Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-11-02

Market streets. This was foitoWeu
soon after by a general alarm, which
brought ,out all but four companies.
The Mt. Pleasant and Allison COM
panies were in service when the fire
men arrived from the central part of
the city.
Pressure Inadequate
on account of the elevation OF the
district in which the fire occurred and
the number of streams started on the
fire. the pressure was found made
quate and the firemen were unable to
reach the flames until engine pressure
was secured. This delay gave the
flames an opportunity to gain consid-
erable headway and the northern
wing was in flames when the firemen
got down to real fighting.
Priests Save Property
The Rev. Father I. Is. johnson with
the Rev. ID. p. Reardon. saved valu-
Fable property, going into the build
ing while the fire was at its height.
They carried out books VeStments and
records. The most valuable saved was
the blessed sacrament which was
locked in the tabernacle in the front
of the altar
The Rev. Father Johnson had some
difficulty in getting through the smoke
to the altar and once dropped the
keys to the chalice. He CROPPED about
and found the keys and was soon out
in the open air with the valuable piece
of silver. He returned and carried
! out a number of vestments. While
this good work was going on the Rev.
Father Reardon was busy in getting
records and Vestments out.
Mother Aloysius Cool
1t was the first experience with q
fire for Mother Aloysius. She did not
leave the grounds until the firemen
had quit and the fire was completely
out. Her GOODNESS when she first dis
covered the fire, and later in direct
ing her twelve sisters and the 119 chill
dren to place of safety was the sub
| ject of much favorable comment.
Mother Aloysius did not complain of
the pain she was suffering from the
burns on her fingers, forgetting her
4 INJURIES in her efforts to direct the
lfiremen where to find the valuables
left behind. and how to get to the top
of the building.
! In one room was a pocketbook con-
tanning SIS. As soon as this informa-
| tion was given Samuel LOCKER, sol
North street, ploughed through smoke
and climbed the stairway to the sec
| ond floor. The money was in bureau
! in the back room. LOCKER reached
| the bureau. found the pocketbook ana
when he reached the outside of the
building was almost exhausted. He
4
Youngsters Miss Breakfast
/ The mass was in celebration of All
Souls Day The Rev. D. P. Reardon
] was officiating Following morning
services the children go to breakfast
The dining room is on the first floor
Plates had been set, bread cut and
everything was in readiness for the
morning meal. There was no break
! fast however at the home this morn
! ing.
1t was not long after the firemen
! were ut work that the morning meal
was floating about the kitchen, and
| the dining room was covered with
soaked bread. broken dishes and
| tables.
! When the little girls were comfort
ably located in temporary homes, they
| just naturally got hungry. The or
phans did not suffer long, however.
Charitable folk were waiting for an
opportunity to help the unfortunates.
One woman went to her cellare, Sc
cured a crock of applebutter, and IT
was not long until the girls were en-
joying an applebutter-bread feast.
Later other food was provided.
Coffee Ready For Firemen
One part of the breakfast prepared
for the inmates of the orphanage the
coffee, was not lost. The flames and
water did not reach the two large
ranges in the kitchen. When the
smoke had cleared away and 1t was
safe to enter the kitchen, the coffee
was still hot, and was served to the
! firemen at work on the building.
When this good work was started, a
small army of women got busy and
soon sandwiches were served with the
coffee. Residents and grocerymen in
the vicinity of the orphanage sent in
supplies of bread and coffee and the
| firemen were we'll cared for.
! Valuable Records Burned
Records giving a complete history
of Sylvan Heights Orphanage were
burned in this mornings fire.. Papers
which would also enable a complete
! estimate of losses were among those
/ destroyed in to-day's fire. During the
! progress OF the fire the Rt Rev. John
w. Shanahan. d. D., bishop of the
| Harrisburg diocese, was of the opinion
that the papers and records were in
| a vault in the safe at st. Patrick s
Cathedral. but learned later that such
was not the case.
Bishop Shanahan was of the opinion
that the building was valued at about
! $4,000 and the contents between
| $4,000 and $40, 900. The entire upper
/ portion of the building was destroyed,
along with the larger portion of the
north wing. 1t is the belief that the
total loss will reach between $4,000
and $4,000. There is an, insurance
on the buildings and contents which
will cover a large part of the loss.
: Until the board of directors makes an
! inventory an accurate loss cannot be
estimated The board of directors
includes the Rt. Rev. John w. Shana-
han, ID. D.. Louis Delone, David E.
| Tracy, Spencer G. Gilbert. Thomas ].
McEntee. Bernard Schmidt and John
/ Sweeney. of Harrisburg, and Richard
! Reilly, of Lancaster.