The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-04
Notes of the Fire.

Notes of the Fire.
When the alarm was first sounded
the streets were filled with people, all
of the stores in the central city being
open. An enormous multitude of peo-
pie Immediately rushed to the scene of
the fire and crowded around the front
of the building greatly handicapping
the work of the firemen at the start.
All Of the policemen from the central
city, however, were soon on the scene,
and under the direction of Lieutenant
Davis succeeded in establishing fairly
good fire lines. When Chief Robling
appreciated the size OF the fire, he
called in all OF the men from the sub
urbs and stationed Mounted officer Jo-
seph Bloch on Wyoming avenue. The
latter would charge upon the crowd
when 1t began to enCroach and by
this means half of the entire block was
Kept clear. Other men were stationed
in the rear to keep the curious ones
from impeding the work of the fire.
fighters. The crowd that witnessed the
fire numbered between 1000 and 10000
Had it not been for the prompt and
all-around efficient service of the fire.
men a most disastrous contlagration
might have resulted. If the Raub barn,
in the rear, had caught fire there Is
hardly any doubt but that the Chris
tian building and several others on
Spruce street, which Immediately ad-
join It, would have been badly burned,
IL not destroyed.
Attorney NJ. j. Martin, whose office
was on the second floor Of the Coal
Exchange, has valuable library,
which was badly damaged. The great
er part of it was the library of the
late Judge Handley and Mr.. Martin
values It at $5,000 Yesterday he
started to move it to the Mears build
ing, but was stopped by the rain.
Among the books in the library are
some that were at one time the prop
erty CT Chief Justice Marshall and JUS
tice Tainey, of the United States Su-
preme court.
Charles Boldry, of the Columbia
company, was overcome by smoke in
the Raub building and had to be car
ried out.
Charles Schank, of the firm of
Schank & Spencer, thoughtfully dis
tributed a number of pairs of rubber
DOblS dIllOllS lue lTGHltH WHO SlOOu III
need of these necessary articles.
Early in the fire, Fred Boyer, of the
Neptunes, was overcome by the smoke
and had to be carried from the build
ing, He was revived and then pluckily
went back into the midst OF the flames
again. Once more he was overcome
and carried out, and this time was
forced to remain out.
Considerable aid was given the fire
laddies by the volunteer department
composed of the employees of Jonas
Longs Sons store. A large number
of the young men connected with the
establishment were at work from the
store, and using a large number of
feet of hose, rendered very effectual
assistance.
During the progress of the Coal Ex-
change fire an alarm was turned in
from Box Al. at the corner of Hickory
street and South Washington avenue.
The blaze was slight, and was in a
block OF buildings on South Washing
ton avenue, near River street, owned
by Alex. Dunn, sr. 1t was quickly
extinguished by the Nay Augs, who
We're sent down.
Chief Walker had a very close shave
about 130 o'clock. He was inspecting
the work being done by the Reliefs
in the basement Of the McCrea store
and was making his way along the
passageway in the rear of the build
ing which was filled with dense smoke.
He was overcome and after stumbling
for few steps fell unconscious. The
men at the other end of the passage,
seeing his lantern fall, rushed to his
| assistance and carried him out into
the open air. where it was nearly ten
minutes before he gained conscious
| ness. He was then 80 weak that he
was placed under the care OF DR.. John
| O'Malley.
Mayor Moir was on the scene during
the entire evening and took an active
part in the direction Of the firemen.
An alarm turned in about 1.30 O'Clock
| from box 13, at Penn avenue and Null
| berry street, called several of the
| companies from the big fire to eXtin-
guish a slight blaze in the basement
of a saloon on the corner owned b.
| G. L. Fake. The fire was caused by
a fire cracker and only trifling damage
was done.
Select Councilman Joseph Oliver, OF
the Columbia company, who had a
narrow escape from death at the First
Baptist church fire, suffered another
| close call last night c. ]. Weichel's
heavy sign fell while the valiant coun.
cilman-fireman was helping place q
ladder just beneath 1t, and striking
him on the back bowled him over but
fortunately only bruised him.
| 70
into the old Leader store tomorlpw.
Much complaint was made by the
police about the feather-b bed firemen
whose most energetic effort was to dis
| play their badges, get inside the fire
lines and keep in the way Of the active
| firemen,
The previous big fire In the Goa
| Exchange occurred four years ago
The flames started in the cellar. fol.
lowed the oll-soaked woodwork of the
elevator shaft and burned the root
away. Nearly all the offices and the
stores were drenched with water. Cor.
mans dry goods store and Martin
Delaney's clothing store, which occu'
pied the two double stores on the
| ground floor lost practically all theil
| stock. The loss to the building was
$4,000 The building was erected in
1885 and is inventoried on Mr. Jermyn':
books at 100000. Mr.. Jermyn is il
England and is not booked to return
till July 20, His sons propose to begir
repairs at once in the hope Qs having
the building back in shape by the time
| their father returns.