The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-09-05
FIRE
Destroyed An Auto Garage
And Three Barns
On South Mechanic Street
Friday Afternoon
Fine Automobile Burned Up
In The Garage
Gasoline Was The Cause OF
The COnflagfatiOn
4 Second Alarm Sent In
Friday Evening

A most destructive and stubborn
fire occurred shortly before o'clock
at the Auto Sales Garage, North Me-
chanic street, between High and Chest
nut streets. The fire spread with
great rapidity and in addition to the
garage, three barns and number of
small sheds were completely destroy
ed.
The Auto Sales Garage is operated
by McIntire & Young and 1t was here
that the blaze started. Mr.. McIntire
with several assistants were engaged
in placing new carburetor in the
Pope-Hartford automobile, owned by
Mr.. o. G. Hagan of this city. There
was some gasoline and considerable
grease in the canvas pan underneath
the machine, and as test was being
made the machine back-fired and a
spark came in contact with the gaso-
line under the car. In an instant
large fiame shot up into the air and the
flame entered the gasoline tank on
the auto and in the brief space of
moment the whole machine was envel-
oped in flames. Mr.. McIntire attempt
ed to throw water on the flames but
this seemed only to increase the fierce
ness of the fire.
An alarm was sent to the depart
ment. Fireman Deitrick answered the
Al ak .,-I ,,.l
house. He stated that he was unable
to understand the operator as to the
location of the fire and about two min
utes wss consumed in receiving the
call.
BY the time the department reached
the scene the garage was mass of
flames and the blaze was spreading
rapidly 10 the surrounding barns.
Fifteen hundred feet of hose was
laid by the department.
West of the garage there are two
barns owned by Mr.. H. G. Bishop.
These were both destroyed. The
flames then spread across the alley to
the north and consumed barn be-
longing to Mr.. Harry Gotshall BY
hard work the business room owned
by Mr.. Bishop, facing on High street,
was saved, although it was scorched
some in the rear.
There were number of automobiles
in the garage at the time and these
were ali saved with the exception
of the auto owned by Mr.. o. G. Hagan.
1t was completely enveloped in flames
from the very start and was burned up
with the exception of the engine. The
machine owned by Mr.. Hagan was
valued at about $4,000.
The building occupied by the Auto
Sales Garage was owned by Mr.. Bert
Alberts and was formerly livery barn
of the garage state that their loss will
be about $500, this including stock
with no insurance. The building was
valued at perhaps $500.
The two barns owned by Mr.. BishoI
were valued at about $500, with very
little insurance.
The barn owned by Mr.. Gotshall wa:
valued at 5000, with little insurance.
The city firemen state that it was
the hottest fire they have fought fol
many years. In the burning garage
there was heavy, iron log-chain 81
hot was the blaze that this chain wal
melted and the drops Of moulten irol
fell to the floor.
The flames did not reach the %
barrel gasoline tank which is locates
In the ground at the entrance of tn
garage.
1t was almost o'clock before tn
blaze was extinguished.
A Second Alarm
At 8 o'clock Friday evening the dc
partment received second call. 1
small blaze had started up in the dc
bris of one of the Bishop barns. TIL
fire was soon extinguished by the d.
partment.