Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-08-13
A DISASTROUS FIRE IN FRosTBURa

1
Burning of Grcss Dc NickeEs Fur
aiture EstG bEshment and other Build,
ings.-Shortly after IL o'clock Thurs
day morning our citizens were aroused
from their SUMMERS by the rapid
ringing of the Catholic and German
Lutheran Church bells. Windows
were hoisted and heads popped out
with the anxious inquiry What is
the matter ?"-and the answer would
come "The lower part of the town is
on fire." But, thanks to kind Prov
idencs, that dreadful calamity was
not upon us, although we were threat
ened with it.
But short time elapsed after the
alarm and nearly our entire popula-
ton was upon the scene-women with
babes in their arms, young ladies with
their hair flowing Az natural in the
midnight breezs, men with blanched
cheeks who remembered the ravages
of the fire fend in our midst in
recent years, brave, resolute 6remen
hurrying here and there obeyi1g the
instructions of their chief, while the
bright illumination from the burning
buildings made a weird, wild seer g
never to be forgotten by those who
witnessed it.
The FIRE started in the paint shop
of M sssrs. Gross g. Nickel's large fur
niture mandatory on Main street
near Bowery, and, owing to the in
fammable material which it con-
tanned was soon enwrapped in flames,
preventing the citizens from saving
anything outside of an organ, the
property Of A. r.. Rawlings, of Cum
beiland, and set Of furniture.
Nearly all the furniture in the
building ofJohn Freshman was saved,
but the efforts to cave the building
itself were fruitless and it soon
succumbed to the flames. Attention
was then directed to Mr.. John Nc
Caughan's house east of the factory
which had begun to burn. Atthis time
the water gave out and Chief Engineer
Frank Maury formed line of men
with buckets from the neighboring
pumps and wells, and after extraor-
binary exertions succeeded in saving
the property A number of the men
were placed on the handsome cottage
of VIM. H. Koch, Esq, nearly oppo-
site the factory.
At precisely LOS o'clock, the burn
ing factory fell in, thereby allaying
the fears of those who apprehended a
conAagration. By Q o'clock the worst
was over although the fire still ragged,
tapping up with forked tongues huge
piles of lumber in the yard and de-
vouring remorselessly everything that
came in its path.
On investigation it was found that
Gross & Nickels loss would amount
to$l6,000, with an insurance Of 81 900
divided up in the following companies:
ST. 900 each in Watertown. of Water
town, N. Y, and Atlas, of Hartford,
Connecticut; j. S. Metzger, agent.
$500 each in Kittanning, Universal,
Susqushanns, and Schuylkill Valley,
all Pennsylvania.
John Presstm ems loss in dwelling,
furniture and stock of liquors amounts
to Sc, 800, on which he had an insur-
ance of $1,000 in the Farmers, Of
York, Pa.
German Arion Band, who occupied
room in the second story of the fur
niture establishment, lose about $500
in instruments, music, uniforms, &c
The loss falls very heavy on this pop
ular organization. They have started
subscription book for the purpose Of
procuring new instruments.
John McCaughan, ST., loses about
5000; Edward Duffy, $3.50; VIM. Fl.
Koch. $3.50; John Sharp, $75.
The FIRE was discovered by Mr..
Philip Pfeifer, who was on his way
home from Eckhart, and he instantly
gave the alarm.
The fire is supposed to have been
the work of an incendiary, as no
lights were used on the premises at
all after 9 o'clock.
During the FIRE Nick Carson, Esq,
one of the fremen, was somewhat
overcome by the heat. but recovered
sufficiently to help fight the flames
shortly afterwards. Mr.. Robert Paul,
jr., had tooth knocked out by the
fall of piece of furniture.
Too much praise cannot be given