Disastrous Fire and Death at Croghan, N. Y.

Fire which resulted in the death of two children, the destruction of fifty-two buildings and a property loss of to $300, 000, recently visited Croghan. Lewis county, N. Y. At 2:30 o'clock p. m., April 30, a man crossing the street noticed that the rear of Clement Grunert's cafe was on fire, and immediately gave the alarm. Mr. Grunert and family lived in the second story of the building, and their two children were taking their atternoon nap. Both were smothered by the dense smoke. So rapid was the progress of the fire that Mrs. Grunert, who was asleep in the room with the children, was nearly suffocated. She groped her way to a window to summon help, and was taken from the window and to the ground by means of a ladder. Great difficulty was experienced in locating and recovering the bodies of the children. The Croghan fire department responded promptly, but owing to the confusion incident to the attempt to rescue the children considerable time was lost in checking the fire, which gained great headway. The village of Croghan is situated ten miles northeast of Lowville, at the foothills of the Adirondacks, being the northern terminus of the Lowville & Beaver River Railroad, and has a population of about 900. The buildings were principally of wood, with shingle roofs. The fire, fanned by a stiff northwest wind, spread with such rapidity that the local fire department was unable to cope with it. The flames approached so rapidly at first that the Croghan firemen were in two or three instances compelled to retreat, leaving the hydrants open with hose attached. This consumed a considerable quantity of hose. These open hydrants reduced the pressure upon other hydrants so that a stream only about twenty feet long could be thrown, and at times this was reduced. The firemen were at times powerless to accomplish anything, for the naturally good gravity system of the village was rendered weak by several hydrants being left open. At 3 o’clock Chief Paul H. Von Zierolshofen, realizing that bis department was unable to master the situation, telephoned Chief George Sherwood, of the Lowville fire department, for aid. He responded promptly with Active Hose Company No. 1 and Mechanics’ Hook & Ladder Company No. 1, two hose reels and 1.400 feet of hose and other necessary equipment. Some delay was occasioned at the railway station in placing the flat cars, but the run to Croghan by special train was made in eighteen minutes. On arriving at Croghan the Lowville firemen were confronted with acres of fire, an excited and disorganized community and no water pressure. The equipment was immediately unloaded, and First Assistant Chief Earns, of the Lowville department, and part of the men were sent to the east side of Main street to check the fire and save the Roman Catholic Church, monastery and schools. Second Assistant Chief Van Namee, with the remaining men, was stationed on the west side of Main street to control the fire at this point and save the Basselin dwelling and what remained of the village of Croghan at the south. For more than two hours the Croghan and Lowville firemen combated the fire at these points. The heat was so intense that the men were forced to wet each other to keep their clothing from burning. The water pressure was so low that at times the men at the nozzles held their thumbs over the nozzles in an effort to increase the distance to which the stream might be thrown. At 6:30 o’clock p. m. the fire was under control, and at 8 o’clock Chief Sherwood and his men returned to Lowville by special train, leaving 850 feet of hose, play pipes, etc., for the Croghan department to use, should occasion require. The Croghan fire department consists of one company. The village had 900 feet of hose, which was wound on three reels. A portion of this hose was rubber, and a portion was cotton, rubber lined. During the progress of the fire a party of Lowville firemen entered the Central Hotel with a line of hose, dragging it to an upper floor. The water pressure was insufficient to force the water to that height. Foreman Charles H. Ryan, of Active Hose Company. took in the situation at a glance, and saw that his men would be caught in the building like rats in a trap, as the building had already taken fire in several places from the intense heat from the burning building to the north. Foreman Ryan ordered his men to the street, and within five minutes the building collapsed and was a mass of ruins. It was at this point that the fire on the cast side of Main street was stopped. The fire on the west side of Main street was stopped at the Basselin dwelling. Among the residents of Croghan there is some difference of opinion as to the pressure being on the water main at the time the fire broke out. The system is gravity, with six-inch wooden main, and is expected to maintain a hydrant pressure of l00 pounds or over. Some time after the system was installed a pressure-reducing valve was placed in the main between the intake ,and the age. A gate was also installed at or near Beaver River for flushing out the pipe. This gate, it is understood, was open when the fire started, and a man was sent to close it. A man was also sent to the reducing valve, but for what purpose is not clear. If the normal pressure of 100 pounds at the hydrant was not on. for any cause whatever, there is some excuse for the Croghan firemen not getting the fire under control in the building where it started. loremen. even in small villages, have some rights which village boards and water commissioners should be compelled to respect, for fire fighting is a hazardous undertaking at best, and when a fireman enters a burning building he has a right to expect that the fire department equipment is in perfect order and the full water pressure is on the mains every second of the day and night, and no deviation. It is impossible to turn back at a fire to get ready or recover time. While the fire at Croghan was a terrible blow to that village, other villages should profit by it and should have the very best equipment that money will buy that is practical for their villages, and whatever equipment such villages have should be given the best of attention, and it should he known for a certainty that such equipment is always ready for immediate use. It is useless to attempt to get ready after an alarm of fire is given.

