The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-09-02

buildings ana tnOSe IN danger Ol
The origin of the fire is not known.
Milo Coleman had placed horse in the
barn in rear of King & Coleman's lot
shortly after Eve o'clock and left the
barn Immediately, Ten or fifteen min
utes later smoke was noticed issuing
from the building and an alarm sent to
the fire company. Hope Fire Company's
wagon was galloping to the scene with
in two minutes after the bell rung and
the East End Company also responded
promptly. They attached hose lines
and were at the barn before the fire had
gained any great headway and there
seemed little danger OF large confla-
grafton. For some reason there was
not force enough behind the water to
throw it ten feet above the nozzle and
the fremen suddenly found themselves
utterly powerless in the face of the
rapidly spreading flames. Bucket brig
ades were quickly formed to protect
adjoining roofs and through their cease
less work several nearby buildings were
saved. Four barns owned by King &
Coleman, James H. Spry and John
Ross, the latter used by N. A. Headley,
were very close together and the in
tense heat OF burning hay rendered
mere bucket fire fighting useless. In
very few minutes all the barns we're
blazing like great furnace and the
firemen with their tiny stream OF water
could do little more than stand by and
watch it burn. The rear ends of James
II. Spry's building, occupied by bis gro
- Gerry store and dwelling, and King &
Coleman's frame block, occupied by
Coleman's drug store, with Italian ten
ants on the second floor, soon caught
fire from the intense heat. BY this
time the pressure In the water line had
grown much stronger and the fremen
fought valiantly at every point possible
to check the spreading fire but still had
only force enough to keep the exterior
of the burning buildings and those ad-
joining wet. Atthis point, with four
barns and two large frame structures
wrapped In flames, with rain OF sparks
pouring down and setting fire 10 almost
every roof in the radius OF square, and
the water utterly inadequate to success
fully combat it, it was thought that the
greater portion OF the east end OF Main
street would be burned and call for
aid was telephoned to Dubois. The
Frindship and Union hose companies,
with the City engine OF that city
promptly responded; their engine and
equipment was loaded quickly on a B.,
r. & P. R'y car and wild ride to
Reynoldsville followed.
In the meantime the FIRE had started
on an irresistible sweep up the street.
In Colemans and Spry's buildings the
firemen had to abandon their fight
and devote their efforts to dwellings
above and below. On the west side a
group Of fremen on the roof OF George
Harding's house made a remarkably
e
brave and successful fight. The heat
was SO intense that their rubber coats
shriveled up and burned and buckets
OF water had to be thrown over the fire.
men continually to prevent their cloth
ing from burning. Despite this they
held their position for over an hour
and though, with but feeble force of
water, saved the house, accomplishing
thereby feat not one in the thousands
of spectators thought possible when the
seething flames shot high
On the east side the fremen were
just as valiantly struggling, but with
less success. The fire crept on, engulf-
ing in one great mass of flame a vacant
store building adjoining Spry's, dwell
ing formerly occupied and owned by
Mrs. Mary Lucas, then vacant, and
finally dwelling owned by Thomas ].
Davis, all of which were leveled to the
ground in short time. Above the
Davis property was the dwelling Of A.
G. Draucker, which had slate roof and
this probably saved 1t and the balance