Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-03-16
Full Account Ofthe Fire.

FRosTDURG, Mp, March s, 1901.
To the MINING JOURNAL
Fortunately. | was with Il small party
of Frostburg people Oh the way to the
inauguration, and, on our arrival in the
city at about , o'clock Monday morning,
not being able to secure hotel accom-
mOdatiOnS, we had to make the best of
the situation.
Like all patriotic Erostburgcrs, we at
once wendell our way towards the White
House, that historic building, made SO
by the lives of so many noble men and
last, not least, by the incumbent, PrcSi-
dent William Mckinley.
After viewing the decorations and
grounds we passed on to the War and
Navy building, at one time said to be the
finest editice ou the globe, but now sur
passed only by the National Library.
Passing to the next square we dis
covered the decorations OF large build
ing on fire, having caught from Il live
wire. Making dash for the scene, we
got there Just as Il couple of officers joined
us. Fortunately, i'll the restaurant under
the fire the people We're astir. One of
these was ordered by the officers to 60
up stairs and from Il window tear down
the decorations, but he could not do so on
account of many wires. Then some
persons came running with il ladder,
which, being too short to reach the
boxing where the fire was burning, Joe
Bear, Of your town, with his experience
as a fire fighter, seized the ladder and
held 1t while one of Uncle Sans bows III
blue, who happened along at the time,
verified the statement of Admiral w. :.
Schley that it is ''thc man behind the
gun who does the work" He climbed
the ladder and in il few minutes had the
fire out.
At this moment constable Owen Eng
land discovered ii lady. greatly excited,
about to leap from Il fifth-story window,
and he ran up Il ladder, rescued her, but
when within ten feet of the ground by
some mishap he lost his hold of the lady
and but for the nerve and daring of
Fred. Domdera, who caught and saved
her from what might have been pain
full fall, and delivered her to her friends
none the worse for her thrilling cscapc
| might add that Herman Getz, Peter
Thomas and myself, being present, aided
i'll eXtinguishing flames which at an hour
so early and within half block of the
White House, might have become Il
serious affair. Owing to its nearness to
wv 'LNHi'tNItlttl lutItlOlt', Dl'l
FrOStburg once more, as always came
in for her share in saving the nation
what might have been an irrcparable
loss.
After this exciting incident our party
started out to ''dO" the city. Particular.
ly We're we interested in the many
magnificent school buildings, none, how
ever, more beautiful than the State
Normal No. "a monument to "thc old
city on the HILL but discredit to the
State, made 50 by the failure of the
Legislature to appropriate ii sufficient
fund for its proper maintenance. Had it
done so, i'll our opinion it would not have
been necessary to call special session
of the Legislature at an expense Of per-
hapS thirty or forty thousand dollars to
disfranchise the illiberate voter. This
money, expended and properly dis
tributcd, in ii few short years would have
cured the illiteracy of our good old com
monwealth.
| might add, in conclusion, that by the
prompt and efficient action of our party
the fire was so quickly eXtinquished that
the city reporters did not get any ac-
count of it, and thereby Frostburg once
again scores Il scoop by first publishing
Il news item of more Importance to city
and country than the people imagine.
HUGH MCMILLAN