The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-06-06
Big Fire at Moorestorr.,

spectacular fire which ragged for several
hours Wednesday night, threatened the
business section of Moorestown and
destroyed large barn In which twenty
three horses persisted. The flames were
discovered about eleven thirty O'Clock
Wednesday night and were not extin
guished until early Thursday morning.
The barn was owned by the John s. Col
Inns & Son Co., one Of the largest lumber
dealers in South Jersey. The loss is
estimated at ten thousand dollars, the fire
having burned the barn to the ground
The two volunteer fire companies of
Moorestown, under the directions of Evan
+. Benners and Elwood Bolton, the com.
pany's chiefs. and Edward Halleran. head
OF the Moorestown fire department,
managed to conine the blaze to the frame
barn. Constant streams of water were
played on large mill adjoining the barn
and several other buildings of the Collins
Company. Many handsome residences
nearby were also threatened, but through
the efforts of the fremen were saved from
the flames.
A few minutes after IL O'Clock Wednes
DAY night some one awoke the town bv
shouting fire" In few minutes the crv
was taken up by many men and bows.
Members of both volunteer fire commands
ran to their stations, many of them onlv
partly clad, and the engines were rushed
to the scene of the blaze. The barn is
within few hundred feet of the railroad
station. adjoining the planning mill and
lumber yard Of the Collins Company. 1t
Is In the heart of the business section.
Before the fremen got to work the flames
were leaping high into the air, lighting up
the entire town. The reflection on the skv
could be seen for many miles. and resi-
dents OF the vicinity OF the town fiocked
TO the scene in large numbers. At first 1t
was thought by those living at some dis
lance that the entire town was ablaze.
The firemen turned all their efforts 70
saving the valuable mill and lumber ward
OF the company, together with adjoining
residences. An effort was made under the
personal direction of Chief Benners to save
some OF the work horses in the barn. AL.
tnough the structure was blazing through
out Chief. Benners and several of the
members of his company braved the in
tense heat. ran through shower of sparks
ana managed to break down the large
doors.
Inc horses which were looked upon as
the finest collection of work horses in the
vicinity, were screaming with pain and In
q panic OF fear. Two of them were blind
folded after much difficulty and saved.
but the flames spread so rapidly that the
nremen were forced to retreat from the
barn, leaving the animals to perish.
During the height of the excitement the
large crowd assembled In the neighboring
streets heard crash In the burning build
ing. The floor Of the loft, with MANY TONS
OF burning hay and feed, had collapsed,
falling on the frantic animals on the first
noor. The fremen battled with the flames
several times turning their attention to
small fires started on neighboring build
ings by sparks until $3.50 O'Clock Thurs
Gay morning. By that time only pile Of
embers and burned bones remained OF the
barn and horses.
Ihose who watched the fire from start
70 nnish say that the heat was terrific.
Many times the wind drove thick clouds
OF smoke into the faces of the firemep
standing as near the burning building as
they dared. but in spite of this no one was
overcome or injured except slightly from
sparks.
oners OF assistance to the fire depart
ment were received several times during
the night from nearby towns, but each
was refused. The townspeople were high
In their praise of the volunteer firemen.