Bridgeton pioneer., 1907-02-28
MILLVILLE HAS A
BIG FIRE SCARE.

Around about midnight Saturday,
all Millville was alarmed lest great
confiagration would sweep over the
greater part of the city.
While the tiremen by their heroic
WORK did good work, it seemed certain
that the flames would get away from
them. There was fairly good supply
OF water, but frozen hydrants retarded
the getting to work, and the men
suffered greatly from the severe cold
as they directed the streams OF water
upon The blazing buildings.
The burned district was on High
street just north of Main and embrac-
! ed the old Opera House block which
was once before destroyed by most
serious blaze.
All along this side of High streets
the buildings are of frame, the ma
jority of them old structures and
| burned like SO much finder after the
| fire had started. The old Ed. McGear
livery stable was also destroyed and
| this added to the disaster for the old
shaoks filled with hay and straw fairly
fed the flames.
For hours the firemen fought the
flames which rapidly gained headway,
going from store to store, and eating
| up all of the frame structures. The
authorities were greatly alarmed and
was in communication with Bridge
ton, Vineland and other places, and
asked to have help ready for emer-
gency. This was done.
When the fire was sweeping at its
| fiercest it did not seem possible that
anything could prevent the entire
business section from being swept but
| fortunately the people and tiremen by
| almost superhuman efforts finally
succeeded in getting the better of
the on reaching flames.
n The loss is heavy. Many business
houses were destroyed together with
much stock. So rapidly did the fire
spread that in some instances nothing
could be done toward getting things
from buildings. Many Things that.were
carried out were stolen and Iaken
away, although Mayor Payne had a
arge number Of special officers &C
work.. and many of the firemen did
police duty.
Among the place burned out were
the jewelry store Of S. J. Murphy /:
the sporting goods store of William
Batten; the livery stable of Jerry
CLARK; the VanStaten dry goods store +:
the Brandriff hardware store; the
Paronoff shoe store; the office of the
Colonial Life Insurance Company
the office of the Bell Telephone Com :
pany; the Rogers barber shop and the
Irene Club house.
The origin of the fire is not known.
The buildings were old frame struc-
lures, and the loss is estimated at
$40, 900. partially covered with insur-
ance.
I The fire originated in the rear of
Jere Clark's livery stable, on High
Street. A lot of cornstalks ignited
from match carelessly thrown on
them. The flames spread in ten min
utes until three barns were in flames.
Clark, the liveryman, had nine
horses perish in the flames.
Steamer Trip to Jamestown.
Remember the delightful week trip
to Washington D. @. by steamer in
1892, when A. L. Robson Post G., A.
R. members and their wives and
daughters took in the National G.. A.
r. encampment?
That was great trip. Everybody
enjoyed 1t. Out of it grew the Wash
ington Excursion Association, which
has meetings annually.
Another delightful trip is now being
contemplated by the veterans and
their wives. If proper arrangements
can be made the veterans will charter
a steamer for week or ten days, and
a party will take in the great James
town Exposition which opens in
April. The party would live entirely
upon the boat, furnishing meals, etc.,
The trip would be splendid one.
The Exposition is off Hampton Roads,
and a touring party would see much
that is especially enjoyable. They
would touch at Old Point Comfort,
take in fortress Monroe. go to New
port News. to Norfolk, Virginia Beach
etc. The Exposition, itself, will be
a fine one and afford delightful and
interesting trip.
February has only IS days, but from
a weather standpoint the most of them