Hamburg, Pennsylvania
St. Michaels Lutheran Reformed Church Fire
May 23, 1875
PENNSYLVANIA FIRES.
A correspondent of a Reading paper writes:--
A terrible affair occurred in a grove about four
miles west of Hamburg on Sunday. The occasion
was the dedication of the new church building of
the St. Michael’s Lutheran Reformed
Congregation, which has replaced the old church,
and which has just been completed. A large
number of people from Hamburg and the adjacent
country were present. They came by the hundreds,
with their horses and vehicles of various
descriptions. Many of them had new vehicles and
new harness. Before the services began the woods
near the church were crowded with teams by the
dozen. An unlooked for and sudden calamity came
upon this peaceful scene, and changed it into
one of confusion and horror. The grove was
thickly covered with leaves, which were dry like
tinder and very inflammable. It is supposed some
one used a match to light a cigar and
unguardedly threw it down among the dry leaves.
At any rate, from some cause the leaves caught
fire; and before the fact was noticed almost a
conflagration was raging. Imagine the situation
and you may be able to realize the horrors of
it. Horses and vehicles packed together thickly
in a grove, the ground strewn with dry leaves, a
fire began and raging fiercely among the
affrighted animals and their owners pouring out
from church to the rescue. The pen cannot do
justice to the scene, and we will not attempt
the impossible. Some seventeen vehicles were
destroyed and five horses were burned to death.
Five more horses had to be killed, to be put out
of agony. Some of the poor animals were burnt so
badly that their hoofs dropped off. A number of
people had their hands burned and clothing
ruined in attempts to put out the fire and
rescue the animals.
The Herald And Torch Light, Hagerstown, MD,
26 May 1875
Transcribed by Audrey. Thank you,
Audrey!
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