The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-12-09
THTRTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR
FIRE IN HEART OF THE BUSINESS
DISTRICT OF REYNOLDSVILLE
Made Necessary Call for Aid thu
Dubois Ovaheatd Steve Millinery
Store and Gained Headway Through Lack Of City Water


: For lack of a bucket of water
at $50 Saturday evening, thirty
five thousand dollars worth of
Reynoldsville property was de-
stroyed before midnight, seven
business places were damaged,
three families rendered homeless
and two fremen severely burned.
As in the case of the blaze which
swept the east end district Au-
gust 31st, the city water pipes
were practically dry when the
alarm of fire was given and it
was fully a quarter of an hour
before the fremen could secure
water enough to make an effect
i've fight.
The fire originated from an overhead
ed stove in the building occupied by
Miss M. E. Dailey's millinery store.
When discovered the blaze was small
and parties dashed to the restaurant
adjoining for bucket OF water; they
failed to draw drop and when they re-
turned the fire was creeping swiftly
along the wall They fought it with
brooms and like instruments with little
effect except to spread the flames. The
structure was built of wood, was old and
dry, and adjoined two other wooden
buildings with but thin walls between.
In very few minutes the entire group
from the Imperial hotel on the west to
the store of W. H. Moore on the east
was wrapped In flames and there was
every Indication that the east side Of
Main street between the hotel and the
brick structure of Priester Bros. would
be destroyed. All the buildings were
of wood, covered by tin roof beneath
which the fire crept swiftly along un-
touched by the water which had
finally filled the empty pipes.
When the fremen finally secured
water, FIVE lines Of hose were turned on
the burning mass. The building occu-
pied by Miss Daileys millinery and
Frank McClure's billiard and pool room
were gone beyond hope Of saving and
all efforts were directed to checking
the fire in Norman Buffers Imperial
restaurant, adjoining the $4,000 I'M
perial hotel, and in Moore's building.
The restaurant building burned to the
ground but under such a constant play
of water that the hotel with which it
was connected by passageway, was not
injured. Inside the Imperial, guards
were stationed in every room Of the
three stories along the heated wall and
no damage was done.
In the rear, stables lined the alley
very close to the end OF the burning
buildings. Firemen with line Of hose
fought constantly there and none Of the
barns burned, nor did livestock perish,
as reported. At eleven, the fire was
still unchecked and fear of wholesale
destruction Of the business district led
to call to Chief Griesemer, OF the Du-
iBois fire companies, for aid The lDu.
Bois people responded generously, near
ly hundred persons, including mem
bers Of the Union and John e. Dubois
Fire companies, with the city fire en-
. ,gine, boarded special train on the B.,
r. 4 P. R'y and being given the right
of way, came laundering down the
rails at speed rarely attempted on the
sinuous r. & F. G. The fire engine was
unloaded near the foot OF Fourth street
and line thrown into the Sandy Lick
creek. Hose was strung up to Main
street, two smaller lines were there at
tached and the Dubois firemen thence
forth co-operated with the Reynolds
vile companies under Chief Millireu,
remaining until the end of the long
fight, about three o'clock In the morn
ing, rendering valuable service.
W. Harry Moore lived in the rooms
over his grocery and two Of his children,
sleeping when the fire broke out, were
rescued with difficulty, owing to the
dense smoke which penetrated the
rooms long before fire broke through.
After they had been taken out, group
Of firemen attempted to mount the
stairs 10 the second story and had just
commenced the ascent when terrific
explosion OF natural gas overhead
knocked them down the steps and
burned two, Ralph Carr and Leon Wes-
coat, about the face. Carr was so se-