Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-19
FIRE |MPER|LS ALL
OF MARKET SQUARE
[Continued From First Page1

[Continued From First Page1
break in the fire alar maparatus at
the courthouse gave to some COM
panies three taps, the signal that the
fire was under control and they did
not arrive until William Crozier, as
sistant city electrician, repaired the
break in the belfry and sent in cor
rect alarm.
Crowds Gather
Many peopel were in the streets at
the time the fire broke out, including
visitors here for the inaugural cere-
monies. The big crowd soon filled
Market Square and it was with diff
Guilty that the police We're able to clear
the streets. People from all over the
location of the fire f1ocked to the CEN
ctr of the city.
Hose and Plug Burst
The flames had a good start when
the firemen got down to work, An
elevator shaft and a broken skylight
furnished a draft for the flames which
soon spread over the entire store.
Bursting hose Handicapped the f1remen
for an hour. and there were times
when but one stream of water was on
the blaze. Further trouble and delay
came when the fire plug attached to
the new water main at Market and
River streets was pulled out. The
Good Will fire company engine was
pumping water at this plug and had
TO be transferred to Second and Chest
nut streets.
Flames Break Out Again
After the companies from the outer
districts had been ordered home
shortly after o'clock, the flames
broke out again in Kaufman's. and
at the Pomeroy grocery store. These
blazes were difficult to reach and nee
essitated keeping firemen on duty all
day
Origin Unknown
No theory was advanced as to the
origin of the fire. The watchman,
Peter Bonmiller, said he noticed the
flames in the basement, while mem
bers of the Washington chemical
company and other companies early
on the scene said the flames were
spread throughout the center building
of the Kaufman store when they ar
rived
William Jauss. a member of the
washington company, who was one
of the first firemen on the scene, said
when he entered the store, the heat
and smoke drove him back. The
flames had gained considerable head
way and were shoting up the elevator
shaft The heat was so intense that
the glass in the big windows broke
making it dangerous for the flremen
10 make any attempt to get further
into the store.
Watchman's Story
Peter Bonmiller, the Kaufman store
watchman, who lives at 1887 North
Third street, said this morning: 81 dis
covered smoke a few minutes after II
o'clock when | went to the electric
switch on the first floor to turn out the
front lights. | ran to the street and
notified policeman, who turned in
the alarm. | had been to the cellar
ten or fifteen times before to adjust
the steam heat. but saw no signs of
fire then. At 1890 o'clock had made
my complete round of the entire build
and saw no evidence anywhere. There
is no fire kept in the building, as city
steam heat is used"
Kaufman Talks
Il would say the loss to the build
ing or the stock is not fully covered
by Insurance." said David Kaufman,
proprietor of the Kaufman Undersen-
ing store, in an interview this morn
ing at the temporary office in the store
of Joseph Claster, 6 North Market
Square.
Mr.. Kaufman said he could not give
an estimate of his losses until he can
examine his books locked in the safes
in the ruins of the building. Their
recovery was begun this afternoon as