The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-02-11
FIRE LOSS LIKELY TO REACH
$4,000
Early Morning Fire Does Much DAM
age-Started in Myers Shoe Store
Reilly Family Narrowly Es-
cape Suffocation- Property
Damaged by Water.
Damaged by Water.

A disastrous fire occurred on
South Main street early Friday
morning of last week and resulted
in a total loss of about $4,000 for
the occupants of three buildings.
The fire started in the basement of
Frank ]. Myers shoe store little be-
fore two o'clock, but did not break
into flames till some time later. Mrs.
Reilly, who occupies the second
floor of the adjoining building was
awakened by the dense smoke which
poured into her room. The Reilly
family consists of the mother and
son William, and daughters, Olive
Anna and Isabelle, all who had mar
row escape from suffocation. They
escaped from the building in scant
attire and one of the family aroused
Ben Loris, foreman of Hose Com
pany No. who gave the alarm. Mrs.
Reilly had to be carried out of the
building by her son. She was taken
to the home of her son, M. j. Reilly.
The fire was mainly in Myers
store when the fire companies ar
rived on the scene and after several
streams were turned on and by the
use of chemicals, it was thought the
fire had been extinguished but very
soon it again broke out in the sec
ond floor of the Reilly building. The
second floor of the Myers building
is unoccupied
The interior of the Myers building
was badly burned but the second
floor which was a mass of debris,
held The roof was burned off. The
Reilly building was badly damaged
on the interior of the second floor,
occupied by Mrs. Reilly and family.
They were unable to save any Of
their effects.
The T. D. O'Connell building on
the north, used on the first floor by
Michael Calvin, wholesale liquor
dealer, and Harry A. Deck, plumber,
and on the second floor O'Con-
nells hall were considerably dam
aged by water and slightly by fire
as the latter only broke through
into the hall and was quickly ex-
tinguished. Harry Deck suffered
considerable loss by water. Loss
covered by insurance.
South and adjoining the Reilly
building was Calvin & Theobald's
hardware store and over them the
rooms were occupied by Frank Was
man and family. The latter's goods
were damaged to some extent by
water. The water stood many feet
deep in the cellars of all the build
ings At one time it looked as
though the whole block was doomed
to destruction as smoke could be
seen issuing from the caves of all
the buildings. The thorough work
of all the fire companies undoubted-
ly saved the entire block. About
three o'clock the fire was thought
to be under control but there was
plenty of smoke. About this time
the flames again leaped up and it
was all the fire fighters could do to
check it's rush upward and outward.
A second alarm was turned in just
before 8 o'clock Taking into con-
sideration that the thermometer
hovered around zero all the time the
work of checking the flames was diff
ficult. Several streams were kept
constantly playing on the buildings
in front and rear until the fire was
at last under control. The recall
sounded a few seconds before six
o'clock Friday morning.
The origin of the fire is unknown.
There is a steam heating plant in the
basement of the Meyers building but
Mr.. Myers says everything there was
in good condition when he left for
the night. He carried $4,000 insur-
ance on the building and $2,700 on
the stock and fixtures.
T. D. O'Connells loss to his build
ing was covered by insurance.
Mrs. Reilly carried $500 insur-
ance on her building and furniture.
Calvin & Theobald carried $500
insurance on stock and building.
Frank Wasman's loss was cover
ed by insurance.
Michael Calvin suffered some loss
by water. The insurance adjusters
are expected to arrive to-day.