The news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1882-1891, 1882-02-23
CHESTER cALAMITIGs

report below: The large aud hand
some building that sioed on a prom
iuence just back of and overlooking
the city, known as the Pennsylvania
Military Academy. was burned on
Thursday The cadets, enc hundred
and iorty-three 10 number, bad b en-
out drilling, and, upon their return
at 5 o'clock, they were horror-strick-
en- TO fud the third corridor filed with
smoke issuing from the laboratory.
A bucket gang was at once organized,
the line Of yousg men in gay uni
forms reaching from lake some dis
lance from the burning building, and
water passed to the flames. All eff
forts in this direction failed. The
flames spread 10 great rapidity from
the laboratory, which is 10 the fourth
story, midway of the building to the
east wing. In the meantime the alarm
was gwen and the Fire Department
answered. The fire apparatus was
greatly delayed owing to the bad con-
dition of the streets, and before they
reached the scene of the fire one half
the building was enveloped in flames.
The engines foally got water on the
burning edi6ce, but it vas useless play
ing, except to save surrounding prop
ersy, for it was evident that the i'm
posing structure was des ined t. be
the prey OF the element.
The cadets and hundreds Of ciii-
zens who had gathered set TO work in
lively manner aud soon b ID the
campus strewn with articles Of furni-
ture, books, apparatus and provisions,
also Government and State property.
At 9o'elock nothing remained but
The blackened walls. A few of the
cadets lost their all, but most Of them
succeeded in saving the most valuable
personal effects. The building was
erected by stock company in 1867,
at cost OF S125, 900, and the school
has never had a more prosperous
year than the present The entire
loss will reach nearly 5000 600, which
is partially covered by insurance, the
amount of which cannot be sscertain-
ed, but will not exceed S75, 900.
Soon after the fire broke out heavy
rain began falling, which damaged
much of the rescued property. At
least ITO persons were turned out ia
the rain By the FIRE and many of them
passed the night in neighboring
houses. After the flames had laid
waste the valuable property, the ca.
diets, were summoned to drill hall,
when each, one was given sufficient
money By Colonel Hyatt, the presi-
dent, TO take him home.
The paper had no more than pub.
lished the above when the total de,
istruction Of Prof Jackson's fireworks
manufactory. who has furnished fire.
works, bomb-ahells, rockets and all
manner of explosives to nearly every
civilized country in the world At
about halt past seven o'clock Charles
Van Horn, young man, who had
charge Of the works durieg Mr.
Jaekson's absence, stirred up Ere
chat had been burning in 9 stove 10
one of the second-story rooms all
night, and while 10 the cellar chop.
ping kidding wood an explosion Of
rockets occurred, followed by fire.
which almost instantly communicated
to other parts of the house, An
alarm brought out the Chester Fire
Department, and while weter was be.
ing thrown on the flames another ex-
plosicn took place, but injured no one.
Despite the greatest efforts the Gre
continued. to creep against the Hind,
All at once smoke came stresminR
from the cracks 10 the roof, and the
6remen seeing it knew that their
efforts would be in vain unless
stream of water could be thrown 10.
side. An axe was sent for, and while
q man raa to the hook and ladder
truck, short distance away, the 9th
ers nailed cleats to the roof to keep
from slipping, and took turns at hold
ing the ladder steady while a stream
of water was being thrown into the
main building througn the second.
story windows. A fireman stood with
one foot on the ladder and one on the
window-sill holding the nozzle. Dur
ing this time, while the fremen were
endesvoring TO force a hole through
the roof of the small building, the
crowd below had succeeded in remoy-
ing most Of the machinery and stock.
Among these men were Charles Van
Horn and William l. Bsgshaw, both |
of whom were familiar with the build |
ings and with the manufacture and |
nature of fireworks. "There are too |
many in here" cried out Van Horn
when the crowd 10 the IittIa room was |
greatest; "you had better get out, for
if anything should happen there would
be no time to escape So far as
can be learned, there was no other
warning given. and that was scarcely
needed The lower room Of the lit
lie building, which was generally |
known as the carpenter shop, was
full Of smoke and was finally absu-
doDed by sllsave Van Horn and Bag /
shaw, who remained to toss ont some
boxes and mortars. When the f.e-
mao returned with the axe he mount
ed to the roof and common ed cut
ting hole through the shiugles, 10
order that the fire, which appeared to
be spreading rapidly through the
small attic, might be checked, There
were SIX men on the roof and
ma m ,ha laddar 4