Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-07-24
Five Runs to the Fire.

ment was holding a special meeting to
make arrangements to attend the
picnic to be given to-day by their old
and faithful friends, the Alert Fire
Department, of Meyersdale, Pa. The
boys had hardly settled down to bus
mess when the bell in the dome of the
town hall rang the alarm of fire. No
body waited for motion to adjourn,
nor stood on the order of his going but
it was-who can get downstairs first
The wonder is that someone was not
hurt in the rush to reach the apparatus
but it turned out that first assistant
Chief Alfred Jetfries, with his hose
truck, closely followed by second as
sistant Henry Fisher and his new cart,
first reached McNeill's livery stable,
already in a blaze. Jetfries coupled
on to the plug on the corner of Broad
way and Main streets, and strung his
hose down to Payne's alley, while
Fisher, with his new cotton hose, made
attachment to the plug on the corner
of Water and Main with the result
that Jeffries had a few seconds the
better of Fisher in throwing water on
the fire, which, of course, can be ac-
counted for by Fisher having a great
deal farther to string his hose. While
Jetfries and Fisher were getting ready
to turn the water on third assistant
Frank Spates, with his hook and lad
der ladies, came tearing out Water
street with their heavy truck and
made the run to the corner of Broad
way, but finding that they could not
get down the narrow alley to the scene
of the fire, they returned double-quick
to Water street and turned into Payne's
alley. The water had been turned on
but a very short time when, down the
long hill on Main street came the Fed
eral Hill boys in charge of first nozzle
man William Wenk, who had taken
the place of assistant chief G.. H.
Hamill, disabled by dislocated
elbow. Then came the Bowery boys,
exhausted, however by their long up
hill run, assistant chief Owen Dando
in charge. The services of these re-
Inducements We're not needed, for in
ten minutes from the time the bell
tapped the fire was under control.
Chief John H. Bath arrived just be-
fore the first stream had been turned
on, although he was confined to his
room in the Hotel Gladstone by sick
ness. But "Jack" could not stand the
pressure. When the bell rang he had
to go and take his ducking with the
rest of the boys.
1t took some time after the flames
in the building were out to quench the
smoldering fire in the contents of the
hay-loft, which had to be scattered and
thrown out of the building to make
sure that everything was safe.
After the chief had seen that all pre-
cautions had been taken to render
everything secure for the night it was
quietly whispered that there was some
thing waiting for the boys at the hose
room. The hose was thereupon wash
ed aud reeled up little quicker than
usual and all repaired to the room
where liquid refreshments, donated by
the popular gents furnisher, w. C..
Wright, and the amiable liveryman,
George D. Mcneil, were abundantly
served.
The stable belonged to W. E. G..
Hitchins q Co. The roof was lost,
damage probably $50, and the hay
and other feed destroyed, belonging
to Mr.. Mcneil, amounted to about
the same sum. No insurance.
Fire is supposed to have been start
ed by boys smoking in the loft.
Among the ten horses in the stable
at the time was Harvester" once a
great racer and the property of Mike
Dwyer, now owned by DIR. J. H.
McGanu.
Among all Of their many achieve
ments the firemen never did a better
piece of work.