Fire which resulted in the death of two children, the destruction of fifty-two buildings and a property loss of to $300, 000, recently visited Croghan. Lewis county, N. Y. At 2:30 o'clock p. m., April 30, a man crossing the street noticed that the rear of Clement Grunert's cafe was on fire, and immediately gave the alarm. Mr. Grunert and family lived in the second story of the building, and their two children were taking their atternoon nap. Both were smothered by the dense smoke. So rapid was the progress of the fire that Mrs. Grunert, who was asleep in the room with the children, was nearly suffocated. She groped her way to a window to summon help, and was taken from the window and to the ground by means of a ladder. Great difficulty was experienced in locating and recovering the bodies of the children. The Croghan fire department responded promptly, but owing to the confusion incident to the attempt to rescue the children considerable time was lost in checking the fire, which gained great headway. The village of Croghan is situated ten miles northeast of Lowville, at the foothills of the Adirondacks, being the northern terminus of the Lowville & Beaver River Railroad, and has a population of about 900. The buildings were principally of wood, with shingle roofs. The fire, fanned by a stiff northwest wind, spread with such rapidity that the local fire department was unable to cope with it. The flames approached so rapidly at first that the Croghan firemen were in two or three instances compelled to retreat, leaving the hydrants open with hose attached. This consumed a considerable quantity of hose. These open hydrants reduced the pressure upon other hydrants so that a stream only about twenty feet long could be thrown, and at times this was reduced. The firemen were at times powerless to accomplish anything, for the naturally good gravity system of the village was rendered weak by several hydrants being left open. At 3 o’clock Chief Paul H. Von Zierolshofen, realizing that bis department was unable to master the situation, telephoned Chief George Sherwood, of the Lowville fire department, for aid. He responded promptly with Active Hose Company No. 1 and Mechanics’ Hook & Ladder Company No. 1, two hose reels and 1.400 feet of hose and other necessary equipment. Some delay was occasioned at the railway station in placing the flat cars, but the run to Croghan by special train was made in eighteen minutes. On arriving at Croghan the Lowville firemen were confronted with acres of fire, an excited and disorganized community and no water pressure. The equipment was immediately unloaded, and First Assistant Chief Earns, of the Lowville department, and part of the men were sent to the east side of Main street to check the fire and save the Roman Catholic Church, monastery and schools. Second Assistant Chief Van Namee, with the remaining men, was stationed on the west side of Main street to control the fire at this point and save the Basselin dwelling and what remained of the village of Croghan at the south. For more than two hours the Croghan and Lowville firemen combated the fire at these points. The heat was so intense that the men were forced to wet each other to keep their clothing from burning. The water pressure was so low that at times the men at the nozzles held their thumbs over the nozzles in an effort to increase the distance to which the stream might be thrown. At 6:30 o’clock p. m. the fire was under control, and at 8 o’clock Chief Sherwood and his men returned to Lowville by special train, leaving 850 feet of hose, play pipes, etc., for the Croghan department to use, should occasion require. The Croghan fire department consists of one company. The village had 900 feet of hose, which was wound on three reels. A portion of this hose was rubber, and a portion was cotton, rubber lined. During the progress of the fire a party of Lowville firemen entered the Central Hotel with a line of hose, dragging it to an upper floor. The water pressure was insufficient to force the water to that height. Foreman Charles H. Ryan, of Active Hose Company. took in the situation at a glance, and saw that his men would be caught in the building like rats in a trap, as the building had already taken fire in several places from the intense heat from the burning building to the north. Foreman Ryan ordered his men to the street, and within five minutes the building collapsed and was a mass of ruins. It was at this point that the fire on the cast side of Main street was stopped. The fire on the west side of Main street was stopped at the Basselin dwelling. Among the residents of Croghan there is some difference of opinion as to the pressure being on the water main at the time the fire broke out. The system is gravity, with six-inch wooden main, and is expected to maintain a hydrant pressure of l00 pounds or over. Some time after the system was installed a pressure-reducing valve was placed in the main between the intake ,and the age. A gate was also installed at or near Beaver River for flushing out the pipe. This gate, it is understood, was open when the fire started, and a man was sent to close it. A man was also sent to the reducing valve, but for what purpose is not clear. If the normal pressure of 100 pounds at the hydrant was not on. for any cause whatever, there is some excuse for the Croghan firemen not getting the fire under control in the building where it started. loremen. even in small villages, have some rights which village boards and water commissioners should be compelled to respect, for fire fighting is a hazardous undertaking at best, and when a fireman enters a burning building he has a right to expect that the fire department equipment is in perfect order and the full water pressure is on the mains every second of the day and night, and no deviation. It is impossible to turn back at a fire to get ready or recover time. While the fire at Croghan was a terrible blow to that village, other villages should profit by it and should have the very best equipment that money will buy that is practical for their villages, and whatever equipment such villages have should be given the best of attention, and it should he known for a certainty that such equipment is always ready for immediate use. It is useless to attempt to get ready after an alarm of fire is given.

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