The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-17
FIRE in THE ROOKERY.
When First Discovered It Looked
as if 1t Would Be Very Sc
rious Affair - Damage
Not Great.

Another big fire scare was occa-
stoned this morning at 12.45 o'clock by
a blaze in the RoOkery, and the con-
temptation of the crippled condition of
the fire department.
The flames We're leaping high above
the roof even before the alarm from
Box %, sounded at 124j o'clock, and it
seemed as if the big four-story struc-
ture. surely, and the adjacent buildings,
likely, were doomed to destruction.
1t developed, however, that the dan
ger was not at any time as great as
threatened. The flames shooting from
the roof proved to be emerging from
the Ventilating shaft and that the
burning area was comparatively small.
Its center was in toilet room on the
second floor, just about in the middle
of the building and adjoining the shaft
y window connected the toilet room
and the shaft and through this the
flames found their way to the roof. The
toilet room was thoroughly burned out
and the shaft with it's surrounding
cupola damaged beyond repair.
The Railways in the vicinity of the
shaft were also badly Caved and the
plastering on the upper floors in the
immediate vicinity of the shaft loosened
by the water
The Phoenix Chemical company was
first to arrive and did the bulk of the
work of eXtinguishing the flames. The
Crystals had stream on for short
time, but a bad burst occurred in their
hose, which was not repaired before
Acting Chief McManus called off the
Va ton ,,,i., IL.
Gals to finish up the fight.
The loss is indicated in the damage
described above. The stairs and of
fees suffered very little from water.
The shaft extended upwards from the
storeroOm, formerly occupied by
Bicdleman the bookman. a large
amount of debris and nearly all the
water and chemicals poured on the
blaze found its way into the room. 1t
being vacant little or no loss is to be
chrOnic!ed
Usually three persons sleep in the
building, Charles b. Nelson, ladies'
tailor and his wife, and Photographer
T. f. Dillon. The latter two were
away fortunately. Mrs. Nelson is Wis
iting relatives in New York and Mr..
Dillon went into the country to spend
Sunday.
Mr.. Nelson was the only occupant
at the time the flames broke out.
He was awakened, he says, by op-
pressiVe heat and a sitting sensation.
lie got up out of bed, opened the win
dOws of his bed room on the second
floor front and again retired. When
the heat became more oppressive and
breathing still more difficult he struck
light to investigate the cause and
was startled to find his room filled
with smoke. He lost no time in get
ting to the sidewalk.
1t was not known at first that Mr..
Dillon was not i'm the building and as
his room was on the third floor which
for some time was inaccessible much
excitement resulted
Common Councilman +. w. Zizel-
man, foreman of the Nay Augs,
knocked down a Crystal man named
Edward Cooney, who, it is alleged at
tempted to prevent the Nay Augs
from connecting to the twin hydrant
just opposite the fire from which the
Crystals were stretching a line of hose.
There We're threats of a general
rumpus but up to the time of going to
press it did not materalize.