Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-08-24


Less than year intervened between the
two fires. The insurance on the build
ing destroyed on Friday morning is
50 200; on steam heater $500, on rarge
$500, total $4,000.
The last fire was first discovered by
Mrs. Eli Shotsberger, who was attend-
ing to the wants of child that VAS
not well. Looking out of n window
she saw a bright streamer of light ex-
tending from the Academy nOrthward
across the Academy ground. It was.
much too large for the light of lantern
She called her husband and when he
saw it he said "fire" and quickly slip
PED into his clothes and ran to the
Academy. Everything was quiet ex-
cept the cracking of the fire. He be-
lieved that Professor Dysinger WAS as
leep in the building, he shouted with
all his strength, and threw stones
through the window of the room i'm
which he believed the Professor was
asleep, but the Professor not there.
he had gone away the day previous
and the only answer that Shotsberger
got to his calls was an increasing noise
of the fire as it was gaining increased
strength every minute One of the
two doors on the north side of the
building was open but in the confusion
of the situation he failed to particularly.
note whether the door had been burnt
out or whether it stood open. He ran
to Professor Auman's aud aroused him
and he hastened and awakened Mr..
Dysinger, the father Of the Professor
and they all went to the Academy
stable 10 see whether the horse was
there, and when they satisfied them.
selves that the animal was not there
they were certain the Professor was
away from home and not suffocated in
the burning building The weather
was almost Il dead calm aud the sparks !
went up straight almost IL half mile
high. There was no danger from fall
ing sparks for everything was soaking
wet with rain. The Miffiintown fire
did not appear on the scene.
The Patterson company gallantly came
but their hose was not unreeled. Other
was not endangered by the
fire, and the fire in the building had
so far by that time, that it
was useless TO try to save it. The fire
was at such an hour that people are the
hardest to arouse. When Mr.. Shots
berger ran-to arouse Professor Auman,
be sent n son, Il good sized lad to give
The alarm, the boy ran TO East Point,
and knocked at the door of Charles
lsenninger, and shouted, 'iirc in the
Academy" people in the neighborhood
thought he shouted, stfire in the Can
merry" But after awhile, after the
ire alarm whistles sounded, the people
;aught the right direction and then
they came, 10 see, of course not bring
ng any thing with them of use in put
ing out fire. One good Samaritan
brought bucket, and the last seen of
he bucket il was standing at the
lydrant, near the Academy. IT is u
question whether the good hearted I
'itizen who took It there will "get it
,ack." The origin of the fire is pre- ,
ound mystery to the public, some one ,
yuessed that perhaps, the electric wire
unning into the building had set the ,
house ON fire, but the electric light ,
says the wires were dis /;
during the vacation period s
"a hS,, Il ;.t .
wires. Some one suggested, that il
vas within the limit of possibility :
hat some one had gone into the house |
o steal his winter wheat, as there was
where in the building, and that in get
ing the wheat out their light was up =
ct and set the building on fire and the
hieves did not stop to put the fire out.
f card PLAYER were in the building
making a night of it, gambling cooking I
orn and having a time among them {
elves and that they accldentiy set the
'iace on fire. After day light on the
norning of the fire some one in passing Y
long the north side of the ruius noticed (
cellar window frame with three |
lases laying of II short distance from !:
he fire place. The window soon be- I
anne the object of attention, it Tad :
'een in the wall under the p0rch on :
he side of the house, but how, il came g
o be out of the wall unsinoked and {
Insinged, with glass UnbrofeG, is a .
'uzzie to all who have seen il. Can it
'e possible, they say, that the window
vas pryed out before the fire, as a place.
through which TO pass out of the build
ng lot of the 30 bushels of whsati !
hat lay stored in the basement of the
house. y couple engaged in stealing
would have been safer from ise rSation
when at work passing things out
through such an opening than at any
'ther place about the building. and the
loor that Shotsberger found open, pos
IDLY, was where they made their exit
when they hurried away fresIf the fire
hat they started. But when all has
,een said there is a mystery about the
whole affair that has not been fathom-
sd. There are people who believe it WAS
planned incendiary fire
they do not believe that carcusaf, card
playing, feasting,. or thievery had TO do
with the affair. Who ever committed
the crime has loaded himself with a
stock of remorse that will haunt him
day and night through life, and what
ever profit or gain, whether revenge,
malsce, or money, it viii be mill stone |
around his neck that will never cease |
its grinding,
D