Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-10-05

street side is the foundation and
concrete forms for the new Evan
gelical Publishing House. which is
under process of erection.
Thousands in Danger
Adjoining the garage on the other
side was n high board fence, erected
to keep the public from ground oc-
cupied as storage plot by the con-
tractors for the new publishing
house. Shortly after the alarm was
given every available foot of space
in the neighborhood was occupied
by persons who had fastened to
Third and Reilly at the first alarm.
When the first piece of flre-flghting
apparatus reached the building
flames were shooting from the front
and rear.
For time thousands of those who
were gathered near the scene of the
big fire were in grave danger. The
intense heat soon melted the high
tension electric wires in front of the
building, and before the loose ends
could be cut from the poles, great
tongues of purple-white flames shot
up from the stret car rails where a
contact with the broken wires had
, been formed. Telephone and tele-
graph wires dropped in clusters, and
a cable containing hundreds of wires
dropped to the ground without in
terrupting the service.
Nearly Forty Machines
$50 ""'""~e contained almost forty
automobiles, many of which were
1890 .-.uOuvs many of which were
practically new. A number of the
cars contained in the building were
there for repairs. l.. A. Faunce, a
jewcler, residing at 1914 North Third
street, was on his way to the garage
to remove his car upon which repairs
had been completed, when the fire
alarm sounded. Mr.. Faunce did not
reach the garage in time to remove
his machine.
According to an employe of the
garage, the fire started when How
ard Kemmer, sales agent for the
Redmond garage. attempted to crank
car, which stood near the front of
the building. The car backfired,
igniting gasoline in the drip pan. An
explosion followed. as a result of
which liquid fire was thrown to ev-
cry part of the building The build
ing was supplied with hand eXtin-
guishers, but these proved of little
avail, due to the fact that the flames
spread with such rapidity.
Six persons are employed at the
garage. An effort was made to save
some of the automobiles, but the heat
was such that comparatively little
could be accomplished. Mr.. Redmond
estimates that cars and material val
ued at $4,000 were removed from
the building. Some insurance was
carried. but the fire risk was high
and Redmond will suffer heavy loss.
Mr.. Redmonds most serious loss
may result from the fact that the
books and records of the establish
ment were lost. Practically all the
% tnn -, -,
building was burned. including the
accounts.
Eight New Cars
According to an employe of the
garage, there were eight new cars in
the building this morning. Redmond
Is agent for the Chandler automobile.
and carried in stock n number of Vim
trucks. The repair department of the
garage contained a large number of
cars owned by individuals. When in
terviewed this morning. Mr.. Redmond
states that his loss would be heavy,
but was unable to tell the amount
of insurance carried. He was plan
ming to remove his establishment to
the modern fireproof building adjoin-
ing his old place of business as soon
as the new building could be made
ready for occupancy.
Second Fire
In 1913, while located at Third and
Reilly streets, Mr.. Redmond lost his
garage by fire. At that time one of
his employees was slightly injured.
This morning one man was slightly
burned, but was not taken to the
hospital
The building which burned this
morning stood on leased ground.
Intense excitement reigned in the
neighborhood of Third and Reilly
streets until the flames were under
control. The children had not vet
gathered at the Reilly schoolbuilding.
The brick building at the rear of
the garage. in Susquehanna street.
suffered many broken windows. and
persons living in the apartments
there will have heavy losses through
damage by water. The three-story
brick building was not badly dam
aged.
At 1907 North Third, the building
owned by w. w. McClain and occu-
pied by F. II. Daugherty was scorched