The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-02-25
lNTS
FOOTWEAR FACTl : TOTALLY
DESTROYED
Early Morning Fire Caused Loss OF
$75,OOO-Fire Was Beyond Con-
trOl-President of Company
Says They Will Rebuild.

Flames destroyed the large three
story brick factory of the Honesdale
Footwear Company, corporation,
on Park street, and caused loss esti-
mated at about SIS, 900 early Friday
morning. The origin of the fire is
unknown and when discovered had
gained considerable headway.
Early in the evening residents of
that part of town were annoyed by
the odor of something burning. The
fumes were heavy in the air but no
fire could be seen at that time. Off
Ger Degroat, who was walking his
beat above the bridge, saw the flames
but could not locate them. He turn
ed in an alarm, however, and after
wards found out that the flames were
coming out of the Footwear factory.
That was about 2:40 o'clock. A
second alarm was turned in but by
that time the fire was beginning to
burst through the roof of the factory
and when the first of the fire COM
panies arrived the fire was beyond
| control.
The flames are supposed to have
started either in the stock room,
which is on the third floor, or in the
office which is on the ground floor.
Both the stock room and the office
are in the rear or south end of the
| long building. The fire companies of
Texas, Honesdale and Seelyville re-
sponded and soon had nine streams
of water pouring on the flames.
Protection Engine Company's steam
er worked throughout, taking water
from the Lackawaxen river. About
an hour after the fire companies ar
rived the rear half of the west wall
collapsed, flinging the brick both in
ward and outward. Three firemen
who were manipulating a stream
near the building at that point bare
ly escaped being killed, the wall fall
ing only a few feet from them as
they got out of the way.
The factory is situated at the fork
of the LackawaXen and Dyberry riv-
ers and is bounded on the east side
by the latter and on the rear end by
the former. For this reason the fire.
men were unable to put into play
streams on the rear of the building
or on the east side. This handicapped
them to a great extent.
AS the fire was beyond control in
the rear end, the firemen put their
efforts to saving the front of the
, building, where the machinery, en-
gine and boiler were located. They
, succeeded in checking the flames be-
fore they did much damage to that
part.
| The fire must have smouldered for
: several hours before breaking out
, into flames. It's origin will probably
remain mystery. 1t was the larg-
: est fire Honesdale has experienced in
Z many years and for the number of
/ people it drew from their homes,
it even exceeding the Rief-Spettigue
? fire of year ago. 1t was estimated
! that fifteen hundred people stood
along the walks and near the build
ing to witness the conflagration.
There were no other buildings in
close proximity to the fire as the riv-
er separated the factory from several
e residences on River street and from
e the frame structure occupied by
4 Krantz & Smiths Cut Glass factory.
i The fire ragged furiously during
< the early hours of the morning and
e it was almost six o'clock before it
e was extinguished, the firemen hav-
: ing labored three hours to stem its
S advance.
The flames lighted up the whole
e neighborhood and the burning leath-
d er sent up showers of sparks and en-
] DerS. hTdulZ az ldCCOi y
y across the river was for time en-
II dangered by the flying sparks.
l. The factory is practically a total
= loss as the building WIS totally dam
II aged. The walls remaining are in a
e bad condition. The rear and side
s walls are badly bulged and will.
l. probably be torn down.
e The front of the factory escaped
) the rayages of the flames and the en-
$ CINE room remains in good condition
The roof which is of timber covered
with a coating of tar is completely
D destroyed from over half the entire
II length.
The machinery used by the Homes
dale Footwear Company is only par
TALLY damaged and most of it can b'
rebuilt. This machinery was owned
D. Jointly by this company and th'
trust, from which most of it wa
leased
The stock room contained man.
a. thousands of dollars worth of finish
IN ed goods which were being held TO
re spring shipment. The company hat
in an extensive trade in Cuba an'
K South America and had orders aggre
eating $4,000 waiting to be filled
lie The company employed about g.
ne people who are now thrown out
lg work. The loss is about thre
as fourths covered by insurance. Tn
ne building, stock and fixtures were IN
ar sured for about $4,000.
The building, which lis practicall
r. new. was invoiced at about 81 1000
&C. The Honesdale Footwear Compan
at was capitalized at 100000, and @
sy this amount $51, 900 was outstand
nd ing. The reminder of the stock wa
en- owned by w. H. Krantz.
to The officers of the company ar
or William H. Krantz, president; l.. !
Krantz, vice-president and treasurer
to and Oscar e. Rummetsch, secretar!
In an interview Saturday Nj
"a Krantz stated that the compan
of ,n,,1d updOuhted1v rehuild the DlaI