Evening star., 1941-07-29
Fire Destroys
6 buildings in
PrinceFrederick
Damage Estimoted
At $500, 900; Town
Is Threatened
By , stan Correspondent of m. Star.

By stan Correspondent Of The Star
PRINCE FREDERICK, Md, July
pa fire which threatened the
entire town for several hours was
brought under control here early
today after it had leveled the Prince
Frederick Department Store, prin-
cipal business establishment of the
community, and five other frame
structures. Preliminary estimates
placed damage at more than $780,
900.
Work of a bucket brigade" and
absence of wind resulted in confne-
ment of the blaze to properties Of
Goodman Goldstein on the mail
highway. Owners of buildings adja-
cent to the fire area had removed
their merchandise and furnishings,
however, fearing further spread Of
the flames.
A general alarm was turned in by
telephone on arrival of the North
Beach Volunteer Fire Department.
Companies from Mechanicsville,
Galesville, La Plata, Upper Marl-
boro and West Annapolis responded.
They were obliged TO run long hose
lines to a small pond and stream.
Mechanicsville's new pumper went
into action. but the buildings were
beyond saving.
Until the North Beach equipment
reached the scene, citizens frantic
| efforts with pals and cans pro-
vided the only f1re-f1ghting method.
Prince Frederick, seat of Calvert
County, has no fire department.
Telephone Poles Burned.
Most of Prince Frederick's tele-
| phones were cut off when flames
licked their way up telephone poles
in front of the blazing buildings.
Power company poles also were
burned. and emergency crews were
! dispatched to make repairs.
Mrs. Joseph Shepard. daughter
/ of Mr.. GoldStein, narrowly escaped
| injury when she dashed into the
smoke filled department store to
salvage records from the safe. A
skylight fell behind her as she ran
out of the building.
There were no serious injuries.
The Upper Marlboro Rescue Squad
treated three men, one for heat eX-
haustion, another for a taut muscle
and third for lacerations.
Mr.. and Mrs. Goldstein were or
dered to bed by their physician be-
cause of nervous exhaustion after
viewing tbs fire at its height.
Blaze Spreads, Quickly. 49,.
The blaze broke out shortly after II
O'Clock last night in the rear of a
grocery store. 1t spread quickly 10
the two-story department store and
then to a small structure occupied
by law Offices of John B. Gray, jr.
one of the county Democratic lead
ers. The flames were halted there
by brick sideWall of the Calvert
Hotel. but ate their way to the rear,
razing two stables and a warehouse.
Six horses and several COWS were
led to safety from the stables.
Cause of the fire was undeter-
mined
All six razed buildings were owned
by Mr.. Goldstein. A son, Joe. 18,
said the store and warehouse were
bullying with large early purchases
for fall and winter trade. Much
of the loss was covered by insur-
ance, he said.
Mr.. GoldStein has been in busi-
ness here for more than 40 years.
One of his sons, Louis. is a member
OF the Maryland House of Delegates.
Establishment of fire-fighting IA
cilities in Prince Frederick has been
championed by William w. Duke,
long active in Democratic circles in
the county. The need was empha-
sized February %, when two frame
buildings, also on the main high
way, were destroyed by fire. One of
!. them housed the plant of Mr..
Dukes newspaper, the Calvert
Journal.
A volunteer fire department was
organized several years ago, but it
remained in existence only a short
time.