Evening journal., 1916-02-14
.SELBYVILLE FIRE
swept At NIGHT;
Loss IS $4,000
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dwelling. Loss $500, insurance
$1,000, which also covers a garage
that ras not damaged.
G. r. Whitaker, drug store. Loss
$4,000. insurance S1,500.
Baltimore Trust Company, banking
house. Loss $4 500, covered by insur-
ance.
w. NJ. Long, general merchandise
store and dwelling. Loss $500, part
ly insured.
e. G. Long & Son. clothing store
and dwelling, loss about $4,000, in
surance $4,000. Seven families were
made homeless by the FIRE. but ali
were taken in by relatives and are
comfortably provided for.
While many securities and negotia-
BILE paper were locked. along with
money, in the vault of the Baltimore
Trust Company, the contents OF the
vault were not damaged. Colonel
John c. Towsend, Jr., who is presi-
dent OF that bank and a prominent
resident OF the town, this morning
stated that everything was intact
within the bank and that the vault
had gone through the intense heat
OF the fire with no damage except to
its exterior
Coming at a time when most Of
the residents Of the town We're either
in their homes or at church, the fire
caused the greatest excitement. Sell
! byville is at the southern boundary
of Delaware, being at the Maryland
line, and It enjoys the reputation OF
being the greatest berry shipping
center of the United States. and is an
unusually prosperous community. II
has many civic improvements, but
somehow has never established a fire
company.
So far as can be traced, the fire
started in the restaurant Of Ions
Brothers, on south side OF Chui II
street. about S o'clock. from a cause
not determined. Some young meT
had been in the place earlier in the
evening. but the restaurant was closed
when tn flames were discovered by
w. J. G. Williams. who has a restau
rant adjoining. and by some boys. Al
alarm Immediately was given. anC
men poured from church and from
their homes to fight the flames. Wash
ingion Long, one Of the proprietor
OF the restaurant, was in his hom'
above the business place at the time
and he managed to save few Of hi
effects.
While a bucket brigade was forme'
at once, the flames spread rapidly ant
there was not much chance 70 saw
anything from properties in tn
block that il was evident would bi
consumed
The wind woOped down from the
north and it drove the flames alone
with startling rapidity. Some house
hold effects were saved from dwell
ings that were located above the bust
ness places. most of the properties de-
stroyed being combination dwellings
and residences All were OF wood
construction excepting the banking
house of the Baltimore Trust Com
pany, which was a brick structure.
Gradually the flames ate their way
/ along the south side of Church stree
and also leaped across to properties
on the north side of Church street
which also soon were doomed. Not
withstanding the great handicap, the
bucket brigades worked valiantly and
saved nearby properties from destruc-
ton. At midnight the progress of
the fire had been checked only a short
! distance from the residence of L. j.
! Holloway, on the south, the residence
OF Colonel John G.. Townsend Jr., ad-
Joining il. Neither of these houses
were damaged On the west the
flames were stopped short distance
from the home Of F. A. Long. While
the fire was under control at 12
o'clock, the embers continued to burn
until nearly daybreak, but vigilant
men prevented any fresh outbreak.
During the fire the telephone wires
were melted and fel down, cutting off
communication by that means with
/ the town. For awhile there was no
| telegraphic service. either. as the
operator at the railroad station fear
ed his own home was about TO be
consumed and he went there to look
after his effects. The Pennsylvania
railroad telegraph operator kept the
Wilmington office and other points
informed of the progress OF the fire
during the night. it being the only
way VI ktAtAn6 AAN0o W OANoAaN HRAhNs
for many hours. This morning tele
phonic communication was restored
The phone exchange was not dam
aged.
The Harrington Fire Compan,
came to Selbyville on a special trail
provided by the Delaware Railroad
1t arrived about midnight. but wa
, not required to go into service. TIL
, Harrington delegation with thei
chemical apparatus went to the fir
zone and remained there until thi
morning. prepared to go into ser
7 vice il needed. No appeal was mad
TO Wilmington for assistance, al
= though railroad officials in that cit
were kept informed OF the progres
!, of the fire so that apparatus coul
= be sent II asked for.
VII MINCT0N EIREMEN