Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-10-03
OCEAN CITY
THREATENED!
Hotel And Two Stores Burned
Women In Bucket Brigade.
Little Insurance.

In fire which threatened Ocean City
Saturday night. one hotel. two stores
and several other buildings were de-
stroyed and a number Of others dam
aged. Heroic efforts on the part Of a
bucket brigade. composed Of men. resi-
dents and many women, the women be-
ing led by Miss Christine Fox. of Wash
ington saved the city.
The buildings burned were the Orien-
tai Hotel and dwelling adjoining, Capt
+. X. Cropper's house and l.. S. Brit
tingham's store and his dwelling.
Raynes Ocean Front Hotel, Choppers
grocery. llamblin's photograph gallery
and the Ocean View House were all on
fire at one time, but the loss on these
was not great
The Baltimore. chesapeake and At
lantc Railways depot. near which We're
the burnt buildings, was on fire dozen
times and only desperately hard work
saved il. Two cases of dynamite were
stored in the freight she'd but were got
out safely. All the other freight was
removed early
The flames were first seen in the
hAAiltll VI Atif vi FttiNFtl ilUAtls nliiNii -
between the Baltimore. Chesapeake and
Atlantic Railway depot and the post
Office and near both the Atlantic and
Seaside Hotels. The alarm brought out
the residents and the cottagers The
lifesaving crew also responded.
Ocean City has a water system sup
piled by large tank more than 100
feet high, and the pressure from this is
supposed 10 throw water over the tall
est buildings in the town. The fire APP
paratus was gotten out quickly, con-
sidering the fact that there is no regular
organized fire company After the hose
was connected to the fire plugs and
water turned on from the main several
sections Of the hose were found defec-
tive, couplings blew Off and some
burst. This caused serious delay. In
the meantime buckets were brought in
to use.
II was seen in few minutes that the
Oriental and the dwelling adjoining
occupied by Capt. +. X. Chopper. and
the building used as a store and dwell
ing by L. S. Birmingham were doomed.
The fireiighters attention was then
turned to saving other property and
irving 10 coniine the FIRE TO these three
buildings Raynes Ocean Front Hotel,
Croppers grocery. Elamblin's photo
graph gallery and the Ocean View
House were all on fire al one time. but
were damaged very slightly.
After the flames seemed to be con
fined to the buildings named. which
were all in row. they got across to
the depot This caught fire after a
time. The bucket brigade did unusual
" fine work here When il was seen
than the freigh'-staton was almost
certain to be destroyed all the freight
was removed to places of safety. The
building. however. was only slightly
damaged.
The removal Of the dynamite was
done at considerable risk. as sparks
were plentiful. There was little wind.
otherwise the fire might have extended
either up or down the beach. The
"Bowery. or lower portion. and the
new pier seemed in great danger early.
Capt John r. Jones and his crew of
hfesavers gave signal service, as did
the ladies' Miss Fox and her mother
are still occupying their cottage near
the upper end of the boardwalk and was
soon on the scene The Foxes are
among the most faithful of the summer
residents. as they have had a cottage
many seasons, and Miss Fox, who is
one of the most attractive young girls
here. has been coming since a child.
The hotel and dwelling were owned
by Mr.. B. b. Timmons. of Newark
No one was injured, except by slight
burns.
The blaze broke out about 7. NJ
and was under control in an hour.