The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-22
A, M. LEINE SUFFERS BY FIRE
Druggist Loss About S7,O00-Stock
Ruined - Erik Bros. Again
Losers-W. II. NarCoc Flood
ed Fourth Time From
Broken Hydrant.


Honesdale experienced another
fire early Tuesday morning which
entailed a loss for Arthur NJ. Leine,
druggist, of about $1,000. He car
ried a heavy stock, inyentorying at
$4,000, and the fixtures were val
ued at $4,000. Insurance was car
ried in the local companies amount
ing to $500: $4,000 on stock and
$500 on fixtures.
The fire was discovered at 4
O'Clock Tuesday morning by Mrs.
John NJ. Archer, who got up to care
for the children. Smelling a strong
odor of smoke. Mrs. Archer made
thorough inspection of her home and
failing to discover fire in their apart
ments. looked out the window and
remarked to her husband that Bau-
mann's building was on fire. Mr..
Archer sprang from his bed, ran
down stairs to c. NJ. Betz's store and
sent in the alarm. Mr.. Archer was
among the first to lend a helping
hand Hose Company No. l truck
was soon on the scene and had two
streams playing on the fire. They
were followed by Protection Engine
No. 3, which was placed at Farm
hams bridge Texas No. and the
Alert Hook and Ladder companies
were close seconds.
The fire was confined to Druggist
Leine's Sixth street store, and was
an exceedingly hard fire to
fight owing TO the very strong
smoke. The boys, however, did
valiant work and deserve consider
able praise for confining it to the
upper side of the building. There
is only a wooden partition between
that part occupied by Druggist
Leine and the second floor of Erik
Bros store, being quarters they
have occupied since their fire in the
keystone block March . last The
fire was stubborn one. The
flames did not break through the
roof at any time, it being held in
check by several streams Of water
in the hands OF our heroic firemen.
Holes were chopped in the roof and
water was poured in between the
ceiling of the second floor and the
air chamber which resulted in
quenching the flames.
Texas No. Chemical company did
excellent work on the soGth side
apartment of the building. thereby
saving to a great extent Erik Bros
new large stock of building material
and hardware. Four inches of wa
ter were on the second floor and the
basement was hooded. Goods on the
first floor were also damaged. Mr..
Erik estimates his damage between
$6o0 and 500.
The origin of the fire is not
known. From appearances it caught
at the rear of the store downstairs
and the flames worked their way to
the second floor through the stair
way. The contents of the first floor
are practically ruined. From the
second floor the flames ate their way
to the roof, but did not break
through. Mr. Leine said there was
no fire in the store for two days. He
told a Citizen representative Tues
day morning that the place had not
been rewired since the installation
OF electric light fifteen years ago.
There is a possibility that it might
have come from defective wires.
Druggist Leine carried a large
stock in his downtown store, operat-
ing two stores. All goods were de-
lvered to the now burned store
where they were kept in stock and
orders for the Seventh street store
were replenished therefrom. The
store is now boarded up and the
contents will be allowed to dry out
before any will be removed to the
Sf'OHu lOOI VI inc 'OtNtulH SIIttl
store so he can tell what may be
saved.
Edward Deitzer received about a
foot of water in his shoe store cellar,
but no goods were damaged.
Chris. Lowe also had water in his
basement.
A little water penetrated the cell
lar OF the John Loercher Estate
building.
w. II. NarcOe printer, undoubted-
ly suffered a loss by water as much
as any merchant on Main street out
side of the fire district. Mr.. Var
GOES loss was caused by a defective
fire hydrant at the corner OF Main
and Seventh streets. The plug, it Is
claimed, was not fixed since ErB
Bros. fire when Mr.. Varcoe exper.
fenced a like flood. Water and mud
worked its way through the ground
and into the cellar of the Varcot
Printing establishment, doing con
siderable damage and inconvenience
ing the company from work. Mr.
NaTCoe told a representative of thi!
paper Tuesday morning that thi!
fire was his fourth experience at be
ing flooded and he thought that thil
one was about the last straw. Mr.
VarcOe estimates his damage anC
loss at $3.50.
1t was Ty Cobb who acted as