The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-03-11
Destruction of Prince Frederick.
Court House. Church, Hotel. Printing
Office. and Ten Other Buildings
burned.

The village of Prince Frederick, the county
seat of Calvert county, Nd, was nearly de
stroyed by fire last Friday evening, and Of
eighteen buildings of different descriptions in
I the place only three remain, besides log
Jail. Among the burned buildings were new
Methodist Episcopal church and parsonage,
the court house. the Brentford House hotel,
the store of j. W. Shemwell 4 Bro, the law
offices of Jos. \. Wilson, John Z. Briscoe and
John B. Gray, and the dwelling of ). X. hing.
News of the conhagration did not reach Bal
timore until Monday morning, as there was
no mail connection sooner, and that section
of the State has no telegraph communication.
The steamer Wenonah, of the Weems Line,
from the Patuxent route. arrived Monday eve
ming at Light street with a number of Calvert
/ county passengers. several of whom were wit
nesses Of the burning of Prince Frederick.
/ From these and from Mr.. Thomas b. Gourley,
purser of the Wenonah. statement of the
disaster was obtained.
7 The fire started with the Methodist Church,
/ Rev j. p Wilson, pastor. The edihce. neat
structure of wood, was to have been dedicated
7 last Sunday, and workmen were putting the
I finishing touches on the interior, the pastor
being also present Ii is said that a child,
son of the minister, playing outside with
matches among some shayings, accidentally
was blowing. the flames spread rapidly, and
in an incredibly short space of time nearly the
entire village was laid in ashes. The MethO-
dist Episcopal parsonage, adjoining the new
church. and occupied by Rev. Mr.. Wilson and
family. was soon destroyed, and the occupants
saved nothing, not even their wearing apparel.
Next the wind carried burning shingles a
quarter Of mile distant to the dwelling oecu-
pied by Mr. 5. r. King, which was burned.
Mr.. King lost everything, including a sum OF
money. The fire then became general. involv-
ing the hotel, courthouse. Law offices, Journal
: newspaper office, store houses of Shemwell L
Bzo., dc In an hour and a-half. or by dusk.
( the place was in ashes except the Jail, which
is = log structure in rear of the courthouse,
the dwellings of Mrs. Dowell and Mr.. Shem-
we'll. aud an old house owned by Judge Magru-
der.
( Mr.. Somerville Sellers. clerk of the county
court, was in his Office in the cour; house, and
saved some papers, but with these exceptions
all the county records were lost. Every book
and paper in the county commissioners office
and in the office of the register Of wills were
burned up. In the clerk office all the origi-
nal papers we're lost, and a great many re-
cords. running rs far back as 1850, and many
papers Of great inieres, relating TO the early
history Of the county. These records aud
papers we're invaluable, and their loss will
cause inconveniences and expenses that viii
he felt for many years. The courthouse was
a brick structure, built in 1878 10 replace one
that stood on the river bank aud was burned
by the British in 1913, after the records had
been removed by the cosuty authorities, how
ever.
The Brentf0rd House, the hotel that was
burned, was built dozen years ago By Judge
Daniel r. Maerpder, AT a cost Of about sl0,
zoe. and il sas the finest hotel IN Soathcrn
MARYLAND Il was named for judges Brent
and Ford. who werc the associates Of Judge
NagrudeF on the bench. Mrs. johnson, who
had charge of the hotel l0st great many
things. Rev ]. II. Chesley. rector Of II.
Pani's L. =. parish, who boarded At the hotel,
Lost cioshing and his entire library, mos,
seriuus mishap 10 him. aS he cannot replace
Il without ASSISTANCE. The other hoarsierS.
VIZ Mr.. Someryilie Sellers and wife. Miss
Sulisrs, Mrs. r. u. Sellers and Mr.. John Il
GRAY an met with serious losses II was
stated that Mrs. Somersilie Sellers had Sill.
90 ia bonds burned up With her effects. Il
was understood thcrr was an insurance Of
200 on the hostel, has aous on the farni-
tare. Ms-sSFs- Wilson, BTiscoe and Gray lost
very yalaailc Law books and private papers
in the destruction pfthsir Offices. Mr. Briscoe
estimates his loss - a eco in iaW hDoks and
osiee. and be- had S7tsl piano burned up in
she hotel. shnre as bad bearded until recently
There vas an insurance Of $40 on the
Journal building, bot none upon press, type.
etc, Messrs, ParTan 4 Sellers. propFiciors 81
the Joarnal, siii Al oncc proceed 20 Sv-cssab-
lish the paper with meu tyPe and prcss. and
vii send out A. quickiy a. possible, as they
say. better pag~F than the old one
Messgs ). W. Shemweli 4 Bro. lost their
entire stock II sos1yis, bat the loss i covered
lsy an insurance 81 81. 0tsD in Montgomery
csianty and in baltimore fsfice. \ dog much
irired ~ Mr. ShemEeil ran back into the
hnruiaE storp- house after being rescued, and
tie animal uas haFEed up
The mex Methodist Church cost 81 COO, and
i ! said the insurance had run cat. The par
sonsec was insured snr 81 go. The bopse
occupis.l by Mr. King and ewued hy Judee
Magrusior EAs valaed Al s, Ooa. Mr.. Jos. A.
Wils0a loses 81 coo The jail made BARLOW
escape from destruction. The only prisoner
Vas liberated and assisted the citizens a. the
sre Miss Edith nowsli, posssuistrSsz, saved
the s,aFBps and postal cards and sewing asa-
ehiHc from The Fsssnisiee.
The loss hy the Ere Is estimated At so. Cs'a.
aal i a eaiaIni;y from which Prince Fresier.
iek will Rot rmeFgc Tor long litac to come.