Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-05-19
Destructive Fire in Milton.
Pa-FOur Hundred Build
ings Burned.

Ah4o 1St&A H%Nss
MILTON, Pa, May IA fire
broke out at II o'clock to-day
in the car works, and, a heavy
northwest wind prevailing, it was
impossible to check the progress Of
the flames until the entire business
portion Of the town was destroyed.
1t is estimated that 400 buildings
were destroyed, including all the
churches. The fire burned over a
space of seven squares in length
and two in width. Assistance CAM
from Sunbury, Danville, Williams
port, Lewisburg and Watsontown.
Among the buildings destroyed are
Lawson's machine shops, the armo-
ry, Academy of Music, Reformed,
Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran,
Baptist and Evangelical churches,
banks, telegraph office, newspaper
offices, Pennsylvania Railroad depot.
gas works and all the hotels. The
only important business places saw
ed are the rolling mill, nail works,
Wilson's hy-net factory and the
planning mills. Several bodies have
been recovered, but they are burn
ed beyound recognition. Two hun
dred and fifty families have been
rendered homeless, and are camp
ing out in the fields. Supplies of
provisions and clothing are needed
at once, 1t is impossible to estl-
mate to loss at present,
All the hotels, churches. two
banks, the opera house. telegraph
office, the Mlltonian and Indepen-
dent Weekly printing offices, all
the business houses with two OK
ceptions,a the depot were destroy
ed. The body of one man burned
to a crisp was found. Two women
and several children are reported
missing During the confusion
many articles were stoten and car
ried away. One lady lost 100000
in government bonds. The fire
ragged so tiercely that in the upper
part ofthc town most of the people
barely escaped with the / lives, The
wife of Dr.. Cyrus Brown is badly
burned, and several others are known
to be severely injured. The scene
was one Of great confusion, hun
dre1s of people pouring into town
from every direction. Ike fire was
gotten under control about six
o'clock. The loss is variously es-
timated from one to two million dol
lars, but no accurate estimate can
be given to night. The mansion Of
ex-Gov. Pollock was destroyed.
HARRISBURG, Pa, May 1.-THE
following dispatch has been sent TO
the mayors of the cities OF this
State: 1.-The town Of Milton has
this day been almost entirely de-
stroyed by fire. Three thousand
people are now houseless, destitute
OF clothing, provisions and all the
necessities OF lite, | would suggest
that you call meeting Of your cit
liens at once, to furnish immediate
aid to this ricken people.
"HENRY NJ. HOYT, Governor
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF TIE con-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. DE-
TAILS.
Million, Pa, May 14--This
town presents desOlate appearance
two-thirds of its houses having
been destroyed by a fire which
originated in the framing shops of
Murray, Dougal & Co.'S car works,
from a spark The high wind that
prevailed at the time caused the fire
to spread rapidly, and deied all
efforts to bring it under subsection.
At three o'clock, three hours after
the fire broke out, half Of the town
was in flames. About five o'clock
when the flames had exhausted
themselves, six hundred of the one
thousand buildings in the town
were a mass of ruins, and loss.
independent of the insurance, OF one
million dollars had been sustained,
All the banks, newspaper offices.
hotels but one, churches but one,
and all the business places but three
were destroyed. The car works,
keg factory and tanncry, employ
ing about six hundred men, were
almost entirely consumed. The
loss on these properties is about
100000, and the insurance $40
1000. The aggregate insurance on
all the buildings and stock destroy
ed is over 100000, and the en-
tire loss 81, 800, 900. The fire ex-
tended over an area of a mile and
a-quarter. The loss in the de-
struction of churches is about
100000, and in hotels $50, 900.
About one hundred business houses
were burned, The property con-
sumed was insured in about fifteen
companies, mostly of Philadelphia.
The Lycoming is the heaviest sut-
feeer, It's losses aggregating nearly
100000.
Tonight about fifteen hundred
people are without homes, and
many are camping on the island
fields near here. The rest are beng
! 1o -, Al,