Evening journal., 1922-04-06
MIDDLETOWN HAS
$4,000 FIRE
tContlnued from Flrst Parel

Continued from First Page)
containing the cash and stamps was
rolled out Of the building 20 safety
Miss Eugenie Beaston who had an
Insurance office on the second floor
Of the shepherd building sustained
a loss OF probably s250o. She saved
"a few OF her most valuable Office
records Covered by Insurance.
The Town Library was also iocat-
cd on the second floor or the Shen-
herd building and all the hooks num-
hcring several thousand volumes
were destroyed loss probably $4,000
Home Of DR. Edward n. Vaughan
west OF the Shepherd building dam
aged 10 the extent Of about $1,000.
Home OF william Wood east Of
The Opera House damaged TO tho
extent OF about S2500.
To was about midnight that the
blaze was discovered by Mr.. Zaffere
baker II started In the rear OF
the Opera House about where the
scenery Is located and had gained
considerable headway when dlscov-
cred by Mr. Zanere. He gave the
alarm and within few minutes local
hremen were lighting the blaze. II
was soon realized that the blaze was
such that many buildings would
probably be destroyed unless
outside help was secured with
the result that appeals were
made by telephone and the six
companies mentioned hurried here.
The Middletown fremen In the
meantime did good work IN restrict
Ing the fire 10 the two buildings. n
was IN the neiEhborhood OF o'clock
when the other FIRE companies start
I'd to arrive They also did excel
lent work and were highly commend
cd by the citizens Of Mlddletown for
their valuable assistance IN saving
other buildings from destruction.
Time after time the frame dwell
ings Of both Dr. Vaughan and Mr.
Woods we're on hre but the fremen
by a stubborn fight managed 10 put
out each outbreak only 10 have 10
repeat the work In a few minutes.
Both the Opera House and the Post
Office buildings were burned to the
ground. The valuable work Of the
fremen was in saving the Vaughan.
Wood and other properties as the
former two buildings were doomed
by the time the fremen arrived so
rapidly had the fire spread. Fire
and water damaged the Vaughan
and Wood properties
Postmaster Jolis was one OF the
early arrivals and he with others got
busy az once TO save the govern
ment property. All loose mail and
sacks OF mail were carried out and
the safe rolled out before the heat
q drove the men away. Miss Beaston
also managed 10 get in her lnsurance
Office for a few seconds TO earry out
some Of her most valuable records
II was impossible 10 save any
/ thing from the hardware and fruit
stores under the opera house. Mr.
Lewis. owner OF the property also
had a private office on the first floor
/ the contents OF which was destroyed
The destruction Of the library
books Is a serious loss TO many peo-
pie who had been using the library
for years 10 was kept up largely by
private contributions and was start
cd many years ago. Mrs. C.. A. Hof-
fecker had charge OF the library
The opera House built by Mr.
Lewis in 1919. financially was one OF
the most successful movie houses OF
the Peninsula II was built on the
site OF the old brick opera House,
which was also destroyed by fire
about three years ago.
Mr.. Lewis only recently had erect