Wentiier Foreuit: Warmer.
Weather lorcip,jfc Warmer.
tit
YOUR I'llfJg'NO In our linnds
nil! put Ui,;q'.a in yours.
Aro you helping to Make TIio
Cltl7.cn better?
Oth YEAR -NO. 5
HONESDALE, WAYNE CO., PA., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1912.
PRICE 2 CENTS
r
ire Destroyed Hen ana spenigue
Ffc n btv
reel Early Sunday Morning-Loss, $4
uildinci Contained Quantity of Gunnowder and
stances Firemen Deservo Praise Boy Scouts Active George
Bergman Believed Buried in Ruins.
The largo three-story hrlck build-,
ing on Main street known ns the Red
. i . ti .. .. i i. .. 1 1 .1 r.. ..... . i
j-v i . r. .i i i n .if
that was the scene of considerable
business activity on Saturday, Is a
mass of Ice-covered ruins to-day, ow-
. i' . . . i i -1 . . . .i i .. -rlft
two on Sunday morning. .
lie ausuiue 01 ucurKU ucrKiiiiiu nuts
not thought seriously of until late
. . .1 . . .. i-. ...... .. it.. : .. i
to have perished -vln or near the
scene of the fire. Searching parties
are making an effort to recov
er the body dead or alive.
On account of the Intense cold
weather there was no one on the
. . . i .i . i . i . .. n .. .. . . .. . .
discovered by Mrs. C. H. Rettew,
wiie oi uuuiii iiniiiu jieiiew, nu
was awakened by the falling of plate
glass. Going to the window she re
marked to Mr. Rettew that Reif's
shoo store was burning. She went
to the telephone and called up cen
tral, who sent in the alarm. The flre
is supposed to have started in the
front of the store and worked its way,
i 1 .. .1 .i . . . . i . .. . i. 1 r
UilUlvWtfl U illlU UMViirU iu uiu uiw ui-,
n j- 1 1 1 1 .1 n ii.
Carty
The work was very difficult in the
t 1. .. I .. rt..., ...... .1 1
in iiv..j'ii.fi .hi. i n 1 1 ii i. .i ii u i .i uflit i.i. i ii n
fi inn wijtjiiLrii iiiiiitiiiiir m liih kuiilii
nriiiinloil h. A Tiharlinrilt nnrl thf I
wooden building to the north occu-
pied by the II. K. B. store and also
the liberies of Fred Rickard and M.
Lee Braman in the rear. Council-1
man Rettew told a Citizen man thatj
the lire companies, ho ciaimeu mat
when he reached the street after the
alarm had been given two strings of
hose had been laid ready for action. 1
Among the first to arrive were mem-'
hers of Hose Company No. 1, Protec
tion Engine No. 3, followed by the
Chemical Engine Company of Texas
No. 4, and the Alert Hook and Lad-,
der Company of East Honesdale. I
On their arrival the fire had reached t
the front of the building and was
rapidly gaining headway upward.
While some of the men were remov
ing the show case of Photographer
Bodio from the building the Reif
awning, which was a mass of flames,
fell upon them. They, however, es
caped injury.
After the first alarm of fire the
gong blew incessantly for a period of
about ten minutes. Firemen re
sponded, but still there were not
enough men to manipulate the noz
rels to play the streams of water up
on the now fiercely burning building.
Fire Chief H A. Oday called for more
men and soon thero were from two
to three men on each hose. These
men were soon a mass of ice and
with aching fingers and ears they re
mained at their post until relieved
by new men Many of the stores
opened their doors to the men to
warm themselves. Frozen and burst
ing hose, hodies aching from the ex
ertion and extreme cold, hindered the
men in their attempt to fight tho
blaze and at about five o'clock it
was thought that the fire was at last
jinder control. Tho fire fighters
iivorkeu gallantly to connno trio
lllames to tho Rolf side of the bulld-
.tin , .i In .i ii ii 1 1 ii ia i-fur n nnpHnn
lllfS UUL IU 111. Jllll JIUOU IUI U IU1 lllfll
of the 18-lnch brick wall fell through
umj iuu Humus ju.iiieu iuiuukh mu
opening into the hardware store of
O M Spettlgue. and soon that side
of the building was a mass of fiames.
