Smyrna Times

Fire in Milford

Damages Store

Flames of Undetermined Origin Break Out in Business Section Early Sunday

Loss Estimated $31,000

Fire of undetermined origin early Sunday caused a loss of more than $31,000 to five Milford merchants in the Governor Watson block in the heart of the business section of Milford. Six store premises were damaged by the blaze which is believed to have started in the rear of the drug store of Captain Harry Pettyjohn.

The building, a two-story brick structure, was erected by the late Governor Watson and housed a number of stores. The fire was discovered at 3 o'clock by Policeman Harry Jackson, who saw smoke issuing from the building and as he placed his hand on the window, he felt the heat and turned in an alarm. The Carlisle Fire Company responded and fought the blaze for several hours before it was under control. Captain Pettyjohn estimated his loss at $15,000 on the stock and $6000 on the building.

Other losses were as follows: S. C. Evans, $2000; Barros and Simon, $2000; C. H. Van Kirk, $2500; Thomas Davis, $4000. A vacant store room owned by C. D. Abbott, who also owns the premises occupied by Barros and Simon and the Van Kirk Company, was also damaged by the blaze. Edward C. Evans, a member of the Carlisle Fire Company, suffered a deep gash in the back where he was struck by a flying piece of plate glass when a window was blown out by the heat. He is under treatment in the Milford Emergency Hospital. The dense smoke created by burning chemicals in the drug store prevented the firemen from getting within more than 500 feet of the fire.