i if 11 if IWIiMH ttM
VOL Ji h
BLOOMSBURG, PA., THURSDAY NOVEMBER 11, 1009.
NO, U.
WHEN YOU WANT TO
Ooen a bank Account Have a Check Cashed
Borrow Money, or Make an Investment
CALL ON THE OLD RELIABLE -
The Farmers National Bank
OF BI.OOMSDURG
Capital, SCO. OOO Surplus SIOO,000
0 M. CItKVKLlNTr, Pres. M. MILLE1SEN. Cashier.
DIRECTORS
J. L. Moykr N. U. Fink C. M. Cruvkunt, C. A. Ki.kim
V. L. Whitr C. W. Runvon Dr. J. J. Brown M. Miujuskn
3 Per Cent. Interest Paid on Time Deposits.
Bloomsburg's Worst Fire.
F. P. Pursel's Large Department Store Totally De.
stroyed by the Fiery Element.
FIREMEN DID SPLENDID WORK.
The most destructive fire that
Bloomsburg has ever knowu was
that of Wednesday morning, when
the large department store of 1 P.
Pursel on Market Square was burn
ed. Robert D. Young noticed the
smoke as he left the Morning Press
office a few minutes before six
o'clock. On looking further he
found it came from the store, and
he turned on the fire alarm. Sam
uel Metz noticed the smoke about
the same time, and going to the
west side of the building he saw
flames through the cellar window,
lie says it was not near the fur
nace, but in the back end of the
cellar near the elevator shaft,
among some barrels and boxes on
the floor. This would preclude the
possibility of the fire starting either
from the furnace or from an elec
tric wire.
Mr. Young and several others
ran for the Winona nose cart, and
soon had a line of hose to the store.
The fire alarm rang but once, num
ber 13, and it was a little while
before all the other companies were
on the ground. Before long, how
ever, eight streams were being
thrown in the building, and hose
was brought from the Mngte Car
pet Mill and Hartnan & Insert's,
and several more streams put on.
The steamer was brought out when
it became apparent that the force of
the main water pipe was not suffic
ient to drive the water trom so
many lines to the roof.
The smoke was so dense that it
was impossible for the firemen to
enter the building, so all they could
do was to threw water through the
windows. In spite of their efforts
the fire gradually ate its way up in
the rear of the building until it
reached the roof. Creeping along
under the tin roof it finally broke
through the center, and at about 9
o'clock the roof fell in.
The third and first floors were
burned through and fell in later.
It was a stubborn fire, and it
looked at one time as though the
building would be totally destroy
ed, but by splendid work and per
sistent effort the firemen finally got
it under control. Flames would
appear in one spot and water turn
ed on it until it was subdued, when
it would break out in another place,
and so it went for six hours, until
the fight was won, and the fire en
tirely under control.
The entire contents of the build
ing are ruined. The damage to the
building is great, but its extent
cannot be ascertained until an ex
amination shows whether the walls
' COUNCIL MEETING.
The Town Council met last Mon
day evening, at which pavements,
sewer extensions, and additional
street Slights were discussed. One
thousand feet of fire hose was or
dered from J. R. Schuyler.
A bill of $300 was presented by
M. T. Creasy for the loss of a
horse which he claimed died from
lockjaw on account of its stepping
on a rusty nail on East Seventh
street.
Several bills were ordered paid,
and Town Treasurer Campbell's
report for the past month was accepted.
will have to be torn down.
The loss on the stock is probably
$75,000, with $50,000 insurance.
The building was worth $40,000,
and on this the insurance is $20,
000. All the new fall stock of
goods was in, and a large line of
holiday goods had just been receiv
ed. Besides the loss 011 goods and
building, Mr. Pursel's loss in trade
just at this busy season, and the
holidays approaching, will be heavy.
The Pursel store is one of the
oldest business stands in town, and
one of the finest in this section.
