The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1945-11-22
RESULTS OF FIRE
RETAIN INTEREST
OF LOCAL PEOPLE
Rehabilitation of Burned Out
Families Progressing Thru Red
Cross Disaster Committee

Rehabilitation of the seven families
made homeless and the resumption of
the five businesses burned out as a
result of last weeks disastrous fire
which destroyed the Nally building,
corner Second and Alder street, oc-
cupied the attention of the towns cit
liens and organizations this week, and
much progress has been reported by
the American Red Cross county chap
ter, working both with a local Red
Cross disaster committee and national
headquarters representatives
All families are either being taken
care of temporarily in the homes of
friends and relatives or have been
placed through the local Red Cross
committee, while heads of the business
concerns have already made or are
making arrangements for rcopcning
| their establishments in the limited
places available.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Dunbar and
! family are at the home of Emory w.
Adams, Water street. Mr.. and Mrs.
Bernard Nally and family are at
! Ethclhurst, near town, and Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert Coffey and son arc at the
home of Mrs. D. f. Offutt Mrs.
Mabel Flanagan and two children are
at the home of Mr.. and Mrs. William
Cover Mrs Ruth Bowers and two
children, who were temporarily quar-
| tered at Mt. Lake Park, and Mr.. and
Mrs. Roy Ferguson have rented an
apartment in the Naylor building,
corner of Wilson and Liberty streets.
Mr. Ed Root and sons are with rcla-
tives in Eglon, while Mrs. Root is at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Peck on
Liberty street.
Reaford Purbaugh has rented por-
ton of the Naylor building on Liberty
street where he will resume business
as the Western Auto Associate
Store. The Great Atlantic and Pacific
Tea company plans to open for bust
ness in the building just vacated by
the Craig Motor service on Oak street.
! The Oakland Sales company has ac-
CURED an office in the Garrett Ma
tional Bank, but Lawrence NJ. Fraley,
co-owner, said he had not yet been
/ able to locate a storage place. He was
able to save all of his office equip
ment in last Wednesdays fire. No
plans have as yet been made in regard
/ to reopening of the Lou Cornish Inn
or Coffey's Coffee Shop.
Mr.. Purbaugh was able to salvage
some Of his stock, and likewise the
proprictors of the Coffee Shop. All
stock in the A. and P. store was pur-
chased by William Gibson, and hum
dreds of cases of canned goods under
meath the debris of the burned build
ing were not touched by the flames
or heat. Much of this has been donated
for use by the stricken families.
Funds made available by the gen.
erous response to the Red Cross War
Fund appeal last March are on hand
for the relief of the homeless families,
Mrs. f. z. Tower, county Red Cross
chairman, stated, and this money is
being used for clothing, food and fur
niture where necessary.
Although no organized appeal has
! l i
number of voluntary contributions
have been made which have been
added to the disaster fund. Clothing,
dishes, household furniture, etc, have
also been donated voluntarily and are
being given out according to the needs
of the various families through the
disaster committee. The latter is COM
posed of w. w. Dawson, chairman, f.
E. Rathbun, L. NJ. Fraley, Delbert
Davis, and Dr. Z. |. Baumgartner. The
committee will make all decisions con-
corning distribution, it was stated, and
| if local funds are not sufficient re-
quest for an additional amount will be
made to national Red Cross headquar-
| terS.
Mrs. Tower said the committee was
determining if the community building
could be made livable for the winter
months, and if so, it would be fixed
for occupancy of some of the families.
Last week the Rotary club con-
tributed $4,000, the American Legion
$4,000 and two visiting Rotarians at
/ last weeks meeting gave $500. Ar
ticles of food are to be brought to the
Thanksgiving service this morning.
The fire continued to shoulder in
| the ruins and broke into flames on
Friday morning and again on Sunday
morning. Firemen have continued to
use the hose on the ruins at various
/ intervals.
In the meantime it was estimated
that the fire damaged the Brown
building to the extent of about 5000.
Insurance adjusters were in Oakland
IL