The dynamito, cartridges, shot gun
ftho'ls and gun powder which ho car
ried in stock had been removed from
the building soon after tho first alarm
had been sounded.
The steamer had been stationed at
the plug in front of tho Union depot
nnd thero were ten streams of water
being played upon tho building,
which formol Ice as soon as It fell.
The front of the building was a
solid mass of ice. When tho Spettl
gue part of tho building caught fire
it was necessary to make another call
for help and about ilvo o'clock tho
.1 i i . it l .1 1 V. . . . . 1. 1 V. ..
second alarm was turned in. This call
for help brought tho Seolyvllle boys,
who laid a line of hoEe from tho city
hall to tho H. K. B. store, F. G.
Terwllllgor, proprietor, and after a
fearless fight, enduring tho pangs of
tho extreme cold night bravely, tho
thermometer registering almost 25
degrees below zero, they helped save
many of the adjoining buildings from
possible destruction. Much credit is
duo tho Seelyvlllo tiro company for
tho manner In which they worked,
also for coming tho distance they did
to help out tho Honesdnlo boys.
Tho flro was not under complete cou
trol until about 10 o'clock Sunday
morning, and then It was necessary
to keep one line of hoso, playing wa
ter on tho building nearly all day.
B .Y i a r
KEIF AND SPETTIGUE'S BUILDING THE MORNING AFTER
FIHK. THE I!l"IliI)I.'; IS CAKED WITH ICE.
Some of the men were on duty all
night and were nearly exhausted
when morning came. O. M. Spetti
gue, Jr., after the flames had broken
out in the hardware store, entered
the building in an attempt to save
some of his father's property. He
crept along the ijoor and before he
had gone many feet he was overcome
by the smoke and had to be carried
out by sonio of the men. Miss Ther
esa Gerrity, stenographer in the law
offlce of Attorney C. A. McCarty, at
tempted to enter tho building to se
cure some valuable papers but as
cended the stairs only part way when
she was driven back by a quantity of
smoke which nearly suffocated her.
A fireman however reached the top
of the stairs but was compelled to
flee for his life.
About 5,000 feet of hose were used
In lighting tho fire and tho tempera
ture was so low all night that they
had a hard time keeping the steam
up in the engine and at the end of
seven hours' running tho grates were
'burnt out. Much of the hoso used by
tho Honesdale and Seelyvlllo com
panies was frozen so badly that it
hurst and much of it was rendered
useless. Sunday it was necessary to
telephone to Flro Chief Ferber at
Scranton for more hose and also a
1000 feet from Carbondale so that
In case of another fire some good
hoso would bo on hand.
Too much praise cannot be given
to the fire fighters by tho people of
Honesdale for the good work
done Sunday morning and In weather
that would test the mettle of tho best
of men. Probably one-half of the
men who worked that morning will
have marked upon thoir persons
painful remembrances of tho occa
sion.
The home of Councilman and Mrs.
C. H. Rettew was converted into a
hospital for tho firemen. They were
given hot coffee and sandwiches and
in some Instances put to bed with
flat irons until they became warm
enough to again go out and bravo
tho awful night. Tho firemen aro
very grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Ret
tew and all others whoso names ap
pear elsewhere in this article, for tho
many kindnesses shown and assist
ance rendered.
Tho hardest item to write concern
ing tho fire of Sunday morning Is tho
loss of one of Protection EnaJno
company's faithful and alert mem
bers, (Jeorgo Bergman, no was last
seen about C o'clock Sunday morn
ing and was nearly overcome by the
smoke. It Is supposed that his body
lies in the ruins of tho building and
men havo been searching in vain for
the romalns. C. Harry Rockwell says
that ho and George Bergman worked
together as a team on a stream on
tho first floor In tho Relf npartment
until the flro was killed on that floor.
Ho Bald that they took turns going
out to got air as tho smoko was very
thick where they wero working. At
3 o'clock tho lino of hoso was with
drawn from tho Rolf storo and taken
to another part of tho building. Mr.
