Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-14
SEWICKLEY In PERIL.
Fire Wipes Gut Mr.. Bailey's Mansion and
Threatens the Neighborhood-Need of
Modern Fire Departmental Plan to
Raise the Necessary Funds.

Threatens the Neighborhood-Needo OF
Modern Fire Departmental Plan to
Raise the Necessary Funds.
Sewickley needs a tire department.
Everybody in the village yesterday was
talking of the narrow escape Beaver
street had had in the early morning from a
sweeping confagration. Only the absence
of high wind prevented the fire which
consumed Mr.. r. P. Bailey's house from
spreading indefinitely on either side, for
the neighboring houses on three sides are
all of frame The fire, which broke out
about 1 o'clock, originated it is supposed in
the cellar, from defective gas
pipe, and made such rapid progress
that the family had only just time to escape,
and one of the servants was overcome by
the smoke and was rescued by Mr. c. A.
Carpenter, a neighbor, at the risk of his
life. The fire bell was broken when last
rung, and the alarm had to be sounded on
the bell of the Presbyterian Church. This
. unusual clangor brought the hose carriage
and plenty of volunteer fremen, to say
nothing of scores of spectators. Sewickley
has no fire department beyond an anti
quated hose reel and a few lengths
of hose, but the pluck of the
fellows who went at the
fire with will made up for the brevity of
one line of hose and the unwieldly length
of the other The water pressure was not
sufficient to send stream up TO the cornice
of the roof, and, in fact, the fremen were
put upon the defensive early in the strug-
gle, and devoted most of their attention to
preserving the Mcmillan residence, which
the flames, because of the westerly wind
hot Tn f,rn
hours all that was left of the Bailey man.
sion, one of the handsomest in the valley,
were the brick chimneys and big bonfire.
Only the skilful and plucky fight made by
the volunteer firemen preserved the neigh
boring houses
The insurance on the building amounts to
S23, ,000 placed as follows: Northern Insur-
ance Company, of England, $4,000; Citi-
zens, of Pittsburg, 5000; German-Ameri-
can, of New York, $1,000 on furniture and
5000 on building. The insurance men
figure on the risk as an entire loss.
This is the second considerable fire in
Sewlcklev within a month; Mr.. Miller's
house on Broad street being the other sacri-
flee to the flames But Sewickleyans were
recalling the fires of the last nine months
yesterday, and including Mrs. Warden's
mansion, they figured up the valleys loss
by fire as at least S75, 900! Much, if not all,
of this loss might have been prevented if
modern appliances for fighting fire had
been within reach. Though Sewickley has
grown from mere village to almost town
in the last 20 years. the fire department.
the aforesaid hose and carriage, has remained
a weakly infant. Now it is proposed to
strengthen it by purchasing a new fire bell!
Sewickly Councils are very roundly abused
for not caring for the borough's safety, but
+bnty oror or 10 Il Al
yearly appropriations for modest policy of
borough improvement consume every cent
of the 500 or so which the tax levy pro-
duces. Burgess George H. Anderson said |
yesterday that he realized as much as anyone |
the urgent need of improving the fire de- |
partment, and would favor the purchase of |
a hand fire engine and sufficient hose, if the |
citizens of Sewickley would provide the |
funds. 1t is probable that Mr. Anderson |
will make a public recommendation to |
Councils on this subject in the near future |
Among the many Sewickleyans who dis |
cussed the matter with representative of |
THE DISPATCH yesterday more than one
that the way to increase the bor-
what the taxpayers consider pretty heavy
taxes would be to have new
appraisement of property made. AT |
present there is very unjust variation in
the assessments, and a great many of the |
largest estates are assessed at ridiculously |
ow figure, while others, generally small |
holdings, are assessed right up to their full
value. If this equalization were effected it
would result in larger revenue surely, it
is said, without increasing the taxpayers,
burdens unduly. Then funds for fire de-
oartment equal to protecting the bor-
ough would be available. The borough
s thoroughly stirred up over the
natter, ard Councils will be called upon to
move if they do not do so of their own ac-
,Ord. In the meanwhile too much credit
,annot be given to the men who serve Sc
yickley whenever fire occurs at a risk of
health and often of life itself
Lives might have been sacrificed in the
Bailey house if the alarm had not been
,iven, by strange chance, before the
lanes had cut off the inmates escape. A
on the late Chicago express
vas carried past his destination, and, Jump
ng from the train at Quaker Valley station,
oroke his leg. 1t was a messenger sent to
ummon doctor for this injured man who
aw the flames in the basement of Mr..
5ailey's house, and it was he who gave the
lrst alarm and aroused the sleeping house.
lold.