The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-11-12
THE RAMBLER !
A COLUMN OF PITaY AND
INTERESTING PARAGRAPHS.
GLEANlNGS WHILE RAMBLING.
Thoughts Suggested by the Elec-
trio Railway-The Great Fire
in Town Eight Years Ago.
Brief Sketch Of it.

not ana uedNy now squire JACK |
Monaghan is particularly active in his |
criticisms and yesterday he expressed his
willingness to b his judicial practice that
mo electric railway car will pass this court
house."
-
The squire, like many others is a little
impatient. If he will manage to keep his
judicial patience within reasonable scope
he will eventually see the electric cars pass
his court aud pass on beyond the limits of
the territory in which he seems to reign
supreme.
At times 1 am forced to smile by re-
marks hear about "the electric" A man
stood or a street corner yesterday and said,
II hear they are going to have a gang of
Eyetalians to lay the electric railroad
Sure, and haven't we got plenty men here
who need work. It's the cheap labor they
want, suppose" l remember that not
many months ago the individual who gave
expression to this sentiment wanted to
build house and, to get it built as cheap as
possible, he asked for bids. The cheapest
bidder for the foundation work was a Hun
garian, who got the contract, notwithstsnd-
ing that good stone mason who had lived
in the town for many years and raised
family here was willing to do the work at
what was very fair figure
~
When we squeeze the dollar so hard our
selves that the eagle is forced to scream,
what can we expect of corporations, which
are reputed to have no souls.
50
Eight years ago to-day Shenandoah,
which had grown, like the sturdy oak
springs from the acorn, from a stretch of
wilderness to a patch and then to one of
the most thriving towns of the anthracite
field, was swept by flames and within few
hours one-third of the town laid in ashes
and ruins. Monday, the 18th day of No
vember, 1888 was a bitter cold day. The
thermometer was below the freezing point.
A snow storm ragged almost without inter-
mission during the greater part of the day.
1t was accompanied by a northwestern gale
that swept through the town with great
fury. Shortly after noon the residents oi
West Centre street we're electrified by the
cry of fire" Mr.. M. j. Ceary, who is
still doing business close to the place where
he was then located gave the alarm He
had noticed smoke issuing from window
: in an addition which had only recently
been built to the U. 5. Hotel, which occu-
pied the site of the present Ferguson House
Within an hour after the buildings on both
sides of Main street, between Centre and
Oak streets, were in flames. Tamaqua,
Mshanoy City, Ashland and Pottsvile
were appealed to for assistance and pending
the arrival of their fire companies the mem
bers of the Columbia and Rescue com
panes fought like heroes against great
odds. The flames swept along the west
side of Main with terrific fury until they
struck Franey's brick building at the
southwest corner of Main and Oak streets
On the east side the flames swept on tC
Cherry street and there spent themselves
Meanwhile the fire made its way along
Centre and Oak streets to the Lehigh Val
ley depot and four hours after the alarm
= was given not building remained standing
between Main street and the Lehigh Val
ley railroad on the east, and Centre street
. and Cherry street, on the south, except the
buildings south Of Franey's on the wes
} side of Main street. The value of prop
erty destroyed amounted TO over $3.50 600
. The insurance amounted to about Sl50,OO
50
AT 6 o'clock on the night of the ire j. j
Powell president Of the Town Council
presided at a meeting of the body and the
following named gentlemen were appointed
relief committee; Messrs. NJ j
Whalen, John Hughes, Joseph Knipple
Abraham Lang, T. j. Hurley, Lewis Lehe
! John I. Thomas, John d. Hughes, JohI
Nolan, Patrick Sheehey, D. j. Williams
Thomas j. Foster, NJ. e. Doyle, Patricl
Ormsby and John j. Csrdin. Chief Bur
CESS Daniel j. Williams was authorized tC
organize patrol of one hundred men tC
patrol the streets during the night. Ar
appeal for aid was telegraphed to al
quarters of the country. Subsequently the
4 relief committee was increased by the
addition of Messrs. S. A. Beddall, G. w
johnson, NJ P. Fowler, p, Conry and Il
b. Fielders. John Gather was made
I treasurer of the committee The responses
to the appeal for aid were prompt. Amonl
the first to respond were f. b. Gowen
president of the Philadelphia and Reading
Railroad Company, S5,0OO the Lehgi
Valley Railroad and Coal Company, S5OC
each Rev. Father o. Reilly, $500; Senate