Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-01-30

Kelsey a1d Killie, Building, early
Wednesday, morning. The brick
building on Brainard street inlmed-
iaXely to the rear of the Temple and
occupied by Lynford Allen, board
ing house was nearly Quilted and wa
ter completed the work of destruc-
ton. The brick building on Main
street owned and occupied by David
Cerlem, which adjoins the Kelsey G
Killie Building on the south, was also
badly damaged by smoke and water.
The fire was discovered apparently
by several persons about the same
time. The flames had gained great
Roadway when first seen. Tongues
Of fire were shooting high out of the
roof of the Masonic Temple and DART
ing from second story windows,
while the interior of the building
seemed to be burning fercely. Even
then, several persons tenants and
post office attaches tried to enter the
building and succeeded in doing SO
but were speedy driven out by the
terrific heat and binding smoke.
From the first it was apparent that
the office buildings, both of which
were owned by Kelsey and Killie,
were doomed. The first alarm was
sounded about 1920 A. M. and by that
time the roar of the fire could be
heard at some distance.
There was quite delay in getting
to the fire after it was discovered
the snow which fell Wednesday after
noon and the night before left the
streets heavy and together with the
extreme cold, later greatly hampered
the work of the firemen. 1t was the
coolest morning of the winter the.
mercury being 4 below zero.
1t seemed to those anxiously await
ing help as the flames mounted high
err and higher and spread from floor
to floor in the Temple that the en-
gines would never arrive. But all
things considered and the obstacles
encountered in the darkness and at
that hour the department did well
to reach the scene of the fire as soon
as it did. Once there the firemen
worked vahantly. The chemical
streams were the first to be turned
on the fire but It was Immediately
seen that they could not cope with
it appeals for help were sent out to
neighboring towns as soon as Chief
Schaedle, of the Mount Holly de-
partment saw the danger of the fire
reaching the dwellings, The appeal
for help was received in this city by
Mayor w. B. Cramer who hastily
summoned Chief E. v. Adams who in
turn ordered the alarm of five taps
sounded to summon a crew and in
less than three minutes the appara-
tus and crew were standing by wait
ing for the chiefs orders to go which
was not long in coming as second
call came in from Mount Holly.
With Russell ."Eggie" Holland and
Walter Brother" Hall relaying at the
wheel with the mercury four below
and the wind cutting their faces
record run Of II minutes was made
to the scene of the fire from the. No.
is house.
Ice covered everything. Wherever
the water or the spray from the sire
ans touched outside Of the burning
buildings quickley turned to ice and
soon huge festoons formed on the
walls of the structures even while
they were fercely burning inside.
The fireman suffered greatly from the
exposure. Most of them soon had
their clothing coated with ice while
the hose became frozen ON the out
side and was very difficult to man
euver ON that account
There was great activity among
4, residents of the neighborhood when
the fire was at it's height. There was
no telling how quickly it might
communicate to adjacent properties
and some people began moving out
valuable furniture to places Of safe
ty. The pavement in front of the
Mirror Building and the entrance to
the Mount Holly Theatre were filled
with furniture hastily removed from
William B. Absalom's insurance and
real estate offices opposite.
While it may never be definitely
known those first on the scene be-