Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-17
REBUILDING SNOW HILL,


7
people in the past few days will soon dis
appear, as there is II large force of men at
work tearing down dangerous and tottef- |
ing walls and chimneys and preparing to |
erect new buildings at once. Every car,
pehter and brickmason has been employed |
by those who are anxious to resume busl- |
ness. To-day contracts for the building of |
several new houses were awarded and |
building material is being placed on the |
burned district. g. NJ. Dryden, in whose |
store tile fire originated, to-day purchased
corner lot of George Q. Townsend and at |
once began to prepare the foundation toi
large new building. The directors of the
have their building put up at once, II VIII
be upon the same plan as the one burned.
Levi A. Purnell will have large and
commodious hotel built on the site of the
old Washington House. These with many 4
others will soon cover the burned district
The town council have decided that only
brick houses shall be built in the blocks
bounded by the river on the wests straw
berry alley on the southwest, MaFket
street on the east and Washington street on
the north side. The action of the council
has been approved by the maiorty,of the
people of the town, yet several prominent
men said that while they approved of the
brick buildings, yet they Thought it would
deter the owners OF the property in, re-
building. z
There is a little war going on about the
question of removing the lawyers offices
from the court house green. The citiyens
generally favor a removal and the lawyers
who have enjoyed close proximity to the
temple of Justice think it would bea hard-
ship on them to be moved.
The postotfice, which has been opened at
the bridge, is running along smoothly IN
the care of Postmaster Mock ~ was first
stated that some mail had been destroyed,
but such is not the case. The mail was
placed in the vault of the court house and
1t suffered no harm. ALL the safes owned
by the banks and private firms have been
| opened, and in most cases the contents are
all rig It. An enterprising safe agent was
| in town to-day buying up the old safes.
| He got carload.
The following business men have erected
temporary quarters and are ready i9r
| business. DIR. Q. +. w. Hall, X. w.
| Townsend. X. ]. McAllen & Bro, county
| offices, Wilson & Collins, lawyers, and
| Thomas NJ Purnell, hotel. N
Sidney Wilson will begin the erection Of
| two brick storehouses on the site of those
| which We're burned.
| The insurance agents have been down
| and looked over the field, and they are
happy, as they had but few policies. The
assurances, so far as known, total only
about $4,000.
Snow HILL, MD, Aug. 13.--Sunday
| gave rest and quiet after the excite
ments of the past week in Snow Hill.
| Temporary booths have been erected for
offices and stores and others are going
up for use until more permanent build.
ing can be begun. The people are in
good spirit and determined that the
town shall come out Of the ashes far
better than it ever was before in all its
history.
Rev d. B. Fitzgerald, pastor of the
Mckenzie. Memorial Presbyterian
Church, who, with his wife, was spend
ing his vacation in Hartford county
when the fire took place, lost nearly
everything in his house except some of
the books comprising his library. his
sermons and some smaller household
articles. None of the churches in the
town were burned or damaged and no
parsonage. The only minister's house
burned was that of Mr.. Fitzgerald. He
and his wife hurried to Snow Hill on
receiving news that the town was burn
ing, and on arriving found their house,
which was rented from eX-Congressman
George w. Covington, in ashes. Kind
neighbors rescued what could be saved
in the way of clothing, books, manu-
scripts, pictures and other light articles,
but the heavy furniture and bedding
were all destroyed. No furniture could
be bought in Snow Hill on the days
succeeding the fire, as nearly all such
articles were destroyed in the stores.
There is not an empty house in the
town and only one clearinghouse. Still
there is no restitution. A relief fund
was started but it was not necessary:Oniy
three families lost everything they had
but it is terrible loss all around. The
losers, however, are going to work
pluckily to start again. The Contra
Hotel will be rebuilt at once. Among
the heaviest losers was ex-Congress-
man Covington, who had three dwell
ing houses destroyed. Perhaps, however
the heaviest individual loser was Mr.
w. Sidney Wilson. His loss will foo
up to $4,000 or $4,000. Mr.. James
Selby lost two hotels, three store build
ings and u livery stable-all he had il
the world except the house he lives in
On all this he did not have cent of in
surance.
BIG BLAZE IN BERLIN.
BERLIN, Nd, Aug. 13--About .
o'clock Saturday morning fire broke ou
: in the steam sawmill of Il. G. Hanley
in Berlin, Worcester county. The mil
was at the crossing of the Philadelphia
Wilmington 81 Baltimore and the Balti
more s. Eastern Shore railroads. Whel
! discovered it had gotten such headwa,
! as to be entirely beyond control and tn
mill was soon burned to ashes. 1t wa
only by the most strenuous efforts tina
the depots and warehouses of the tw,
: railroads were saved. As soon as TIL
fire was discovered an extra effort wa
), made to save thewater tank used joint,
q by the two railroad companies, Blu
: proved fruitless. The tank being s.
= near the sawmill it was scorched an,
. twisted SO as to render it unfitfor futur
Z service.
The bucket brigade, which assembled
in full force, had hard fight to save th
/. two depots. Men were kept on til
y buildings all the time with buckets d
: water. The p, w. d. B. railroad tlepo
4 was on fire twice. The mill was insure
for So, 900 and it was valued at $4,000
9 1t will be rebuilt. The fire spread abou
= the railroad tracks and burned a hand
car house belonging to the PHILADELPHIA
road. The origin Of the FIRE is unknown
but is supposed to have been accidental
y A good deal of lumber was destroye
y and several residences were i'll DANCE
y among them the houses of a. II. Powell
y Il. S. Furbush and ID. S. Hudson. In
. loss to the two railroad companies wi
= be about $1,000.
SUNDAY MORNING FIRE IN OXFORD.
y OXFORD, Nd, Aug. ia fife brok
)r nut in 0xford aarlv thiS morniny nm