Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-05-21
THE BIG 81 AzE ATMILLHEIM.

THE BIG SL AZE ATMlLLHEAAl
Our oldest residents say that the IRE
which occurred on Friday morning be-
tween the hours of three and five o.
clock, was tho largest cnnfagration
known Of in this town. The first a
larm was given by F. p. Musser, Turb
Kreamer. Henry Miller, Adam Harter
and others who returned from a nights
fishing expedition about fifteen minutes
before O'Clock and who on reaching
Main street discovered the store of ID.
s. Kaufman & Co. to be on fire. The
flames commenced their disastrous
work IN the grocery department, next
to ID. W. Zeigler's tenant house, the
latter having also already caught fire.
Henry Miller at once burst open his
front door and barely had time to res
cue his wife and family, who were
sound asleep in bed.
BY this time Main street and the ion
mediate neighborhood were all aroused
and ready to fight the fire fiend. At 4
O'Clock sharp, just as F. p. Musser and
Turb Kr Gamer attempted to throw wa
ter against the door of the grocery, q
keg full of powder standing inside igni-
ted and caused o terrific explosion,
which shock nearly every house In
town and kfocked both Musser and
Kreamer out into the middle Of the
street Some sharp object struck Mus
ser a severe blow on the forehead above
his left eye, and caused painful and
troublesome wound. Tbs force OF the
explosion blew out the whole back wall
Of the storebuilding and gsve che fire
fresh and sweeping start. The shock
ing report which resembled the horri-
BILE rumbling OF an earthquake or a
heavy thunderclap in an instant
brought nearly every person residing
in the remote parts of town to their
feet and in less than five minutes the
whole male population of Millheim was
on hand and work commenced in ear
nest. To save either the store-building
or Zeigler's house had become an i'm
possibility and the crowd Of willing and
determined fire fighters directed their
attention next to the adjoining build.
ings on each side. Alexander's fine
dwelling house, occupied by Jerome
Spigelmyer. on the one side, and s. D.
Musser's residence on the other side
stood in imminent danger Of being con-
sumed by the raging ell ements. Sever
al men climbed upon the roof Of Alex
ander's house and began to operate
with buckets and axes. The cornice
on the western side of the building had
caught fire and made rapid headway,
towards the east. Inside the people
rendered all possible assistance in re-
moving Mr.. Spigelmyer's personal
effects, which were all sayed with the
exception of few minor articles. The
fire by this time had reached its highest
stage and the heat became unbearable as
all the inflamable and explosive articles
in Kauffman's store house throwed
ND volumes of smoke and flames. The
men on Alexander's roof had 10 vacate
their posts and leave the building to
its fate. Zeigler's house, Alexander's
store house, dwelling house and stable
all were 6ercely burning and S. D.
Musser's residence seemed to join the
fiery ordeal, its caste rn gable end being
greedily licked by the destroying flames
For time it seem ed as if it were lm-
possible to saye that building but ny
the truly heroic work of the owner as
sisted by a crew of men it escaped en-
tire destruction. Nearly two hundred
men from town and surrounding vicin
ity were stationed on the opposite
buildings and on the hardware corner,
working with an iron will and nerve to
prevent the FIRE from spreading any
further. Wet carpets and blankets
were hung over the cornices, bucket
on bucket of water was thrown against
the walls, every available sprinkling
hose was pressed into service and axes
and hatchets were busy cutting away
small in fla mable buildings and objects.
At last, after almost two hours hard
and determined work, and after the
four buildings In the very heart and
business por ton of town were entirely
consumed, it became a surety that we
had won the victory and averted the
seeming calamity of having the whole
town or at least all of Main street
swept away by the fire. Our readers
who did not witness the fire will per-
haps be able to form an idea of the fear
full heat the neighboring properties had
to coctend with by the TACT that :he
paint on Musser's hotel. on Kaufman e
| new. store house, Gutelius' residence
and on Frain's hotel was drawn into
blisters and many Of the windows crack
ed, while the cornices aud weather.
boarding are black and the trees in front
scorched and killed. 1t was truly mir