Rockwell stated to a Citizen man that
he went Into Mr. Rottow's for coffee
at 3 o'clock and afterwards returned
to tho fire. Mr. Bergman then got
Building on main
in be e n m n
Other Destructible Sub
THE
coffee and sandwitches at the same
place. That was tho last ho saw of
him. Other members of the fire com
pany state that they saw him as late
as G o'clock In the morning.
Mr. Bergman was janitor of Pro
tection Company quarters and as he
did not return homo after a reason
able time after the fire was out his
family became alarmed and sent mes
sengers to a number of persons In
Honesdale to inquire ns to his
whereabouts. No word has been re
ceived up to tho time of going to
press and it is feared by members of
his family and friends that ho re
turned to tho burning building after
ho had lunched and being overcome
by smoke ho perished in the debris of
the building. As soon as it was
reported that ho was missing search
ing parties wero formed and looked
for Fireman Bergman from tho cellar
to the roof of the building but
could find no trace of him.
The members of his company
speak in words of highest praise and
esteem for him, stating that ne was
always on duty and attended every
lire. He had been a member of Pro
tection Engine Company No. 3 for
twenty-eight years, having joined the
company In 1884. For the past six
years he had been sexton of the fire
department in the city hall and v.c.3
one of the most reliablo men In the
volunteer service.
In case that Mr. Bergman lost his
life in tho lire his widow would re
ceive from tho Honesdale Firemen's
'Relief Association not more than $15
per month as long as she remains a
widow and each child under 15 years
not moro than $5 per month.
Mr. Bergman's ago Is 45 years and
his family consists of a wife and five
children. Owing to tho extreme
dangerous condition of tho building
the search for tho body was stopped
shortly aftor it was commenced on
Monday.
. The building which was destroyed
was known as tho "Red Stono Front"
and was one of tho most imposing
structures in Honesdnlo. It was
erected In 1894 on tho site of the old
Klplo llouso which burnt nineteen
years ago, on March 19. Mr. Relf
also lost a stock of goods In tho fire
which destroyed this building, mak
ing two fires for him in tho samo lo
cation. Barherl and Manglni wero
also In this building. During tho
same night tho town experienced
several llrcs, tho Honesdnlo opera
house, which was located on West
and Park strcots and Dunkloborg's
slaughter house, also a fire nearly
wiped Soolyvlllo off the map.
Tho building as it stood recently
was 45x75 feet with an extension of
115 feet in the rear of O. M. Spotti
guo's section. Mr. Spettlguo nnd Mr.
Rolf, tho owners, havo occupied tho
building for tho past 18 years. Tho
former had tho ontlro loft hand side
for his business, whilo tho latter con
ducted a shoo storo in tho lower right
hand side. Tho upper floors wero
occupied by Attorneys Homor Greene,
Burgess C. A. McCarty and Miss
Mablo Broad, music instructor, oc
cupied tho oiilces on tho second floor
and J. A. Bodio, photographer, occu
pied tho entire upper floor.
The walls of tho building remain
uninjured with tho exception that at
present they aro covered with Ice,
which might havo a tendency to
weaken thorn temporarily. Tho
smoke and fire did not discolor tho
brick nnd Btone to a great extent.
Most of the floors have fallen through
as well as a portion of tho roof. Tho
walls in front and 'back havo settled
several inches out of plumb and aro
In a dangerous condition. They will
ho reinforced with props nnd sup
ports run nlong tho sltlo walls and
anrhorcd to tho upper side of tho
building. Krletner Bros, aro doing
tho work.
Tho first real tost of the metal of
tho local troup of Boy Scouts came
with tho bitter hours of Sunday
morning and how well they stood tho
test only thoso who watched them
know. Nearly all the larger boy
scouts wero 111. Under tho direction
of Scout Master Edward Jenkins they
did excellent work and carried cof
fee and R.mdwlches to tho men. Too
much credit cannot be given them for
the work they did.
Tho loss ana aamago Incurred 'hy
the flro cannot bo reckoned accur
ately until tho Insurance companies
have gone over tho ground and made
their report. The damage by flre to
tho building nnd stock of goods In
Spottigue's and Reif's stores respect
fully, and in the law oiilces of
Greene and McCarty, Bodle, photo
grapher, and Miss Mable Broad, will
reach in tho neighborhood of -45,-000.
