Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-04-22
Many disastrous Farm Fires.

The large bank barn on the farm OF Mrs.
Sarah Grimes few miles north OF Shep-
herdstown, on the Maryland side of the
river, was entirely destroyed by fire last
Sunday night, with all IFS contents. The
farm is tenanted by WI A. Powell. His
two sons had been TO church, and when
they returned and put away their horsesa all
thing was apparently as usual. Shortly
before eleven O'Clock the barking OF the
dogs awakened the family, and the barn
was seen to be in flames. BY the time
the men were able TO get out, the whole
structure was ablaZe and il was impoSsl-
Bile TO get near enough TO it to save any
thing. Eleven horses, eleven cattle and
about thirty sheep were burned to death,
and 400 bushels OF wheat, a lot OF hay, all
the farming implements, harness, ETC.,
went up in smoke. Not one article in the
barn was gotten out. The loss Will
amount to $1,000 or $1,000. Mrs. G9meSs
had no insurance on the barn, but Mr..
Powell, the tenant, had $500 insurance
on his property. 1t is not known how
the barn caught afire. The Grimes place
is across the river from 10 L. Walper's
and Robert Lemen's, and it is said that
burning embers were carried 10 the places
of the latter in such quantities as TO en-
danger their property. The conilagration
made a brilliant light and the reflection
was seen for many miles around.
Monday afternoon fire destroyed the
bank barn on the farm OF DR.. c. B. Boyle,
mile anda-half from Hagerstown. Dur
ing the fire fifteen pounds of dynamite in
a corncrib adjacent was exploded by the
heat, and five persons who were near by
were injured by the flying debris How
ard Schindel was very BADLY hurt.
On Monday The house of Geo. T. Stein
er, near Jefferson, Frederick county, Md,
caught fire and was destroyed with every
thing in it. The flames spread TO the
barn, and it was also destroyed with
all IFS contents. Every building on the
place was reduced to ashes-wagon shed,
meat-house, corn-crib, etc. Burning
embers carried by the high wind set fire
to and destroyed the large bank barn on
the farm OF Clarence Hemp, about a
quarter OF mile away. Dry grass caught
and spread the fire in every direction,
and it was only by strenuous eXertionS
OF many persons that further loss was
prevented. II is estimated that the total
loss amounts to $4,000, partly covered
by insurance.
There have also been destructive forest
fires along the Blue Ridge mountains in
Clarke county, Va. Tuesday fires that
had been started 10 burn brush got be-
yond control and swept over wide ter
ritory, burning all day Wednesday.
Among the buildings destroyed by the
flames were summer hotel along the
Shenandoah river, known as the Blue
Ball Inn; the residences OF Thomas Tav-
enner and Thomas Mcdonald and ten
ant-houSe on w. w. Bowles'S place
barns on the farms OF Mr.. Benner and
Mrs. Jacob VorouS. Hundreds OF men
were called out from the county and from
Berryville TO fight the fires. but they are
still uncontrolled at last accounts.
Tuesday the barn, corncrib, machinery
building and wagon shed on the farm OF
Wiener Arnold, at the edge OF Burkitts-
vile, Nd, were destroyed by fire, cauS-
ing heavy loss, as valuable farm ma
chinery and farm products were destroy
ed, Burning embers were carried over
Burkittsville, and fourteen buildings in
the town were set afire. By strenuous
efforts the town was saved from deStruc-
ton.
Thousands of acres OF mountain land
in Washington and Frederick counties
and in Pennsylvania the Pen-Mar neigh
borhood were burned over during the
past week, the extreme drought having
made the woodland very infIammable.
The loss to timber is very heavy. There
were also fires in the Blue Ridge noun
tains along the Virginia line.