For many years it was the McKel
vy, Neal & Co. store, and for twenty-five
vears I. W. McKelvv's. In
1894 F. P. Pursel and II. liar
man purchased it, and at the end
of a year Mr. Pursel bought Mr.
Harnian's interest. For the past
50 years the store has had the rep
utation of keeping the largest and
best line of goods in the county,
and has enjoyed a very large pat
ronage. Mr. Pursel rebuilt the
building, making a three story
building 46 by 112, instead of two
stories 46 by 60. The stock was
more than double what it was when
he purchased the business. The
employees in the store number
twenty-five.
Just what Mr. Pursel will do at
once is not known. It has been
suggested that he may open a store
temporarily m the Supplee build
ing, aud if so, it will not be long
before he does it. It is certain,
however, that the old stand will be
rebuilt and lestocked as soon as it
is possible to do it.
FIRE NOTES.
During the Pursel fire sandwich
es aud coffee were served to the
firemen by C. W. McKelvy, Frank
Botnboy, U. G. Morgain, and the
Exchange Hotel.
Amandus Sobers, a Winona fire
man, had his hands cut by glass,
and was bruised by falling down a
ladder. He.was taken to the hos
pital. Harold Moyer received a scalp
wound from broken glass that fell
from a window.
More than a dozen of the firemen
were cut ou their faces or hands by
broken glass.
There was six feet of water in
the cellar, and this was pumped
out by the Friendship steamer.
The entire stock is a complete
ruin.
Fire broke out at internals dur-
intr the dav. the last otii being at
about 9:30 in the evening. A line
of hose from the court house plug
was kept ready for use, and watcn
men were 011 guard.
DEEDS RECORDED.
The following deeds have recent
ly been entered on record by Re
corder of Deeds Frank W. Miller:
Mary A. John to Matilda B. Laz
arus for property in Bloomsburg.
Claude C. Paden and wife to Er
nest F. Paden for property in Ber
wick. Henry Detrick and wife to Steph
en Kisuer tor property in Briar-
creek township.
Henry Shatter to btepneu Kisner
for property in Briarcreek town
ship. John Kisuer and wife to Stephen
Kisuer for property in Briarcreek
towuship.
cvS ECCUR.DTY'
"i u.- 1
TK olnk of
f'Zjfl $ ing perfection founded upon 'ff .'"Vf
,Vyr ' f VF resptet and satisfaction, Is the V 1
kffl' study cfevsry successful Bank. 'J
V(M j Y-o moral : Courtesy
JV1AU
WM, IP! .gJ-T?rrr
f'JkM 1 h KL K11V A
.y OLtti'.oo vjr
R TION.
iffrWe pay 3 per cent.
ER100MSBURG NATIONAtBANK
DLCGM5SU&G PENNA
Oak Grove Park.
Once an Ideal Spot for Recreation, and Should Have
Been Preserved as a Public Park.
NOTHING LEFT BUT THE TREES.
k. .:W hrhM-L. , J
Ou East Fifth street iu Blooms
burg is a grove of fine old trees.
The grove belongs to the Blooms
burg Land Improvement Company.
It formerly belonged to Nesbit and
Iloyt.
Oujune 18th, 1S86. The Oak
Grove Park Association was organ
ized under a charter, with a capital
stock of $10,000, "for the purpose
of purchasing or leasing grounds to
be fitted up as a park within the
Town of Bloomsburg, or iu any
other portion of the county, to he
used tor holding celebrations, pic
nics and for any and all purposes
for which similar places are used."
The incorporators were W. R.
Tubbs, Harman and Ilassert, J. R.J
Schuyler, Buckalew Bros. J. C.
Brown, R. C. Neal, David Lowen
berg, John F. Peacock, J. II. Mer
cer, J. V. Gibbs, I. W. McKelvy,
Jas. McCloskey, Geo. E. Elwed.
John L Moyer, II. C. Grotz, C.
