The citizen., 1914-06-05
BIG FIRE AT CREAGERsTowN
Lack of Water Puts Town at
Mercy of Flames $4,000

ashes by raging fire which did damage
to the extent of between sixty and sew
enty thousand dollars.
Between ten O'Clock in the morning
when Mr. Martin, of Creagersiown, while
passing the Atenwald Creamery com
pany's building. discovered the roof
ablaze, and two o clock in the afternoon,
when the wind suddenly veered, blowing
the flames back over the devastated
area. twelve valuable buildings and many
outbuldngs and barns were reduced to
heaps OF ashes. About twenty houses
were untouched by the flames
Several theories are advanced for the
origin of the fire. The explosion OF a
gasoline engine was said to have been
the cause, but this was later denied, and
sparks from stack in the room of the
creamery igniting the dry root of the
buildings were said to have been respon-
siblea
When the alarm was first sounded, and it
was seen that the strong wind would soon
spread the flames to adjoining buildings,
people OF Creagerstown rushed frantically
about, some arranging the formation OF
the bucket brigades, some hauling out
their household furniture, while others
HdIlliCdily l6lepnOntu 10! dlQ.
No water except what could be brought
in buckets from wells and pumps. was
available, and the fire soon became so
hot that it was impossible for anyone to
get near enough to it TO fight it effect
lively.
Several people were painfully burned
in their efforts to quench the flames. B.
F. Bell, whose blacksmith shop. house,
barn, buggvshed and ice house were
completely destroyed, was burned about
the arms, and Gordon TroXell had one
of his eyes scorched- Robert Dorsife,
of Woodsboro. was also painfully burned
All received medical attention.
Following is a list of those who sui
tered most heavily by the fire:
Altenwald Creamery Company-Bmld-
ing completely DESTROYED.
Mrs. Mary Kreeps-House.
Town Hall-Owned by County Com
missioner Stevens.
B F. Bell-House. blacksmith shop,
ice house, barn and buggy shed.
George Stevens-Wagon shed. house,
corn crib and all outbuildings.
Valley Hotel-C. L. Valentine, propri
etor-Barns and outbuildings destroyed.
Creagerstown Hotel, H ]. Krise, of
Frederick, owner and Wilfred Ham,
proprietor-Hotel building and all out
buildings burned
outbuildngs. All the stock was consum-
ed. Loss $40, 900.
Mrs. John Grinder-Double house She
occupied one side and Daniel Shertey the
other. Both lost all their furniture. Loss
IS. 900.
Isaac Hankey-Frame house, ;, barn and
outbuildings. Loss $1,000.
Burn Freeze-House and barbershop
and furnishings. Loss $1,000.
George W. Ham Brick house. Mr..
Hann's daughter conducted millinery
store in the house and this stock was
also consumed. Loss $1,000.
Louis Miler-House, barn and all out
buildings Loss $4 900.
Grace Humphrey-Two houses.
Lewis Ogle-Residence.
George Stevens, brother of County
Commissioner Stevens. was perhaps the
heaviest loser. Everything on his place
was completely DESTROYED, even to the
chicken houses. None of his family we're
at home, Mr.. Stevens having left earlier
in the morning for trip out of town.
All the household furniture in the house
was consumed by the flames. Mr.. Stew
ems was virtually the only resident of the
town whose household furniture was
completely destroyed. All the others
had time to move the most valuable arti-
cles to places of safety.
Another heavy explosion occurred
when the flames reached a gasoline tank
in the Ogle storeroom. A crowd of men
tearing down an outbuldlng to save it
from being burned. were sent scurrying
when the deep detonation sounded.
All the furniture was saved from the
town hall. Commissioner Frank M.
Stephens, the owner, believed that the
building with its entire contents had been
lost. but he learned that citizens Of the
town had saved lot of tables desks,
about 200 chairs. and several cupboards
full of dishes. Commissioner Stephens
said the hall is insured for about halt its
value.
Very little insurance it is said to have
been carried by property owners of the
town.
Plans for rebuilding are already being
considered by the plucky Creagerstown
people. Commissioner Stephens, who is
generally recognized as representing the
sentiment of Creagerstown, declared that
if the losses covered by insurance were
repaid promptly, building would prob
ably begin within week. The town hall
will be one of the first buildings to be
replaced.
Thousands of people from miles around
visited the scene of the fire. 1t was esti-
mated that there were 5000 people in the
town between 3 and a O'Clock in the af-
ternoon.
Frederick responded to call for help
from Creagerstown by sending the steam.
er of the Independent Hose Company to
the scene. Attempts were made by Park
w. T. 10y, plant wire chief of the Ches-
apeake and Potomac Telephone Com
pany, assisted by the citizens of the town,
to dam up the small stream passing
through the village so that enough power
could be obtained to make the use of a
fire engine practicable. Before the en-
gine arrived. however. it was seen that