The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1914-06-05
CREACERSTOWN
FIRE SWEPT.
HALF OF VILLAGE WIPED 0UT-NO
WATER TO FIGHT .FLAMES-LO$
ABOUT $4,000.

Half of Creagerstown, village OF
200 inhabitants, 15 miles north OF
Frederick is i'm ashes, as a. result OF
a fire which began at 10 o'clock last
Tuesday morning and ended about
1.3O o'clock. In that time, twelve
dwellings,, several business places
and ten small barns or stables had
been burned, in addition to numerous
other small buildings. The town has
no water system. The money loss Is
given in amounts ranging from $780,
900 to $4,000, partially covered by
insurance, but the loss to residents
will be quite heavy.
The fire started in the Monocacy
Valley Creamery engine room, and
II ON there, famed by a strong north
west wind, burned to the center OF
the town, taking all buildings On
both sides Of the street. The two
hotels or the town were burned, and
also the store of Robert IL. Ogle, which
carried an unusually large stock Of
goods.
About 1890. the first appeal for
aid was made to Frederick, and
Mayor Fraley was asked to send
fire apparatus to the town. The COM
hesitated about going, because during
the fire last March at Mount Airy
the United Fire Company, in taking
Its heavy engine to the scene, tore
the crank case to bits and damaged
the engine to the extent of about
$500. The Independent steamer
horse-drawn, was sent to Thurmont
over the electric line, but when ii
reached there the fire had about died
down, and it was not unloaded.
a list OF the burned property, to-
gether with estimates of the loss,
follows:
Monocacy Valley Creamery, build
ing completely consumed, loss. So
600.
Mrs. Mary Keech, house; loss,
$500.
Town Hall, owned by County Com
missioner Frank nj. Stevens; loss
$1,000.
B. F. Bell, house, blacksmith shop,
ice house, barn and buggy shed, loss,
$4,000.
George Stevens, wagon shed. corn
crib, barn and dwelling, loss $1,000.
Valley Hotel, G. l.. Valentine, pro
prietor, and barn and outbuildlngs,
loss $4,000.
Creagerstown Hotel, II. J. Krise,
OF Frederick, owner, Wilfred Ham.
proprietor, hotel building and all out
buildings burned, loss $4,000.
R. J.. Ogle, store, dwelling and all
out-buildings, loss, $4,000.
Mrs. John Grinder, double house,
loss, 200.
Isaac Hankey, frame house, barn
and out-buildings, loss, $4,000.
Byron Free, house and barbershop
and furnishings, loss, $1,000.
George w. Ham, brick house and
millinery store, loss, IS 600.
Louis Miller, house, barn and all
out-buildings, loss, $4,000.
The roofs were burned off the
houses OF Mrs. Jane Warner and Will
lam J Speaks, and a number or other
buildings were damaged slightly.
Just as the fire had burned every
there was a sudden change In the
wind and the flames were driven back
over the burned section. This un-
doubtedly saved the church and the
school house, which stand near each
other.
About noon, residents of the town
bldIcu ludl uAlcSS A6lp ISdCl6u LnSLA
within an hour and half or two
hours, they thought the whole town
must 60. The fire leaped the street
OF the town with ease and from the
section OF the town where it started
to where il ended, the only building
to escape was a small storehouse.
Only about Is houses remain stand
ing in the town and from these prac-
tically all the household furniture
had been removed. From the burned
houses nearly all the furniture was
saved.
An unfortunate feature OF the fire Is
the lack of insurance. Several per-
sons will lose practically every cent
they have accumulated in years. The
town Is next to the oldest settlement
i'm Frederick county.
People by the hundreds from Walk
eTsville, Woodsboro, Thurmont, Fred
erick, Graceham and other places
went to the scene Of the fire. Those
who have visited the place say that
the destruction covers a greater area
than at Mount Airy, which was visit
ed by fire on March %, where prop
erty valued at nearly $4,000 was
burned.
RailrOaded by Manchester.