Evening journal., 1888-12-01
POO oMOKE'S PROSPECTS.
The Eheets of the Fire-How the Place
LoolSs-The Expedicnts of Merchants
Wholesale Thievinv.

Looks-Ihe kxpedients of Merchants
Wholesale Thieving.
| stan Correspondence EVENING JOURNAL.
PocoMokE Cry, Md, December -
/ The merchants of this town have enerry
and enterprise enough, but they proba-
/ ply nave not money enough to rebuild
/ their hre swept town as it should be re-
/ punt. -Foeomoke is not a wealthy town
ana aside from their business. those who
We're burnt out owned little property
The loss Is about equally distributed
laken altogether, the insurance was
comparatively light, amounting to a
llttie over half Of the aggregate loss. per
haps three ffths.
a few who were heavily insured are
| probably better off on account OF the fire.
but the remainder will feel their loss
more or less keenly. With three or four
exceptions the largest stores burned
We're not owned by the merchants
who occupied them. The two three story
modern brick blocks, each Of which con
tanned three large stores. were owned
one by resident Of Chincoteague Island
the other mostly BY Philadelphia parties
These two blocks will probably be rebuilt
next summer.
a family named Hall perhaps own more
property in the burnt district than any
other residents Of the town They have
commenced 10 erect q new grocery store
on the site OF their old one, but the
building is wood.
=. &. Pearce, formerly Of Wilmington.
will probably rebuild his hotel as soon as
practicable, but it will be Of wood
Augustus Parker has already begun the
erection q part Of his new hotel. Ii
Is also frame structure
The feeling among the merchants is
not that the town will be permanently
harmed but that it will take some years
Tor II to be rebuilt, none are afraid that
business will be diverted to other towns
Salisbury, the sister town which SUI
Tered a far more disastrous confiagration
two years ago has been almost entirely
rebuilt in solid handsome brick blocks. |
Salisbury had more wealth, her merchants
We're more heavily insured than those Of |
Pocomoke- Besides the town was larger
ana the energy and enterprise of her I
merchants, collectively, greater Some
persons however, predict that the town /
VIII be well and speedily rebuilt.
The streets in the burned districts have
oeen wldened and Strengthened, but not |
without considerable opposition on the |
commissioners may mark lines inside Of /
which no frame houses can be erected |
but this will depend on public sentiment. /
The town is the buying centre Of n |
large area Of country and though it NAV |
be some years in building Up again il is |
not likely that it will suffer any I
serious check or permanent loss from the I
effect of the fire
The burnt district is a field OF debris
the ground is covered with thick coat /
ing OF ashes, bricks and rubbish. in which /
can be seen dismantled sewing machines.
ruined stoves and other articles of an in
destrucuble character Out of this field /
OF desolatlon rise many chimneys, and on
the site Of the brick buildings what re-
mains Of their walls are standing.
IN some places the streets are nearly
blocked with heaps Of bricks The debris
has been removed from the sidewalks and
men are busily at work cleaning bricks
on all sides
The town is filled with muslin signs
roughly painted. indicating where the
merchants have resumed business
Nearly all have done SO with the stock
saved and with such additions as have
been obtained since the fire All manner
Of places have been utilized for this pur
pose. Barns, Sheds carpenter shops
livery stables, and in many cases the
private residences Of the merchants
whose stores were burned.
On their front porches are clothing
dummies and other merchandise. Any,
hing of any size that has a roof and
tides is in demand Two or three tenn
1orary buildings are being put up and
many more structures of all kinds are
icing fitted up to accommodate the de-
nand for stores. Carpenters and me
hanics will not want for work for some
months to come.
The citizens cannot say too much in
raise Of the Salisbury fire department
through whose efforts mostly. the fire
vas checked. The Crisfield fire engine
.lso did good work, but did not arrive
Until the Salisbury engine had been in
ervice for some time.
Large quantities Of goods were stolen
" the crowds that iocked into the town
rom the country during the night Of the
re. Goods that had been taken from ;
he stores were carted out by the cart
Dad. One firm claim to have had about
1000 worth Of goods that had been
aVed from the fire stolen from them .
this way. The draw Of the
a 49, NNGA tHt ING1iuUhe river was
nally put of to keep the people /
rom taking the goods away and then e
ome carried them off in boats The
Jerks Of a prominent merchant found six E
lush sacks slowed away in buggy the |
ight Of the fire. A cart was seen cross
lg the bridge loaded with three barrels
flour and barrel Of sugar A man liv.
lg n the community is known to have !,
bout dozen overcoats in his house OBJ
llned the night Of the fire
The Record and Gazette has found tenn 1
orary quarters and will come out again
ext week. Most Of their type was y
lyed The old Franklin press OF the
eninsula Ledger stands out above the +
shes Of the Office. The paper was printed
a neighboring town this week. The 7
ocomoke Times will probably cease pub. g.
cation i
About twenty families were made home !
IS by the fire. These have been pro- \
ded for and assisted by various con
lbutions that have come in. O
Apron Bazaar-Peak Sisters.
At First pras hv tarin, fk,.aL x4tt