The Washington herald., 1906-11-21
STOCKTON IN ASHES
Fire Sweeps TOwnin WOrceS-
ter County, Nd.
SLEEPING YOUTH LOSES LIFE
Explosion of Turpentine or Powder
Starts Blaze that Cannot Be Gotten
Under Control for Five HOurs-LOss
Is Estimated at $6O,OOO, with but
Little Insurance.

SPECIAL TO The Washington Herald.
Snow Hill, Md. Nov. 20.-The town OF
Stockton, Worcester County, Nd, about
nine miles below Snow Hill, on the Della
ware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad
was visited by q fire early this morning
which destroyed every business house in
the town except the Stockton Bank
Building One young man lost his lie.
About ten o'clock a terrific explosion
occurred in the storehouse Of ?. +.
Wharton & Son. tearing out one end OF
the building and setting fire TO It.
Asleep in a room Of the stocehouse was
Clarence Parsons, clerk who was
burned to death.
The flames spread rapidly, and soon the
entire population Of about 400 people
were working hard with buckets Of water
10 stop Their progress and save their
homes.
Only One Building Escapes.
The flames Ieaped from one business
house TO another. and with an incred-
ible time every store, shop, hotel and
other business house was consumed, ex-
cept the bank building, which is con-
structed Of brick.
The explosion, from which the fire
originated. is supposed to have been that
of a barrel of turpeutine or a keg Of
powder.
When II occurred. Justice Of the Peace
". o. Payne was sitting in his Office next
10 Wharton's store. He was thrown from
his chair. and the building was shaken as
II by an earthquake
Sixteen buildings were burned, eutailins
loss Of S60,0Go with only a small insuT-
ance
Those who lost by the fire are:
p. Z. Wharton & Son, stOrehouse and
stock
Store occupied by ". o. Payne. confec-
toner; owned by I. p Wharton.
King B. Johnson. barber shop.
WhartOn'S grarery.
L J. Houston & Son, store and stock Of
goods.
z. P. Wharton. storehoUse, formerly oc-
cupied by r T. Taylor
TAYLOR * Powell. dwelling-hOuse. unOc-
cup:ed
a 5. Bromley. stables.
L. J. Duer, hotel
Storehouse occupied by Harry Shockley,
owned by Z. ]. Duer.
James Smack. stOrehOUse.
StorehOuse occupied by Miss Z. D. jus
a. a ----A---i-'@ N'-- - NFf--NN- -9 oe~-iN'
Smack.
Dwelling and shop occupied by ". H.
StUrgis owned by James Smack.
" 3. Paradise, storehOuse and dwell
iEg.
A S. Bromley, storehouse and stock Of
foods
Checked After Five Hours.
The fire was checked after five hours.
as it burned southwark. at the residence
Of Mrs Nancy Burbage which building
was saved by the bucket brigade.
The flames were stepped north at the
bank building. and west after they had
destroyed the handsome hotel building of
Z. J. Duer
The people are determined to rebuild
their places Of business. and friends will
assist those who have been almost ruined
by the fire
Mr. Parsons, who lost his life in an up
Ter room Of the Wharton store. was no
doubt either so badly stunned by the ex-
plosiOn as 10 render him unconscious or
he was killed outright. His remains have
not been found. He was about twenty
three years old.
Z. p. Wharton is one of the heaviest
losers, and had little insurance. MT
Wharton is a man Of considerable means,
and is well known throughout the State
as a member Of the state board Of educa-
ton