The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-05-05
THE FIRE FIEND.
The Public School Building Damaged
Notes and Incidents,

The Public School Building Damaged
Notes and Incidents.
AT about quarter before twelve o'clock on
Tuesday night last, Mr. VIM. j. Smith, who
resides on Howard street noticed q strong
smell of smoke of burning wood in his bed
room, the window of which was hoistei.
He arose at once and looking out could see
the smoke coming from the direction of the
public school building, which is located
about hundred yards east of his dwelling.
He at once aroused Squire James A. Lewis,
his neghbor, who quickly responded, and
upon going to the school building they
found that it was on fire within. They at
once gave the alarm, one going down town,
the other up Howard street and around to
the east end of Main street. The citizens
of the eastern portion of town were soon
aroused and responded to the call, and in a
few moments score or more of men were
upon the ground, ready and willing. to fight
the fire tiend. When the front door was
opened the whole interior of the building
appeared to be in blaze. The heat was
SO intense and the smoke so binding and
sutlocating that no man could approach
close enough to put water upon it from
buckets, and the door was closed until the
engine arrived, which was then on its way.
First came the suction engine, the Nigilant,
but as there was no supply OF water other
than what couple of pumps wonld afford,
she was of no earthly use. In few mo-
ments afterwards the old machine, "The
Waterwitch, put i'll an appearance, and
after great deal of confusion, cross orders,
shouting and rushing around she was man
ned, the hose attached and set to work.
Water was obtained from a pump on the
school house grounds, and another upon the
premises of Mr. Frank Scott, next door, the
intervening high board fence having been
torn down to allow Of the passing of buck
cts. BY the time the old machine was put
in order, the case looked like hopeless one,
and many persons declared that it was use
less to attempt to fight the fire. advising
all hands to give it up, and let the build
| ing burn. The advice was not received
however, and they went to work with WILL
Mr.. d. Sloan and Mr. Thos. Baisal, two old
| Philadelphia tiremen, managed the putting
| on of the water, the former holding the
branch pipe and the latter cutting away
wood work and doors, where it was necessary
! to reaCh the fire, while others assisted by
holding lanterns, handling hose up stairs,
down cellar, &c. In this way the fight
went on, the men driving back the flames
/
inch by inch, until after little time it was
| plainly to be seen that the fire was being
conquered At first the man holding the
| pipe was forced to stand outside of the
| door and play upon the fire within,
the heat and smoke preventing them
from entering, but as the flame was
suhdued, the heat abated and the smoke
cleared so as TO allow them to enter, first
the cellar (from an outside ioor) where
they could play up and upon the flames,
and afterwards the front door, where a bet
ter opportunity was afforded of putting the
water directly where it would do the most
good During tine first three quarters of an
! hour the stream was thrown in upon the
fire from the front door, windows on both
I sides, and from the cellar, and ut the end
of this time, it was under control in the
first story of the building The flame had
however, crept up between the plastering
of the partitions to the second story, and
| this could only be reached from above.
There was no ladder from which window
could be opened from the outside and the
heat and smoke allowed to escape, So the
stairway was the only alternative Again
and again the ascent was attempted, and
each time the St"rming party was driven
back, until finally, Mr.. Baisal made
desperate effort and reached the second floor
and threw open "a window. This relieved
the atmosphere quickly and the hose was
then carried up, floors and partitions cut
away and the burning parts drenched with
water. BY a quarter to one o'clock the fire
was to all intents and purposes extingushed
! While the work described above was
going on other efforts in the same direction
We're being made. Many persons were car
rying buckets of water and putting it upon
the fire wherever they could, and Dr. Cut
Wells penetrated to the interior of he build
! ing both above and mellow, with his little
Babr"ck Extin@ui>her, and did effective
work. He charged his machine six or seven
times, during the hour, and aided greatly
in saving the building.
When the fire was found to be out the
workers retired to their homes, leaving six
men i'll charge to prevent another outbreak
During the night Il considerable portion of
! the floor i'll one room of the second story had
to he cut out, to reach some of he remnants
OF fire, that had been left, and that were ON
the point of breaking out afresh. The dam
age to the building is considerable A large
portion Of the floor of the first story will
have TO be renewed, joists and all. Much
of the woodwork and plastering, ON all the
floors, was burned and cut away, and doors
and windows, and window shutters, all
over the house, broken in, smashed and
burned. The loss will probably be between
500 and 81 900. 1t is fully covered by in
surance in the Mutual and the York Insur-
| ance Companies.
The orig in of the fire is mystery. The
teachers Of the school, three in mum Der, say
that there was no fire about the premises,
when they closed Tuesday evening.
Wood was burned in the stoves, aud in all
OF them the fire was burned out long before
closing time. The general opinion is that
1t was the work of an incendary, and that
ii was fired from below. The cellar to the
building extends back only about fifteen
feet from the front, the remainder having
no cellar Between the floor of the back
part and the ground, there is space of
about three feet, into which windows
through the wall open, for the purpose of
ventilation. One 81 these windows had nc no
grating and i IS thougbt tie Ere was st Staff f.
Ell under there sS Mke matfeieas & scamp
:" Tie Examnifng mmittsse y me Mutual
Fire INSURANCE eol8panyj 81 pCeei Go a1ntH
visited the scene + ,the Are yestsr.tay notI-
iH{ t9h IS sSsssstasi& Fs{s,
5as 4 ' & dE$g r. asSs 5 'st
yGttgnsS z he @alh W. tie lie d fsASs
badng VII n9p Exceed eamsse e sbees
naeds Tie SGhoai Boa1raa have an fSs3s
a f,ii In tie ut62at o qr' se AID one nsui in
tbe Farmers Of York, Pa III ,Ieoarbeirtt,
agent, for 81 800. o. ~ ~ IL ~ l'i 0e'''
I iStc9lpEStIss 81 Of II TIE f fikE.
While fighting a fire is a serious matter,
at the SAME time there are many amusing
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