VV. Neal, G. W. Creveling, C B.
Robbins, E. Jacoby, L. T. Sharp
less F. P. Bilhuyer, L. E. Waller,
C. M. Creveling, Isaac S. Kuhu,
and C. W. Miller.
The Board of Directors consisted
of Messrs. Lowenberg, Kuhn, P.
S. Harman, Brown, Moyer, and
Miller. A lease was obtained from
Nesbit and the Hoyt heirs, for the
grove, and it was named Oak Grove
Park.
The company proceeded a once
to beautify the grove, and to put it
in condition for the purposes for
which they proposed to use it. The
grounds were cleaned up, walks
made, and a high board fence built
around it. A large rustic dancing
pavilion was erected, a fountain
put in, a kitchen and other build
ings aud booths put up, with all
modern conveniences. A number
of swings were purchased, and ar
rangements made with the owner
of a merry-go-round, who set his
machine up iu the grounds. It was
an ideal spot, and was very liberal
ly patronized.
Mauy picnics were held there,
and the pavilion was oiteu used at
night by dancing parties. For a
couple of years there were large
excursions run here over the Lack
awanna road, and the grounds were
free, the Park Company having an
agreement with the Railroad Com
pany that the latter would pay a
certain turn per capita for each
passenger they brought to the
grounds.
Some 01 the excursions were run
1
courtesy. Im
here Is insisted upon Of
H i iiV V
1111.3 i.3iiiii
011 time deposits
by organizations from a distance,
who brought their own refresh
ments with them. It soon became
known that one of the buildings
wan being used by them for kegs of
beer, and that the foamy beverage
was being sold without regard to
law, and of course without the
knowledge or consent of the Park
owners. When it was announced
that arrests would follow the repe
tition of this, the excursions became
few and far between, the Railroad
Company saviug that they were
unable to induce excursion parties
to come here, because there was no
water near enough for boating and
swimming.
And so it came to pass that the
only returns the company received
from the Park was an occasional
five dollars from a Sunday School
picnic, or an evening dance. Near-
ty $2,000 had been expended in fit
ling up the Park, and yet except
for the fi:st few years the receipts
were not sufficient to pay the rent.
In 1890 the Bloomsburg Land
Improvement Company was organ
ized, aud bought the Hoyt farm,
including the Grove. The lease of
the grove was continued by them,
but 'being unable to pay the rent,
the Oak Grove Park Association
finally settled with the Land Im
provement Co., by giving up pos
session, and allowing the latter to
take all the improvements and fix
tures for the rent.
Then the Town of Bloomsburg
bought the grove at a stipulated
price of $5500, aud paid $1000 on
it. As changes occurred in council
opposition to the purchase devel
oped, and no more was paid on the
purchase. The Land Improvement
Co. brought suit to recover, and
lost, because the court decided that
the purchase of the grove was un
lawful, as the council had no power
to appropriate the public funds to
such a purpose.
Meantime the Park was going
to destruction. Some things were
stolen by vandals, others went to
decay. Nobody looked after it.
Only a short time ago the pavilion
was torn down, and thus disap
peared the last vestige of what wa3
once a beautiful and attractive spot,
and what should still be a place for
recreation and pleasure for the cit
izens of Bloomsburg. There is
nothing left but the trees, and it
will not be long before some one
will plant a saw mill there, and
these too will go down before the
so-called March of Progress.
mm
KB
TOWNSEND
Adler's Gloves.
i Cluett Shirts.
Arrow Collars.
Luzerne Underwear.
Stetson Hats.
Cooper Union Suits.
SNELILIENISUIRK
f 91 -TTi")
Philadelphia Clothing:
JL. BBtLAClK Cfl.
Rochester Clothing.
MIEKCffl)BlJK& D0.
Rochester Clothing.
BONCAI & CD.
Utica Clothing.
International Tailoring Co.
Made to Measure Clothing.
I
All High Class
Merchandise.
TCOH
CORNER
CLOTHING STORE,
BLOOMSBURG, PA.
SEuWS
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