The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-28
PECKVILLE SWEPT
BY FIERCE FLAMES

which Barrett says he has had in the
place FOR many months, burst, and the
interior of the little store became
raging furnace. Scott burst out
through the window, and the carly
ones who had rushed to the fire
heard his screams of agony. He rushed
to his home on Prospect avenue, where
doctors were called to attend him. He
has not been able to speak since he
was burned and his story of the condi-
tion of affairs in the store when he
arrived will probably die with him.
Barrett could not yesterday give any
probable cause for the fire.
PROGRESS or FIRE.
The one-story frame building, where
the fire started. is on the south side of
Depot street, about 400 feet from Main
street. This building was occupied BY
JAY Barrett, u newsdealer, and II. ID.
Dunn, jeweler. An alarm was turned in
from Box 10 by Howard Barber, who
lives a short distance away. His mother
was awakened by n light shining
through her bed room window and she
reused her son, who rushed out with
out waiting to dress and turned in the
alarm.
The interior of the building in which
the fire originated was now a mass of
flames. 1t was only about 12x15 feet
in size and was owned by w. f. Ketch-
am who is one of the heaviest losers
by the fire. On the east side of the
building where the fire started was q
one-story frame blacksmith shop, own
ed by ketcham and occupied by Will
liam Davis. The flames quickly spread
to this, and thence to the one-story
frame barber shop of E. L. Williams.
east of the blacksmith shop, also
owned by Ketcham. Adjoining the
barber shop was the two-story frame
dwelling in which Williams lived,
which was saved by the win9 which
Veered around from east to northwest.
While the flames were still confined
to the building in which they originat-
ed, the Wilson Hose company, headed
by Chief of the Fire Department w. j.
Broad, was on the scene, but quickly
realized that they could be of little
assistance, owing to the lack of water
pressure. The company attached lines
of hose to the hydrants and the pres
sure was 50 low that the water did not
reach the second story of the buildings.
Messengers We're sent in hot haste to
the officials of the Archibald Water
company and after time gates We're
lifted that let additional water into
the Peckville mains and the pressure
went up and enabled the firemen to do
more effective work.
LACKED PRESSURE.
During the period when the fire had
its own way through lack of water
it was making progress with giant
strides, and Chief Broad appealed
to Chief Ferber in this city by tele-
phone to send a steamer and hose COM
pany as he feared the fate of Peckville
was sealed. The Crystal Engine and
Liberty Hose company We're rushed up
the valley with the greatest haste pos
sible, but the journey was a long one,
and it was after o'clock when the
companies arrived at Peckville.
The steamer at once began to draw
water from the river and the fight
against the fire took on renewed vigor.
1t did not spread after that time, but it
was not until s a. m. that the firemen
felt they had the fire fully in hand.
When the wind changed from an
easterly to north western direction.
soon after the fire broke out the flames
were blown against the big frame
building on Depot street adjoining the
one in which the fire started. This
was also owned by w. T. Ketcham,
general store.
After licking this up the flames made
a lunch of a barn in the rear of the
4.
fronting on Main street, and then at
tackled the building at the corner of
Main and Depot streets. This was
PeckVille's first hotel, erected over for
~ years ago. 1t was one of the land
marks of the place and was owned by
w. f. Ketcham. 1t was occupied on
the first floor by Shaffer & Doud. mar
ketmen, and on the second floor by
Milton Ketcham, son of the owner,
and his family. Nothing but the foun-
dation walls remain.
OLD HOTEL PROPERTY.
The next building to go down to
ashes adjoined this old hotel property
on Main street on the south. 1t was
two-story frame building, owned by w.
f. Ketcham and occupied by William
Gum as a gentlemen's furnishing
store. Adjoining this was the two
story frame building owned by Mrs.
Jennie Swingle and occupied by Mrs.
c. A. Reynolds and family. The build
ing was badly damaged, but can be
rebuilt. The fire did not get beyond
that point on the east side of Main
street looking south from Depot street.
After the tlames attacked the Ketch-
am store and residence on Depot street
they dashed across the street and fast
ened themselves on the frame building
on the north side of the street, occu-
pied by Mrs. Budd as Il millinery store
and residence 1t was quickly reduced
to ashes, This building was the prop
erty of NJ. 5, Shatfer, of Wilkes Barre
While this building was being con-
sumed the flames We're eating their
way into the buildings east and west
OF it, The adjoining building ON the
east was owned by the Brundage es-
tate and occupied by II, j. Taylor as a
harness and boot and shoe repair shop.
This fed the flames but an instant and
they passed on to the big Odd Fellows
hail. the property of Harper lodge and
the finest building in the town. 1t was
three stories high and the ground floor
was occupied by Il. A. Peck, who con-
Quoted a general store, The second
floor was used as a banquet hall, and
the Carpenters union and G. A. r. had
their meeting rooms there. The third
floor was the meeting place of Harper
lodge of odd Fellows. Red Men, Ma
sons, j. o. II. A. NJ, and Order of East
ern star All of these societies lost'the
greater part of their books and para
phernalla
BARNES DESTROYED.
Two barns in the rear of Odd Fellows
hall, one owned by that organization