Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-05-12
4 House on Fire Several Times.


result Will b. ike that OF the parable of
the wolf. the box and the sheep The bell
rang Tuesday for the third time within
a week. and, as on the two previous occa-
sons, when the fremen arrived at the
; enc of the supposed fire. they were greet
ed wiz the word rubber" by a number
OF small boys who had congregatrd there
about. The hremen and large number
OF citizens, on wheels, atoot and in carriag-
es. VINO had FASTENED to North Martins
burg to witness the FIRE almost breath
less from their long run, slowly retreated
up town.
The question is now asked will the
next FIRE turn out TO be serious one and
will the firemen, like the man in that
familiar old story in the school readers. be
ow in responding To that question,
the answer that the previous record of the
bremen in pondng to any and all alarms
should dispel that fear is given.
From another point OF view the citizens
Of the town should take pride in noticing
the quick way in which the alarm is car
ried to the City Hall. the bell tapped and
the tiremen on the scene ready TO take ?
hand IN extinguishing the flames should
they happen to break out. The cause OF
the sounding OF the alarm yesterday
afternoon was slight conhagration in
pile OF rags in the garnet OF the building
occupied by the family of Mr.. Richard
Householder, No. IoS Pennsylvania Ave.
owned by VIM. Pitsnogle. While stand
ing out in the open air Mrs. Householder 5
attention was directed to the scent OF
burning rags by neighbor and she was
later alarmed when her little girl called
her attention to smoke pouring from the
garnet window,
Mrs Householder and neighbors went
Immediately 10 the garnet, which they
found filled with smoke. After a thorough
search of the room they found some rags
burning near a window, which they ex-
I tinguished and by quickly doing 50 prob
ably ayerted disastrous fire. In the
meantime the alarm shot over the tele-
phone wires to the City Hall, where the
bell announced it to the public.
1t is supposed the fire was either caused
by spontaneous combustion or by sparks
blowing in the window from chimney.
Mrs. Householder attributes it to the lat
ter.
BROKE OUT AGAIN.
As soon as the excitement wasover a boy
passing by the house noticed smoke again
pouring from the windows. He notified
Mrs Householder, who went to the garnet
and found the steps and the door leading
to the garrett abaz. These had been set
on fire by burning rags, which had been
dropped on the steps. The blaze was
extinguished after the steps and door had
been consd5raly burned.
The family was thrown into excitement
again at six o'clock by more smoke in the
garnet. Rags had fallen underneath the
| floor and blazes coming up through the
cracks now threatened serious fire. The
boards were torn u5 and the blaze ex-
tinguished
The members of the family were kept
in state of fear all night lest fire would
break out afresh, but by tearing up the
floor the last sparks had been extinguished
and there was no more trouble.
The property was insured in Mr.. P. r.
! Harrison's agency and the loss has al
ready been adjusted and paid TO the en-
tire satisfaction of Mr.. Ptsnogle.
ANOTHER TINE.
At fifteen minutes past four Wednesday
afternoon the city was again disturbed by
the FIRE alarm, for the fourth time within
week. The fire was at the same place
and amounted to about as much as on the
previous evening. After being alarmed
for almost nothing for three times within
so short time the firemen and people
thought this would be a real fire and even
larger number turned out than on the
previous evening but again did they
make their long run for nothing and,
though disguised, they took it all good
naturedly.
After standing on guard with buckets
of water the whole of Tuesday night and
all yesterday morning, the family of Mr..
Householder was again alarmed by flames
emitting from the sides of the roof in the
evening. Fire had broken out at different
| places IN the garnet twice in the morning,
but at no time did they get as far advanc-
ed as at this time. The blaze was spread
ing over the side OF the building and it
was thought better to summon the tiremen
1t was extlnguished and the building b.
: yond all danger, however, before they ar
rived.
The members of the Householder fam
lily and the occupants Of the neighboring
houses are now SO frightened that they
are afraid to sleep at night. They ask,
rs this house haunted by fire ?" The
reason given for these strange actions of
the blazes are that sparks spread under
the floor on Tuesday and were smothered
until yesterday when they were famed to
blaze by The wind. The Householder
family spent a restless mis- h, and
it was thought that the last linger-
ing spark had been extinguished.
ALARM NO. 5.
The mysterious sparks broke out into
flames again Thursday at 10 o'clock
and the fire alarm was again sounded.
The fire this time was at the bottom of
the stairway leading into the garnet of the
some house. Mrs. Householder,w who was
watching the garnet day and night, left it
about $50 to go TO a store after provls-
ions for dinner. When she returned in
less than half hour atterward she went