Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-03
ELKTON'S Big CONFEDERATION.
The Most Destructive Fire That the
Town Has Ever Had.

a0Wff tteac LNGt fidds
Upward of $4,000 Worth of Property
Swept Away--Believed to Have Been
Started by IA Firebug--TimeIy AID From
Wilmington.
ELKToN, Md, Aug. 30.-The worst
fire in Elkton for years started at 4.30
O'Clock this morning on the south side
OF Main street, and for while threat
ened to destroy some of the principal
business places of the town. The fire
broke out in the three-story frame build
ing owned and occupied by William b.
HeatZig as a furniture store, and by
Michael Powell, shoemaker, and his
family. Despite great effort to prevent
the fire from spreading, the flames,
forced by Il southwest wind, soon
reached the adjoining three-story frame
building owned by Hon. John A. ].
Creswell, occupied by DIR. John H.
lamar as an office, and by Thomas
Green and family. Then the fire spread
to the two-story double brick store
owned by Miss B. Mary Mcintyre and
occupied by William ]. Dickinson and
family as a bakery, and by Miss Susanna
May on the west side. On the east side
the flames caught small frame build
ing owned by Mrs. Jennie Pierson and
occupied by Edward w. Taylor as a
livery office, and the two-story double
frame dwelling house of the Caleb Par
ker heirs, occupied by Mrs. Shippers and
Emma Craw.
The people made desperate efforts to
save the buildings with the defective
fire apparatus and bucket brigade, but
to no avail. The buildings were totally
destroyed, and some of their occupants
merely escaped with their lives. Some
saved their household goods.
The three-tory frame store of u.
Taylor Howard, the first floor occupied
by Frank j. Kerr 81 Co., tailors, and the
upper floors tenanted by Henry M.
Nichols and family on the west side,
was threatened by flames from the adj
Joining brick store, and was only saved
by wet blankets and carpets being
placed on the roof, large supply of
water and small alley between. On the
east side the cornice of the vacant two
story store and dwelling owned by the
Lord heirs caught fire, but was saved.
Had these two buildings not been saved
several other dwellings and stores would
have been destroyed and perhaps all the
oOoth oAlC VI luG INV
George A. Blake, president of the
board of town commissioners, realizing
this danger, telegraphed to the chief of
the Wilmington (Del.) Fire Department,
ana an hour afterward Chief Robinson,
with the Phoenix and Weccacoe fire
engines, hose carriages and 100 men,
were at the scene, having made the run
by rail, Is miles, in 10 minutes. The
fire had then been gotten under control,
but the chief put the engines 10 work,
forcing the water out of the Elk river on
to the ruins.
The origin of the fire Is unknown, but
it is thought TO have been the work of
an incendiary. The estimated losses are
as follows: Two-story frame dwelling
of the Caleb Parker heirs, 81 900; no in
surancs. One-story frame building of
Mrs. Jennie Pierson, 5000; no insurance.
w. b. Heatzig, store and stock, $4,000;
building insured in Fire Insurance Com
pany OF York Pa, for $1,000, with $500
on stock in the Mutual Fire Insur-
ance Company Of Cecil county, and
$500 on the building and contents in
the Fire Association of Philadelphia.
Frame dwelling house of Hon. j. A. j.
Creswell, loss $4,000; insured for $3.50
in the Mutual Fire Insurance of Cecil
county. Brick store of Miss Mary b.
Mcintyre, loss $500; insured in the
Baltimore Insurance Company for
81 800, and in the Mutual Of Cecil
county, for $1,000 William Dickinson,
stock and furniture, loss $500, no insur-
ance. Michael Powell, stock and furni-
ture, $3.50; no insurance. Thomas
Green, furniture, $50; insured in
Mutual, of Cecil county. frank ].
Kerr, damage by water to stock, $25; in
sqred In the Mutual, of Cecil county.
Miss Susanna May, $3.50 in money. II.
NJ. Nicols, $25 damage; no insurance.
The scene of the fire was visited by
large number of strangers from neigh
boring towns. The different churches
of the place dismissed their congrega-
tions without services and the people
rendered what aid they could to the suf-
ferers.