The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-06-04
Letter from, Fire-scourged Milton.

MILTON, May 80, 1850.
FRIEND McPIKE-In the FsrEs1A. OF last week
you were kind enough to hope that l had prop
erty destroyed by the terrible conseTation OF The
lsth inst. Please accept thanks for your kind
OF my buildings were destroyed although at one
time they iu direct line with tho approaching
wall OF fame. 4 change il the wind, however,
just saved them in thc-ujcs o. time and when tho
nre had reached within t~o doors. twas the most
terrible conhsgration that has occurred for many
day IN the United States, taking into con-idera-
ton the population II started about II O'Clock in
the erecting shop of Murray Doueal q Cos car
works, aui 10y . o'clock the best portion Cf the
town was mass Of charroJ ruins, nothing remain
ing IN the track OF the fire except blackeued bricks
as even the stone pavements, which were the pride
Of the town, were all burned and shattered TO fra
were of wood and covered with perhaps six inches
OF earth. were completely reduced 20 ashes. The
ground Tor MY yards at time, licking up
everything in their path and in moment more
tation OF their appalling dcstructiycEess. The
next moment they were going out In another di-
waited hither and thither, lighting whole street
al the same time. gentleman oi rny acquaint-
what aid he could 20 his mother. whose house was
in close proximity TO where tho hrc started, but
only 10 hnd il deserted and dfty thousand dollars
worth OF merchandise being consumed before his
creosing heat warmed him that hc must for his
life. He gUt IN the OF the flames and stood
could see the cruubliug walls rs they fell one a.
ter another and the blaze now licking side and
D
the street meantime look like "a merry iHruacc. with
not soul 70 be seen, the flames being fierce and
and even plunge in the river Ami yet notwith-
standing The great destruction going on, many
man who kept stove and tnWaTc store gathered
all the yoluahies be could grasp and put them into
the ovens OF the cook stoyes-evcn taking the gold
watch from his wife and putting il in for safety.
Sul another. an old bachelor IS hu always pridCd
himself on his fishing tackle in locking for vaiu-
bles seized 81 book of trout flies from private
cess and Loft his wallet lay with several hundred
HTHH O. 81 a
the parap pheTnala thCreunrO belonging TO the hotel
across the way and left them there to burn. But
OF some of th5 human race when ! tell You that
while all this destruction was going ON some per
ware gold watches. Household goods. and in fact
anything they could poss IDLY carry. The day after
coming from the cemetery with bundle of their
own siIvcrware, which the thieves had stolen and
opposite town is % small. island o. which rnauv
goods were also taken. but whom the owners went
help their nchorS arrest the fire only 10 see their
own buildings crumbliug tc ashes after an absence
Oi % few moments
You must not always Hook on The dark side OF
the picture. The FIRE Lad not been raging two
House ar WiiIiarnsrort ana the tf.s-hcar.cI lurr-
herman, tle merchant. the mechanic ami the rail
road man were generously contributing OF their
means 20 relieve suffering humanity and before
O'Clock of that same evening committee lad pUr
chased all the bread ia the city ot Wi-ligmsport
and loaded q car with an abundance oi other nro-
visions, which Hy seven u'uue5 they were uisrriD-
beautiful town 90 tEe we,J branch % tie rNu-lue-
hanna, stood and the homeless and ragged people
were being fed and otherwise cared -8r. For all
this however. tEcy had G.. use mother earth FOR a
pillow and the canopy Of heaven for their covering
Since then relief committee isaFe been organized
and a. generous HlElle are contributing freely Oi
money. clothing. provisions etc. while our own
people are busy clearing away the debris. Many
persons whose places uf business were DESTROY ed
had buildings temVoltE erected aEt were busy
selling again in three t5Ns after Tie Ere. Mean
time the ministers must all follow the practices OF
the apostles ia one respect at least 1r there is only
church in the place, and tI1t Is used as de
pot for supplies apTcrtaluIu 10 the feminine wear
iuyapuarc 1t was called tire -little church around
the corner" and il was owing To- its being around
the corner that 10 is Still on the corner.
Ii wiz be many years before the town viii pre-
sent its OIG-timc appearance, al the sha rreti
are burned and many Of the ownCrs of uror,crf,
being without insurance. i vii take a GOOD lea
OF time 70 recover from the effects OF the ire al
4 though in many cases % has developed cncr-gl
where it was supposed there none.
lost my carpenter tools and some architecture
works. but when look at the Joss my neighhor
sustained and take in their situation feel almus
ashamed of hayIuga house. Il seems odd TO b
So unlike them, and I feel a- though J had beer
treated better than I deserVr.
Yours. tSr., j.. J. C.