The H. K. B. storo to tho
left of the burned building although
a wooden structure was very slight
ly damaged In the roof. A. Eber
tiardt suffered a loss from water.
The buildings in the rear wero
slightly damaged hy water. The
heavy loosers were the owners of the
building, O. M. Spettlguo and W. J.
Reif.
Homer Greene's safe was opened
Monday morning and everything
therein was found to be in excellent
condition. Most of his law books
were recovered. Ho estimates his
loss at about $2,500 and he carried a
small Insurance.
Attorney C. A. McCarty was less
fortunate. His safe In which he had
placed many valuable papers, crash
ed through the floor with all his law
books and other articles in the
rooms. Ho carried no insurance up
on his office equipment. He esti
mates his loss at $2,500.
J. A. Bodle states that his Insur
onco will nbout half cover his loss.
Ho carried $1,200 insurance.
Miss Mable Broad had insurance
-4'he piano antf music In her studio
to tho amount of $500. Loss par
tially covered.
W. J. Relf states that his loss is
$10,000. Ho had policies to the
amount of $8,000 on stock anl $5,
000 on building.
O. M. Spettlguo estimates his loss
at about $20,000. He carried $12,-
000 ijisurnnco on his stock and
about $4,000 on tho building.
A. A. Grambs, F. G. Terwllllger
and A. Eberhardt suffered loss which
was covered by Insurance.
NOTES.
Protection Engine Company No. 3,
of which George Bergman has been
a member for 28 years, 'hold a spec
ial meeting on Monday evening to
tako action upon recovering the body
of Mr. Bergman, dead or alive. Tho
committee, which is composed of
Harry Richards, J. A. Bodie, Jr., W.
W. Wood, E. H. Cortright, Frank
MacMullon, Jr., C. II. Rockwell and
N. B. Spencer, was empowered to
spare no expenso In the search of
Mr. Bergman, whether tho body be
In the building or elsewhere.
Protection Engine Co. No. 3 is to
be commended upon its action.
Homor Greene will have his office
with Attorney W. H. Lee In tho Fos
ter building. Mr. Greene says be has
lost a number of valuable records
that are ovor 30 years old and can
nover be replaced. Ho opened his
large safe Monday morning and stat
ed that all papers and documents
found therein were not damaged.
The family of C. H. Rettew havo
vacated their homo and tho store of
A. Eberhardt 'has been ordered clos
ed. The town council has provided
day and night watchmen for tho safe
ty of the public.
A. A. Grambs is minus a tooth as
tho result of tho flro. 'He was ap
proaching his building and when in
front of it ho fell over a lino of hose.
Mr. Grambs also had his right ear
frozen.
Uno of the curiosities of tho flro
was the quantity of fish that had
como through tho hoso. Perch, bull
heads and shiners wero among tho
variety. Somo were so largo thnt
they flogged In the nozzlo of tho
hoso. Tho walk In front of tho scene
of tho lire was covered with small
fish. Tho water camo from Cajaw
pond.
Old tlmo firemen claim that tho
flro of Sunday was tho worst they
ovor experienced Blnco 1851, owing
to tho extremo cold weathor.
Attorney C. A. McCarty ordered
new law books and other ofllco
equipment necessary early Monday
morning. Ho will havo his office
In tho council room of tho City
hall.
Most of tho hose used by the
Honesdnlo nnd Texas flro companies
nnd also the hoso brought from
Soolyvlllo was frozen stiff so that
in case of future outbreak of fire, it
was found necessary to wiro Scran
ton and Cnrbondalo for more hoso.
Coffeo wns served among tho men,
It having been prepared by Mrs. C.
II. Rettow, Mrs. Oscar Torroll, Misses
Charlotto Lano and Dora Conger and
this served to stimulnto tho men to
a greater effort. Tho boys certainly
worked hard and desorvo great
credit.
Many of tho firemen suffired from
frozen limbs and bruises, among
whom wero:
Charles W. MacMullen, West Elev
enth street, loft hand and forearm
lmdly frozen.
