Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1906-04-06
BARNS DESTROYED
BY FIRE

moving was considerably accentuatet
Monday by the breaking out of fire
which practically destroyed two barns
communicated to two dwellings near
by and kept the fire department. busy
for nearly an hour.
1t was just two O'Clock when the
alarm was sounded and column OF
black smoke visible from nearly every
part of town WAS seen pouring sky
ward south of East Market street neal
the line separating the first and second
wards. The fire was found to be locat-
ed in two frame barns which stood adj
| joining on the premises of the Will
liam g. Johnston estate and of Joseph
Ephlin, No. 32l and No. 1923 East Front
street, respectively, and abutted on the
alley at the rear of Thomas j. Price $
residence.
| The Friendship, the Washington and
the Continental fire companies were
soon upon the ground and were play
| ing upon the fire. One of the barns
was mass of flames when the firemen
arrived, while the other was also on
fire and was apparently doomed.
The barn ON the William @. Johns
| ton estate was used by L. j. Price for
housing the pony belonging to his
son, Edward. The pony was in the
barn when the fire broke out, but was
rescued just in the nick of time by
James Murray, who discovered the
fire. Mr.. Murray was walking up
Cedar street when he detected smoke
just outside the barn. He invesuigat-
ed and found the board fence which
separates the two lots and leads up to
the barn mass of flames, which had
already communicated to the barn. He
gave the alarm and quickly proceeded
to take the pony to place of safety.
He led the little animal from the barn
just as the devouring flames seized one
side of the stall
Joseph Ephlin, the owner of one
barn, is in WilkesB Barre. Others, how
ever, including his mother, were in
the house assisting to move his house
hold goods. All hands as soon as the
fire was discovered rushed to the barn
and with buckets filled from the hyd-
rant fought heroically to quench the
fire, but to no purpose. In an instant
the flames leaped over head and large
quantity of hay took fire. From that
nj ba hn Inn,na1 -
On every side of the spot are wood
en- buildings, some in close proximity
and all dry and infammable. All that
was needed was fire brand or spark
to set them off. Fortunately there was
no wind and the firemen while play
ing on the burning barn were able to
keep the fire from spreading. All three
companies worked heroically and not
withstanding that the two frame barns
were easy prey to the flames they sue
ceeded in extinguishing the fire before
either of the buildings were wholly in
ruins, although damaged to such an
extent that they will have to be torn
down. Soon after the arrival of the
firemen James Il. Magill in the face of
danger rushed into the barn and drag
ged out set of harness, a box of oats
and some other articles.
When the flames were extinguished
and the firemen were reeling up their
hose there was cry of fire on East
Front street and it was discovered that
ba Of tha Ena raciInnna NJ Mre
G. w. Myerly, East Front and Cedar
streets square away, was on fire at
two places and was blazing briskly
The big crowd that had assembled
made rush to Front street and were
repaid by witnessing some very ex-
peditious and we'll directed work of
the fire department, which in short
time had the fire ON the roof extin-
guished Two other buildings nearer
the burning barns were previously set
on fire by sparks and much damage
was prevented by the same effective
work of the fire department.
AS to the origin of the fire it seemed
to be the consensus of opinion that it
was caused by the burning of brush in
one of the yards. The people assisting
to move Mr.. Ephlin's goods did not
deny that they had burned some straw
in the back yard, but they declared
that it was at a safe distance from the
barn and that they stood by, carefully
watching the fire until the last spark
was extinguished. Mrs Prout who
occupies the adjoining premises deni-
ed that there was any fire at all on her
side, as she was employed elsewhere
and was not even at home during the
day.