac-
tically brought to an end-practically,
because there is hardly the shadow of
a chance that the burned district will
ever be rebuilt, for reasons noted fur
ther on.
Ten years ago there were but few
buildings in the place, and those few
were mostly on the hill, in what is
known as Lawrenceburg, or the Second
ward. Among them were the old
stone building which stood on the cor
ner of Ludlow and Washington streets,
which was built by one Leonard in
1918, the old Adams Hotel, the dwell
ing of Squire Balph, and few small
dwellings, not to omit the dwellings of
! the different Parkers.
In 1868 the oil excitement suddenly
swayed southwark Evidences of ac-
tivity at once showed itself in the
building line, and in year over two
hundred houses had been built; the
sounds of the hammer and saw were
heard in all directions. On the "Flat"
particularly was this activity mani
tested The large three-story brick
occupied by Messrs. Wilson & Mani
fold was erected in 1878; this was fol-
lowed by the Exchange and Savings
banks, and the large brick hotel known
as the Mead House, opened and run
by w. HI. Hollenbeck.
PIPE LINES
Here were congregated or situated
the head Offices of all the pipe lines of
that period, viz, the United, the Karns,
the Union, the Pennsylvania Transpor-
tation and the Grant, which handled
all the oil of the great Butler, Arm
strong and Clarion oil fields, employ
ing thousands of men, and represent
Ing millions of dollars of capitol. But
like the black bass among the minnows,
| the United swallowed the rest; Oil
City took the lead as head Office of the
transportation business, and Parker
suffered a severe financial blow in con-
sequence thereof.
In 1876 John T. Shirley erected the
large building on River avenue, q
handsome thrce-story brick, lately Oc-
cupied by George D. Prest, dry goods,
and Spain & Co., hardware. Many
wooden buildings were erected, city
charter was procured, and Parker be-
came a fourishing town, it being the
fourth postOffice in the State. The
writer remembers well, while at the
Centennial in '76, having occasion to
send a dispatch to Parker, he was
asked by the Philadelphia operator:
"Where is Parker City, and what kind
of place is it? | never heard of it
till a couple of years ago, and now we
send more messages there than to any
other place in the State" And it aoas
known from New York to San Fran
cisco.
THE FIRE.
At little after three O'Clock yester-
day morning the cry of fire-always
terribly ominous of evil to dwellers in
the oil country-startled the citizens
in hot haste from their beds, and soon
the streets were swarming with half
clad humanity, while lurid glare in
the very heart of the First ward drew
the people to that spot, where the
building owned by lawyer j. L. Smul-