Evening star., 1949-12-26
Hyndmon
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Hyndmon
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day a 100000 fire swept the
PENNSYLVANIA Lumber g. Post Co.,
one of the towns major industries,
and threw many workers out Of
jobs.
Hours after the fire was declared
under control, a heavy, thick smoke
continued to hang over the COM
munity. Occasionally glowing en-
bers would burst into flame again,
and the closest group of flremen
standing guard would turn to with
hoses.
Outside fire companies arrived
on the scene quickly because Mrs.
Helen Turner, 81, stuck to her
job at her switchboard despite the
approaching flames.
Mrs. Turner said she was at
the home of relatives about II
miles away when the stand-in
operator called and said. "The
whole towns on fire."
I'VE were right in the midst OF
our Christmas dinner, but that
ended the dinner" she said. I'VE
piled into automobiles and headed
toward Hyndman. Soon we could
see the flames. It was an awful
sight.
"I sent May (the stand-in oper-
ator) home because she was so ex-
cited, but she certainly had done
a grand job.
" - I called f1remen from sew
eral surrounding towns. There
was only one line open and we had
the busiest night I've ever expe-
rienced."
At one time during the fire, Mrs.
Turner said flames crept to within
100 feet of the Office. But she and
the wire chief stayed.
The fire front was mad scene
Of shouting firemen, water shoot
ing in all directions and men and
women frantically trying to save
what valuables they could before
their houses went up in flames.
John Moody, a Cumberland
news reporter. saw Grocer David
Eorner making a frerzied effort
to move his stock-even while the
flames were licking at his store
front.
Got Some Stock Out.
And he succeeded in part. He
said he cleared three-quarters of
the stock-enough to supply the
community wiSa she necessities
foI two or three Gays.
Maryland State police from
near Cumberland went to Hynd-
man to assist the Pennsylvania
troopers. About Is local citizens
were sworn in as auxiliary police
men to help the regular officers
guard against looting.
Down in the heart of the fire
area, the few remaining walls
>tood today like tombstones in
a forgotten cemetery. And in the
center. the bank vault-all that
remained of The towns only bank
stood in the harsh glare of spot
| lights like q in5GSO:cum.
Where the towns crowded busi-
ness district once stood, there was
nothing but rubble-sometimes a
foot or so deep. Homes that rang
with Merry Christmases" hours
before were reduced to ashes,
along with all the new Christmas
presents.
Trains Rerouted.
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
freights, sidetracked over Western
Maryland Railway tracks during
the fire, were rolling through the
town again. They slowed and the
crewmen leaned out to gawk at
the tragedy, then speeded up
again and were gone.
The railroad, Hyndman resi-
dents feels, is about all they have
left.
The menfolk had three major
sources of work: The lumber mill
which was destroyed Thursday,
the Celanese Corp. of America
plant at Cumberland and the rail-
road.
Celanese has laid of about all
it's Hyndman men. That leaves
only the railroad.
Temporary Post Office.
Despite the dreary outlook, some
plans were being made by sleepless
citizens to rebuild and reopen bus
inesses. A temporary post Office
will be set up tomorrow in the old
Commercial Hotel Building. Bank
officials were looking for a loca-
tion and contemplated moving
above the fire hall.
The most vivid scene in town Is
the bank vault. Police set up spot
lights pointed at the vault to be
sure the towns money remained
safe.
With them were several resi-
dents with shotguns, as If to say
they were making sure their
money stayed safe.
-Four States were represented
by fire companies: Pennsylvania,
Maryland, West Virginia and Vir-
ginia. Firemen from Winchester,
Va, made it up in time to lend
their assistance.
In the northern end Of town,
4