The Newtown bee., 1905-06-02
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
SANDY HOOKS DISASTROUS FIRE


 SANDY HOOKS DISASTROUS FIRE. POsTOFFICE BLOCK, BUILDINGS OF MRS
 E. A. BENNETT AND RESIDENCE OF J.
 J. LYONS DESTROYED.
 The most disastrous fire that has visited Sandy Hook in decade, when five wooden buildings were to- tally destroyed. The fire broke out about 3. 30 a. m. The first to give the alarm was Mrs Nellie E. Tucker, who saw from the windows of her residence the light of the fire reflected on the sky. The exact point at which the fire sstarted is unknown, but it was somewhere in the cluster of old build ings owned by Mrs Emily A. Bennett.
 The fire spread with frightful rapid= ity and by the time the men arrived on the scene was practically beyond control. Had the pump in' the old Mantle mill been in order it would have been possible to have confined the fire to the buildings of Mrs Ben- nett. As it was the substantial Post kept residence of John J. Lyons were burned.
 Word of the fire
 WAS TELEPHONED TO VIEWPOINT
 STREET,
 and soon the bell of Trinity church awoke every sleeper in the village. Patrick Cannon and assistants loaded the hand engine into wagon and by o'clock had it in action at Sandy Hook. MT Cannon, as always at fires, did valiant work. To the fact that the machine was taken to Sandy Hook is due the saving from destruction of the tenement house of Mrs Bennett. Charles Hawley declared that if the engine had been on hand 20 minutes earlier, they would have saved the house of MT Lyons from burning.
 So far as the morning was concerned it was favorable time for fire. The slight breeze that was blowing at 3.30 a. m., died out almost entirely half hour later,
 For time it was
 FEARED THE FIRE MIGHT LEAP ACROSS
 THE POOTATUCK BROOK
 to the vacant Mantle mill block. Men with pails of water were stationed on the roof, and the sides of the building next the fire were kept wet.
 George F. Taylor and others set about to get line of hose connected with the pump of the engine of the retaining plant of the New York Betting & Packing Co.,, more than a quarter of mile away. It was neces- sary to send after additional hose and by the time the connection was made the0tire had practically burned itself out.
 The Postoffice block was owned by Smith P. Glover, and was in fine state of repair, as are all of MT GlOv- CTS buildings. It was occupied on the ground floor by the Sandy Hook post F. Taylor and the Sandy Hook library. On the second floor was the Masonic hall, occupied by Hiram lodge, F. & A. M., Hiram chapter, R. A. M., and Jephthah chapter, O. B. s. The lodge property was mainly removed from the building by Dr BettS and l.. T. BriS- COG. The fine old Masonic painting, prized by every member of the lodge, was taken down the stairs by $. W. Lesher and H. G. Warner. All the records and charters were removed and taken in charge by L. 0. Morris, secretary of the lodge. The lodge and for the property remaining in the hall that was burned. Postmaster Sniffen removed all his effects, so suffers no material loss. Ezra J. Hall removed about S20O worth of goods before he was driven out of his store by the fire and smoke. He was assisted in carry ing out number of stoves by Martin Conger, Austin Hurd, H. G. Warner and William Stevens. When he first went into the store to secure few books and papers in his desk he was almost overpOwered by the smoke and was obliged to crawl out on his hands loss is $3OO0, with insurance of about | S2OOO.
 J. R. Brott, the baker, had $500 in- surance on his stock. The OF MRS EMILY A. BENNETT
 ARE A TOTAL LOSS, as she had no insurance OF the proper ty. S. P. Glover had 5000 insurance on his building, with an estimated loss
 The house of John J. Lyons was in sured for $500, with loss of $500. It was rented by John Haugh, ,an employe of B. J. Hall. MT Haugh had no in- surance on his furniture, but saved it all with the aid of friends.
 A LITTLE HISTORY.
 The tin shop destroyed was erected in 1845 by Timothy Jordan. The drug store was part of an old building moved here from Bedding by Dudley SQuireS about 1850. The old school building destroyed was used aboutl849 as a blacksmith shop. The Postoffice block originally stood on the site of the Brick store, and was moved to it's present site in 1857. It was remodeled by MT Glover IS or 20 years ago. For these facts we are indebted to Ex- Senator Glover.
 The big safe of Hiram lodge reposed on two beams on the second floor, and kept it's place long after the siding had burned away. It finally went to the basement with a crash. There was some excitement about the time the fire got to burning in the store of PQStmaSter Sniffen. Boxes of car