&&&&&
THE ATKINSON STEAMER WHICH
NEAR THE
Charles Smith, Erie street, feot,
hands and face frozen.
Fred Rickard, Church street, feet,
hands and faco frost bitten.
Frank Alberty, East Street Ex
tension, two lingers on right hand
badly frozen.
C. A. Cortright, Ridge street, both
heels frozen and left ear.
The snow on nearby huildings
saved them from destruction Sunday
morning.
The roof of the A. A. Grambs
building is somewhat damaged.
Four feet of water entered the cellar
of the building. Loss covered by in
surance. W. J. Relf claims that at 9:30 ho
heard rumbling noises in his storo,
and went to the cellar to investigate,
but could not see anything. He said
the steam boiler was all right, but
from the course of the flre, taking
an upward path In tho front part of
tho building, thought perhaps that
the fire might have started from the
crossing of electric wires.
Mr. Relf said his daughters heard i
plate glass falling and looking outl
of their 'bedroom window discovered
his storo to be on fire. Tho alarm I
was sounded a couplo of minutes
later.
TOWN COUNCIL ACTS PRO
V1DES MEANS FOR RECOVER
ING OIV OF GEORGE BERG-!
MAN.
The Town Council met at City!
Hall in special session, Monday I
morning, at 11:30 o'clock to take up j
tho matter of their legal rights in the
complications that arose following
tho destructive fire Sunday morning)
in the Red Front Store building. !
Present at the meeting wero: !
President Martin Caufield; Secretary,
John Erk, Treasurer George W. Pen-I
warden, Messrs. Harry Rettew and
S. T. Ham and Mayor Chas. A. Mc
Carty. I
Christopher Bergman made an j
earnest appeal to the council asking I
them to take some action looking to
the recovery of his brother, George
Bergman, whoso body, it is believed,
Is burled under tons of icy-covered
debris in the basement of the gutted
Spettlguo 'building.
After some discussion of the ques
tion It was decided, upon motion of
S. T. Hnm, seconded by Harry Ret
tew, " that the Borough Council ask
for two volunteers to go with Mr.
Bergman to the stores of RIef and
Spettlguo, with tho permission of
Rlef and Spettlgue, to make a search
to see If the body of George Berg
man is in tho ruins, tho volunteers
to be paid for their services; that the
Borough Council will not 'he respon
sible for any damago or loss In so
doing; tho Borough Council to ap
propriate money for that purpose.
It was also resolved, upon motion
of G. W. Ponwarden, seconded by S.
T. 'Ham, that Mr. Rlef bo notified to
do all ho could to care for the South
wall of tho building to avoid danger
to life and adjoining property.
1M RE AT SEEIiYVILliE.
A firo in the clothes press of Wil
liam Kane, who lives at tho top of
Doln's hill, did damage to tho
amount of $50 on Saturday night.
Mrs. Kano had emptied an ash
pan, using a piece of cloth to pre
vent her lingers from burning. She
afterwards hung the cloth in a
closet.
Tho seven-year-old daughter dis
covered the fire, told her mother and
then gavo the alarm to Mr. Kano,
who was employed in C. W. Doin's
slaughter house. Mr. Kano extin
guished tho flro with the aid of a few
pallfuls of water. Loss covered by
Insurance In J. B. Robinson's agency.
Tho flro occurred at 5:45 p. m.
lOWAN FOR GREENE.
Charles I. van, an nttorney at
Blalrstown, Iowa, In writing to tho
Citizen rocontly said in a letter:
" I hope Pennsylvania will stay by
Mr. Taft for ronominatlon nnd re
election, and whilo I am hoping, I
hopo Pennsylvanlans will chooso Mr.
Homer Greono for one of their Con
gressmon-at-Largo. Mr. Greene Is
a graduate of Union Colloge. Now
York, whoro tho wrltor graduated.
and this, with my knowledgo of his
ability and Integrity, make mo wish
ho bo elected to Congress."
Chapman Homestead Burns.
Flro at Pink, four miles from
Hondloys, Wayno county, Saturday
morning, destroyed tho Chapman
homestead, occupied by Frank Chnp
mnn. Tho family saved their house
hold furniture, but tho summor crops
of apples and potatoes that wore
stored in the cellar, is a total loss.
