The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-08-29
Wild Fire ut Mid-day,

WIFI FIRE at Mlu-uay.
Friday afternoon of last week, just
after the forms of the WING had been
put to press, Rudolph Tull, ten year
old embryo citizen, rushed up North
street, wildly crying ''CreswelPs baru is
Oh tire" In few minutes the town of
Ekton was ablaze with an excitement
equal to the ferceness of the flames that
were then consuming the fruits of a
years labor of Michael Hartnett, the
industrious tenant of the "home farm"
of the OK Senator. Teams were quickly
harnessed and rushing with all the speed
of equine muscle to the elevated spot on
SNAKE Hill' where carelessness, or
something worse, had let loose the de-
vourlug monster. Pedestrians, old and
young, We'd in the effort to outstrip each
other in the race of being exhausted, and
consequently useless, when the scene
where neighbor might rescue neighbor
and neighbours property was reached.
A few valiant knights of the bicycle
IuOuUIeu IDtlI obOOuo dbh
sought an opportunity TO climb Snake
Hill and fight the flames. They did not
climb. Elkton was virtually deserted.
A few blooming enjoyers of the youth
that is second childhood, contented
themselves with climbing to the highest
housetop in quest of a view of the de-
vourer they dared not resist but, most
of Elkton had gone to the fire. The
curling smoke, the licking flame that
anon leaped above the tree tops, told the
stay at-h homes that there was danger in
the air. The fact proved was that the
"stackyard" of unthreshed wheat and
oats and the "barrack" where both wheat
and hay were stored, were in flames and
the strong south west wind threatened
with instant involvement the adjoining
barns and the not remote mansion.
The people worked with a will. The
bucket brigade were out in force, and the
impossible seemed accomplished when
the combination of fire and chaff and
wind was successfully defied. By and
by, the smoke smouldered and, just
then, mule team sauntered along
North street in search of an engine to
keep the flames down. There was no.
body around the engine house to open
the doors or man the monster. By and
further by, the key was found, the
energetic clerk of the Secretary of the
NJ. F. l. Co., of Cecil county, summoned
IA stray oolored man and they two hauled
ont the odd engine and dashed it to
the rear of the mule team. They piled
hose on top of hose and then sought to
send a ladder along, when, 10 ! the lad
ders We're found to be locked and chained
and fastened together as if to be re-
leased no more till the mora of the res
direction. The ladders were left behind
and the mules struggled along with their
burden as the jeering crowd saluted them
in it's return from the already discom-
fitted fire. By eventide, the ran.producer
had got his work in and there was need for
uelUnef mules HOT eHgiHe HOr LOSc nor
deserted ladders.
When the morn came again and there
was opportunity to note the raid and
count the losses, it was found that while
John McKane's engine and thresh er
were busily engaged preparing for the
''risIng market" the cereals produced on
the Home farm, a spark escaped from
somewhere and ignited the dry straw and
chatf. There were no buckets of water
at hand and, in a moment, the flames
were beyond control. Upward and on
ward they leaped, devouring with mons
ter appetite all things they touched.
The stacks in which the wheat sheaves
had been placed, and the stacks where
the oats were gathered, the "barrack"
where the hay and part of the wheat
had been sheltered, were all quickly
enveloped. The high wind forbade hope
of saving any of these and all effort was
confined to circumscribing the spread of
the devouring monster. The granary
the barn and the dwelling seemed in
direct line of the wind. Mr.. Creswell
WAS a. the Elkton Railroad Station en-
route to Washington. A message by
telephone summoned him and he return
to direct the course of the fires suppress
sion and encourage the neighborly spirit
that was doing its all for his good. What
willing hands, united IN purpose, can do
against odds, was clearly demonstrated.
The fire was confined to its original OPP
portunity and all that organized efforts
might have done, was done by inorganic
ed but earnest purpose of neighhor to help
aud comfort ueighbor. What might have
resulted in the desolation of one of the
fairest homesteads of Eastern Mary land,
was reduced to the destruction of thou
sand bushels of wheat in the sheaf, as
manv bushels of oats ready for the
thresher, and a comparatively inexped-
sive hay NOW, the property of MIR. Cres-
well and tenant, and the destruction of
Mr.. McKanes thresher. The engine,
which many charge with the casualty,
was saved.
The loss OF Mr.. Creswell is probably,
about $500. That of Mr.. Hartnett is
about half that amount. They have a
| Joint insurance in the Cecil county
| Mutual Fire Insurance Company for
about $780, Mr. McKaue's loss on
thresher, stacker, belts, sc, is about
500, which is a total loss.
The origin of the fire is variously
accounted for. Many ascribe it to the
defective screen over the fire box; but
others say that the location of the spark
whick caused the calamity,-a hundred
feet away from the smokestack, and to
the wiudward of it,-forbids the idea that
such could have been it's origin. Others
express the opinion that match which
some Tramp had left in the wheat
stack, was ignited by the thresher and
began it's devouring after the straw had
left the carrier. Whatever it's cause, it
was an afternoon of calamity.