Mt Airy, Maryland Fire

January 29, 1903

BIG FIRE AT MT. AIRY

Store of A. Anderson & Co. Completely Destroyed.

FREDERICK FIREMEN RENDER AID

United Company’s Engine and Reel’s Taken Down on a Special Train--Loss About $12,000, Covered by insurance.

The large store building of Ernest Anderson, occupied by A. Anderson & Co., at Mt. Airy, was completely destroyed by fire at an early hour this morning, with all its contents. A warehouse connected with the store, and which was filled with merchandise, was also destroyed.

The fire, the origin of which is unknown, was discovered about 12:30 o’clock this morning by a colored man, who was driving by the store and observed smoke issuing from the building. He gave an alarm, and the first persons to reach the building found the doors all tightly closed and the store filled with smoke.

When it was seen that the fire was too serious to be combated successfully by a bucket brigade a telephone message was sent to Frederick asking for aid. Superintendent Page, of the Frederick County Telephone and Telegraph Company, was aroused and immediately began preparations to take apparatus to Mt. Airy. William T. Mullinix, agent of the B & O Railroad, was asked to provide a special train. No car being found in the local yard an engine was sent to Frederick Junction to get one. The only gondola car which could be secured there was filled with steel rails. Without unloading the rails, the car was run into Frederick.

In the meantime, Mr. Page had aroused Foreman Charles P. Levy and other members of the United Fire Company and arranged to secure the engine and two hose reels of that company. These were loaded upon the gondola car on top of the steel rails, and the car was run down to Mt. Airy at a high rate of speed.

When Mt. Airy was reached, about 3:30 o’clock, the fire had gained such headway that it was impossible to save the Anderson buildings, but by the efforts of the Frederick firemen the adjoining buildings, one belonging to the firm of Baker & Zentz and the other to Edward Molesworth, were saved.

The fire engine was not unloaded from the car. Two railroad engines were run alongside of it on an adjoining track and water was taken from their tanks. George Wiener acted as engineer and Thomas Chew as fireman. W. T. Mullinix, the railroad agent, accompanied the train and did everything in his power to facilitate the work of the firemen.

The burned buildings were valued at $6,500 and were insured for $4,500. The value of the stock of A. Anderson & Co. was estimated at between $9,000 and $10,000 and was insured for $7,000. The second story of the main store building, which was a two-story brick structure, about 60 x 70 feet, was used as a lodge room by the Masonic and Jr. O.U.A.M. orders of Mt. Airy. The paraphernalia of these orders were saved from the flames.

The News, Frederick, MD 29 Jan 1903
 

Mt. Airy’s Great Fire.

Mr. Dudley Page, of Frederick, who at the time of Mt. Airy’s big fire in 1903, was one of those who made the midnight run with the United Steam fire engine that was sent from Frederick, recently gave an interesting account of that terrible night to a reporter for the Evening Post.

“Three-quarters of an hour after an excited telephone call woke us up with the announcement that ‘Mt. Airy is burning up.’ the United fire engine was loaded on a freight truck and started on its mad trip over the B. & O. to Mt. Airy,” said Mr. Page.

“Flames were leaping high from the business block near the railroad station and we could see the glare of the light in the skies as our locomotive steamed up the mountain grade. When we arrived in Mt. Airy we found that there was no source of water supply immediately available, so after a hasty consultation with the supervisor of the B. and O. and other railroad men, it was arranged for half a dozen locomotives to run up and down the road to a source of water supply miles away and bring it to the scene of the fire.

“Thus the fire engine, which was left in its position on the flat-car, was kept constantly supplied with an abundance of water from the tanks of the locomotives. In this way the spread of the flames was checked, but not until the heart of the business section had been reduced to ashes.

“It was thus that the Frederick firemen, the B. and O. Railroad officials and the citizens of Mt. Airy, working together in intelligent co-operation, saved the rest of the town from the flames.”

This fire was separated by several months from the biggest fire in the history of Mt. Airy, when the business houses on the south side of the railroad were wiped out. On that occasion also the United Fire Engine was sent from Frederick.

Evening Post, Frederick, MD 29 Aug 1912
 

MT. AIRY THREATENED BY FIRE BACK IN 1903

Frederick Firemen Responded to Appeal For Aid---Loss Then About $65,000.

Mt. Airy once before was visited by a large conflagration which almost wiped out the entire town. It was back in 1903 when the village was heavily struck. There were two fires within a month. The first occurring on January 29, when the large building occupied by A. Anderson and Co. was burned, with all its contents. Frederick was appealed to at that time for assistance and two reels of the United Company, in charge of Dudley Page and Charles P. Levy made the trip to Mt. Airy in a special train furnished by the B. & O. Railroad. The firemen were able to save the property of Baker and Zentz and Edward Molesworth. The loss bye fire amounted to upwards of $5,000.

The News, Frederick, MD 25 Mar 1914

Articles transcribed by Audrey.  Thank you, Audrey!

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