Tho Chapmans aro living tempor
ary in tho Grange house near their
old homo. They had about $600 flre
Insurance.
WAS STATIONED AT THE IMiUG
DEPOT.
BARN BURNERS AGAIN
ACTIVEAT ADELIA
Seventh Fire in Two Years
Barn burners at Adelia, thre
miles from Hawley, pulled off their
seventh successful job In a Ilttl
more than two years Sunday night,
when they put tho torch to the barn
owned by W. F. Heyne, a prosperou
farmer of that place. It was Mr.
Heyno's third loss at tho hands of
the barn burners. His property los
will pass $1,000, It is said, and will
include his farm implements, his hay
and grain crops 'and other content
of the barn. Aided by neighbors,
Mr. Heyne suet ceded in saving twen
ty head of cattle housed in th
barn.
The Adelia barn-'burners hav
spread terror In that little commun
ity for tho past two years. Their
first job was the torching of August
Llntner's stables Sept. 19, 1909.
Less than a month later Mr. Heyne'i
barn wentup In a blaze, a total loss.
Dec. 15, 1909, the firebugs put tho
match to barns and outbuilding!
owned by W. D. Rowe, and every
thing in them burned. March 2S
last year A. Latorio, a farmer near
Adelia, was tho victim of the barn
burners, his barns and seventy head
of battle 'being their toll from 1ilm.
September 19 last John Roso's barn
was fired by the Incendiaries, and
Juno 20. 1911, the 'barn-burners
made their second successful attempt
to destroy Mr. Heyne's 'barns. Sun
day night they took another toll from
Mr. Heyne.
Tho flre Sunday night started just
after darkness had set in. Mr.
Heyno and his neighbor. W. D.
Rowe, had just returned from Haw
ley, where they had attended church,
when Mrs. Heyne, attracted by a
glare outside, ran to the kitchen
door and saw the barn in flames.
By quick work the cattle were res
cued but the building nnd Its other
contents were completely destroyed.
Just who the 'barn burners of
Adelia are the farmers of the coun
tryside have never been able to find
out. Several months ago an Irre
sponsible man, who made 'Ills living
uy begging rrom farm to farm, was
arrested, charged with being tho fire
bug. Ho was sent to Danville, but
his Incarceration in the asylum did
not put a stop to the fires. The man
has been dead for several weeks.
BIG HOLE BURNED IN DICKSON
CITY PROPERTY
FIVE BUSINESS PLACES BUR.Y
WHILE FIREMEN FIGHT IN
ZERO WEATHER.
Fivo business places, lncludlne
three saloons, a meat shop and a
clothing storo, were burned to th
foundation walls and three franis
dwellings were destroyed by a flr
that left $30,000 worth of property
In ruins Sunday morning on Main
street, Dixon City. Tho blaze start
ed either in Kryzwickl's saloon or In
Rosenchwag's clothing store, spread
to Frank Rosiewski's building and
tho saloon of Mike Walochowlcz;
then leaped to the rear of the prop
erties and destroyed threo frain
buildings. All tenants got out with
their furnishings.
Kryzwickl's saloon and Rosen
schwag's clothing storo woro In on
block, a framo affair of two stories.
Adjoining stood Roslowski's build
ing, occupied by Morris Weiss' meat
shop and Rosiewski's saloon nnd tha
bombish building occupied by Wal
ochowwlcz's saloon nnd a tenant in
tho basement. Both blocks wer
doomed as surely as if built of pa
por ten minutes after tho blaze wat
discovered and all that tho two tiro
companies, tho J. B. Dickson and tha
Eagles, could do was to prevent tho
flames from getting to tho larg
Goodman block on tho south Bid
and at tho samo timo seo the dwell
ings In tho rear go up.
Undo Sam's lllj; Paper Bill.
During 1912 tho Government will
purchase moro than $1,000,000
worth of paper to supply tho big
Government printing office 1n Wash
ington. Tho amount of paper re
quired Is 25,000,000 pounds. In
cluded in this vast amount aro 6,
000.000 pounds of brlstol board for
United States postal cards and noarly
1,000,000 pounds of brlstol board
for other purposes.