The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-07-15
A DISASTROUS y
CONFEDERATION.
Tho Store OF D. e. Cloud and Also Post Of
flee Lies In Ruins.
FLAMES BEYOND CONTROL.
Discovered by Mr.. and Mrs. W. e. Briggs
While Returning Home From Ken.
nett Square. - -

The village OF Toughkenamon was visit.
cd last night by disastrous conflagration
aud as q result the meat and provision
store Of d. E. Cloud in which also the
post Office was situated, lies mass of
ruins. Tho fact that tho night was very
damp and comparatively calm alone pre-.
vented the flames from spreading to the
adjoining buildings and tho heavy rain of
yesterday morning was also an important
factor In keeping the fire In check.
1t was quarter to twelve o'clock when
Rev. W. Spriggs and wife, Of Toughkena-
mon, who were returning from lodge in
the rear OF the store In which was situated
the largo refrigerator for storing meats.
Mr.. and Mis-. Spriggs In company with
Charles Burnight, of Ayondale, who was
also driving along tho State road, at on CO
gave the alarm and In a remarkably short
time the residents of the town were at the
scene Of the fire.
The flames had gained such Roadway
however that nothing could be done to
save the building and as tho town Is with
out fire apparatus Of any kind the struc-
ture was entirely at tho mercy of the
flames. Harry Young the station agent,
was one of the first to respond to tho
alarm and he and Mr.. Spriggs managed to
get the large gasoline can from the oil
shed attached to the store and carry it to
place of safety which was the only thing
saved from the contents of tho store.
An effort was made to save the mail,
with little success. Forrest Maln and
Harry Pratt broke in the post Office win.
dow and crawlcd inside. The former
grabbed q couple of mail bags and the
latter gathered what mail no could from
tho boxes. but the suffocating smoke was
too much for them and they were Obliged
to gel out, but not before their hair was
partly singed off and they were burned
about tho face.
While this was going Samuel Scott, W.
Lemon and Harry Wright broke down tho
store door in an endeayor to get out some
of tho contents but the open door made
strong draft and they, too, were com.
pelled to get out of the building when a
sheet of flame and smoke completely en-
veloped them. Lemon geteipg badly
singed about the head and face,
BY this time the fire was at its hei ght,
the flames leaplng higher and higher. 1t
looked for time as though the freight
ware house at the station would catch On
fire but tho prompt application Of water
prevented this.
Mr.. Cloud was not present at the fire. and
did not learn OF his loss until this morning
he ana his family were spending tho night
at tho home Of his fatherin law, Mr.. West
at Red Lion, Tho burned building was
insured only two weeks ago.
The origin OF tho fire Is unknown. Elec-
trio light only Is used In both store and
postofice and there were no coal oil lamps
about tho place. As near as can be ascer.
tained the fire started near tho refrigera.
tor which was filed with ice.
e. a temporary postoilice was ftte upthis
morning in the small building opposite
the station, where the mail will be han.
died until mora convenient quarters are
secu red.