On this day. . .1927-At 1:52 a.m. a switchman in “V” tower at River and Mulberry(eastern approach to the Cumberland Valley Railroad Bridge- today’s location is alongside the Harrisburg Hospital Parking garage behind Brady Hall)discovered flames along a loading dock of the Appleby Brothers & Whittaker Company’s one story metal clad warehouse to the rear of their four story brick building at 216 S. Second between Mulberry and Mary Alley Box 48 was immediately struck. On arrival firemen found the metal roof and sides white hot from a large working fire within the warehouse filled with plumbing supplies. Chief Tawney ordered the second alarm at 1:58 and the general (3-3) struck at 2.15. The spectacular fire was fought for three hours before being brought under control also destroying a row of two story frame houses at 201-03-05-07 River Street and for a while threatened houses at 200-02-06-14-16-18 River Street. A boxcar on a siding on the north side of the building was also destroyed. Final loss figures not published. The fire was determined as being arson following a pattern of other fires in the neighborhood in the preceding several years.(For those going to the Pump Primers muster this weekend, the fire location is directly behind the John Harris Mansion)
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 10:52:48 +0000
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