The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-09-02
Loss Will Reach
FULLY $4,000
In The Holocaust AT FrGdGriCktOWR
Friday
Buildings Burned Like A Large Mass
OF finder
Chief PiCkard And Fireman Butcher
Direct Fire Fighters

The mistake made by the fire fight
ers is attributed to the fact that the
squad was dis-organized and, without
recognized leader, were unable to
work to the best advantage in the be-
ginning. After the men had had an
opportunity to grasp the situation and
realize that some system must be
used, they did what seems almost i'm
possible. They checked the raging
flames that had secured a firm hold
upon an entire building and that were
being famed to greater height by q
strong easterly breeze.
At $3.50 o'clock the FIRE had been
checked effectually and it was found
that it could be confined to the one
block in which it originated. A
smouldering mass of ruins was all
that could be seen upon the desolate
spot where two hours before business
has been brisk and where content
ment had reigned.
The Hosack drug store was the
second business place to feel the scar
of the flames. 1t was quickly con-
verted into seething furnace but not
before a quantity of oil and explos-
ives had been removed. Considerable
goods was removed from a num-
Der of the stores but the fire spread
SO rapidly that the work of rescuing
valuables became too dangerous to
attempt. To the north the fire ate a
path to the Carl Walters barber shop
at the extreme corner of the block. To
the south it travelled to the X. of P.
hall and the Davis e Dague grocery
which are on the south corner of the
block. This latter building was the
only one that escaped.
When the volunteers were begin
ming to get hold of the situation and
the flames were beginning to dwindle
under the steady stream from several
nozzles the water supply gave out.
This was disparing obstacle that had
not been considered. Hastily the
numerous strings Of hose were thrust
into cisterns in the neighborhood of
the fire and streams of water were
again quickly turned upon the burn
ing buildings. The supply of cistern
water soon gave out and the prop
a,txr ho nd
was appalling.
Shortly before the water supply
gave out an automobile truck from
Mt Veron arrived in the village bear
ing several lengths of fire hose.
Thankfully the desperate villagers
seized upon this and soon a string
was connected to the creek several
hundred feet away. Ar Unlimited
supply of water was no, available
and the crowd of excited onlookers
seized the handles of the pumping ap-
paratus and worked with such vim that
strong stream was soon being
thrown into the worst of the fire
which was soon well under control
and practically all danger of it spread
ing further was over.
Fire Chief U. G. Pickard and Tel.
sic Butcher, who came with hose aud
nozzles, rendered very efficient ser
vice. Chief Pickard took charge OF
the fire brigade and directed the eff
forts toward stopping the spread OF
the flames and subduing the existing
fire. He was effectively aided by Fire
man Butcher. The well directed eff
forts of the Mt. Vernon fire fighters
was the means of holding the fire to
the limitations it reached and saved
many thousand dollars worth of prop
erty.
On several occasions men narrowly
escaped injury or death under heaps
of falling brick and burning timbers
Fortunately, however, all escaped ant
no injuries we're reported.
For over an hour after the confla
grafton started it seemed certain thai
the Jones livery and feed barn anC
the huge G, M. Hildreth warehouse
would be destroyed The sides o.
these buildings We're scorched by tnt