The Penn's Grove record., 1901-10-11
A BIG MORNING BLAZE.


The worst fire ever in Penn's Grove
came Monday morning and consumed the
leading business center OF the town on
SummerilPs block, corner of Main and
Penn Streets. On the block were located
Fletcher W. Layton's tobacco store, Robt.
H. Justices meat market, Vim. +. Yea
gers barber shop and residence, Sheppard
l.. Boone's residence, Jos. +. Boone's
residence, BoOnes' ice cream and con-
%fectionery store, the post office and Jos.
A. Robbins harness shop. More damage
would have been done, but for the faith
full service of many citizens carrying wa
ter in pals from the river and nearby
wells and wetting other buildings and but
for the pulling down OF Robbins harness
shop which made a brake in the almost
solid row OF buildings, and permitted the
water carriers to stand the heat SO that
the Smith property could be kept wet
enough to protect it from the flames.
The fire was first discovered by VIM.
+. Pedrick, the Waterman at the Railroad
station at about 800 a. M. The flames
were then leaping up the sides of the
butcher shop and tobacco store in the
alley between the two buildings and o
broke through The roof of the two build
ings. The neighborhood was 500 arous-
ed and later the whole town was awaken
ed by thu ringing Of the church bells.
Men and women with pals OF water
did their best to keep back the flames
while others carried out the stock OF
goods, furniture and fixtures, from the
houses and the mail matter and safe from
the post office. The furniture was also
carried out OF the Smith houses for fear
they could not be saved.
Little could be lone with water pals
and with almost a solid row of houses
before the flames with no means to fight
it, it was apparent that eight or ten hous-
es adjoining one another were in danger,
uniess a brake could be mode in the row,
by tearing down Robbins's harness shop,
which was a frail frame structure. The
bucket brigade quit putting water on the
apartment house and went to putting
carpet on the Smith house and wetting
the carpet and house to hinder it from
catching fire, while a gang oil men, under
John Harker with axes and ropes, tore
down the harness shop. After being torn
down the lumber was wet and the flames
could not go any further than the apart
ment in which was located the post OF
flee.
When the fire started the wind was
from the north and favorable to helping
the fire sweep the whole center OF the
town, but about 6 o'clock, before the fire
reached the south5end of the apartment
house the wind shifted to the east and
endangered the bank and other build
ings on the west side of the street, which
were scorched by the heat. The change
OF wind also allowed the men to remain
on the Smith house to throw water, but
the heat was so intense as to cause Rich
ard Richardson to faint, while the top of
his gum hat was scorched. ID. ID. Leaps
clothing store was also scorched while
the tobacco store burned.
By $50 the fire was under control and
there was little danger of its spreading.
About 4.30 when it looked as II moth
ing could be done to stop several houses
from being burned, telephone messages
were sent - Camden and Whining
ton fire departments, asking for help,
while the steamer Ulrica was started over
the river to bringt the engines over There
was no flat car in the Camden yard and
it was sometime before the Camden en-
CINE got started. 1t got as far as South
| Camden when the flames got under con-
troll and a telegram was sent counter
handing its coming.
About $50 the UlTica arrived with the
Liberty and Friendship fire engines with
2S00 feet Of hose, and 40 men under John
p. Welsh, Chief OF the Fire Department.
They connected the hose to the water in
the river and in five minutes had two
streams OF water playing on the burning
timbers, and all the fire was put out.
Their coming allayed all fears OF any
spread Of fire and showed what effective
work can be done with a fire engine, and
how badly the town needs some such
machine for use. As the tiremen had
got ont of their beds'1hdhc carte with no
breakfast several citizens refreshed them
with sandwiches and coffee. The citiz-i
ems felt grateful for their coming and the
tiremen expressed their appreciation for
their treatment.
The origin of the fire is unknown and
whether it started outside between the
two buildings orinside the weaenerboards
OF the butcher shop can only be c%onjec-
tured, as it was consuming the weather.
boards Of both buildings when first seen.
LOSSES.
The heaviest loosers by the fire are
John Summerill & Bro. who owned the
butcher shop and the four apartment
house. Their value was about $4,000. on
which was an insurance of 5000. Mrs.
VIM. S. Avis, of Camden owned the to-
bacco store. Value $500; insurance, $500. |
Fletcher w. Layton carried about $1,000
worth OF stock in the tobacco store. He
saved about 500 worth and will get S50O
insurance. Robert H.. Justice had his
stock and fixtures insured for $500. Not
having a very heavy supply OF meat over
Sunday the insurance company has al
lowed him 1913. |
w. f. Yeager lost all the furnishing of
three bed rooms besides kitchen furni-
ture and utensils. His loss he values at
S4OO. He carried $500 insurance and was
allowed $3.50.
Sheppard L. Boone places his loss at
$3.50. Carried $500 insurance; allowed
S277. Jos. E. Boone places his loss at
500; carried $500 worth of insurance and
was allowed S47.
Postmaster J. d. Whitaker lost his post
office boxes and fixtures which he values
at $3.50.
Jos. A. Robbins lost his building which
would have burned if it had not been
torn down. Value $500, no insurance.
NEW LOCATIONS.
Postmaster Whitaker has the post Of
flee in Odd Fellows Hall, in the small
room at the rear of the stairway leading
to the second story. +. w. Layton has
opened a tobacco store in the basement
OF ID. d. Leaps store. w. +. Yeager has
opened his barber shop in the front
rooms of Margaret Smiths house and his
family moved into the rear. Mrs. Smith
h>5 moved into the apartment at the rear
of Mrs. Title Smiths store. Jos. +.
Boone has moved into the Amos X.
Alloway house on Delaware Avenue and
s.. L. Boone, who has stored the few
goods he saved with Chas. L. Summerill,
lives with his father. They have opened
the front room OF G.. II, Elkinton's house
rented by Albemarle Megill, to Ian
ning's livery stable for the sale of ice
cream and confectionery. JOS. A. Rob
bins has most of his goods stored in the
basement of Jos. e. French's brick build
ing occupied by Edw. H. Green, but is
not allowed to do business there. Mr.,
Justice has 40 place to locate.
John Summerill x Bro. have not fully
decided what to do yet, but have in mind
the building OF a solid block of houses on
their ground, with brick walls, for stores