The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-08-31
FOURTH edition


A Big Blaze Sweeps Away About $780,
900 Worth of Property-Wiimtngt
Firemen Called On and Render Eli
Client Services.
Elkton is another eastern shore town
that has been visited with destruc-
tive coniiagration. The town Is in c.
Gil County. Md, located on the p. W i
b. Railroad about IL miles south Of vii.
mington and has a population ofabout
1000. 1t is the county seat of Cecil
County, contains court house, Jail,
other county offices and number of
manufactures and stores.
Yesterday morning, about 4.30
o'clock, the worst fire that ever visited
Elkton broke out in the three story
frame building owned and occupied
by William b, Hoatzig as furniture
store, and by Michael Powell, shoe
maker and his family on the south
side of Main street. Owing to the fact
that at that hour nearly everybody
was asleep, the fire had great head
way before it was discovered. When
the alarm was sounded nearly all Elk
ton that was able turned out to the
fire, and those living in the vicinity of
1t commenced removing their goods.
The hard engine, which Elkton has,
was put into service but no we'll in the
vicinity could supply it with a suili.
cheney OF water. In spite OF all that
could be done TO check the fire 1t
spread rapidly to adjoining buildings
forced by southeast wind. The fire
soon caught the adjoining three-story
frame building owned by Hon. John
A. J. Creswell, and occupied by Dr..
John ii, lamar as an Office. and by
Thomas Green and family. From here
the fire spread TO the two-story double
brick store owned by Miss Mary d.
Mcintyre, and occupied by William j.
Dickinson and family as a bakery, and
by Miss Susanna May on the west side.
On the east side, the flames caught
on small frame building owned by
Mrs. Jennie Pierson and occupied by
Edward w. Taylor as livery office
and the two.story double frame
house of the Caleb Parker heirs. oc-
cupied by Mrs. Shippers and Emma
Cruw. The people fought the fire at
every step with their hand engine and
with bucket brigade, but all theil
efforts were without avail until eight
dwellings and an office had been to-
tally consumed. Most of the unfortu
nete ones succeeded In saving the
greater portion of their household
kOOub, bOlilt uOMtNtT lOSllB ltuLll
all, but all were fortunate and glad u
escape with their lives.
The three story frame store OF b
Taylor Howard, the first floor occu
pied by Frank j.. Kerr x Co., tailors
and the upper floors tenanted by Hen
ry M. Nichols and family on the west
side, was threatened by flames from
the adjoining brick store, and was
only saved by wet blankets and cal.
pets being placed on the roof. On the
east side, the cornice of the vacant 3
story store and dwelling owned by the
Lort heirs. cauget fire, but was saved
Had these two buildings not been
saved, several other dwellings unC
stores would have been destroyed anc
perhaps all the south side of the
/ town.
The origin OF the fire is unknown
but it Is thought TO have been the
work of ansincendiary. The estimated
dwelling OF the Caleb Parker heirs
81, 800; no insurance, One-story frame
building of Mrs. Jennie Pierson, $500
no insurance. w. Is. Heating, store
and stock, $1,000; building insured IL
Fire Insurance Company of York, Pa.
| for $1,000. with $500 on stock in the
Mutual Fire Insurance Company oil
Cecil County, and $500 ON the building
and contents in the Fire Association oil
Philadelphia. Frame dwelling house
of Hon. j. A. j. Creswell, loss 80. 500
| insured for $3.50 in the Mutual Fire In
| surance of Cecil County. Brick store
of Miss Mary b. Mcintyre, loss e., 500
| insured in the Baltimore Insurance
| Company for 8 500, and in the Mutual
| OF Cecil County for LOCO. William
| Dickinson, stock and furniture. loss
| Si00 no insurance. Michael Powell
stock and furniture, $3.50; no insur
ance. Thomas Green, furniture, $50
insured in Mutual, of Cecil County
Frank j. Kerr, damage by water K
stock. S25; insured in the Mutual, o
Cecil county. Miss Susanna May, sl5
In money. II. NJ. Nicols $25 damage
no insurance.
The iiro completely shut all tn
churches in the town. and in the sur
rounding country, the people being
more interested in the fire than in thel
churches.
During tho fire, when IL was found
that 1t was getting beyond the eontro
of lie local department, Mr,George A
Blake, president of the board of town
commissioners, realizing the danger
sent to chief engineer Robinson, OF tn.
fire department of this city, asking
that two fire companies be sent imme
dlntely TO the aid of the Elkton people
Chief Robinson Immediately detailed
the Phoenix and Weccacoe companies
to respond. and between $50 and
O'Clock tho engines Were loaded upon
gondola cars at Fourth and pint
streets.
The P.. w. & d. railroad also placed
II passenger ear Mt the disposal OF tn,
companies and about twenty-five mel
from each company took possession
OF it. Engineer John Gordon theI
mounted the engine, drew out tn,
throttle. and in seventeen minutes ht
got over eighteen miles and landed
men and engines In Elkton. The en-
gines were speedily unloaded and pu
into service. The Phmnix was tukel
down to the Elk river, from which
she pumped water through a lunl
line of hose to the WeccacOe steamer
which in turn threw two strong STREAM
upon the lire and the buildings adioin
ing and saved the farther destruction
OF property. The gallant iiremen 8 Of
| forts were thoroughly appreciated b.
the people OF Elkton and when tho fir
: WAS put out they We're hnndsomel
I entertained and served with snbstan
!. tial breakfast at the Howard House
Inc tlremen returned home abou
noon.
e