Lewisburg National Bank Fire, August 9 1909

When a woman doing some ironing caught the Lewisburg National Bank on Fire
August 9 1909

In 1909, Mrs McCabe went to the attic of the Lewisburg bank building she rented rooms in, to do some ironing for her niece.  Mrs McCabe and  Miss Voris resided on the second floor of the bank, and stored trunks and clothing in the attic of the same building.  A small coal-oil stove, located in the attic, was used for heating the irons.  Mrs McCabe left the room for a few minutes to fetch some water from the bathroom, and when she returned, the room was on fire.

Mrs McCabe was so in shock that she was unable to call for help, but only ran downstairs where she was reported to have been seen "gesticulating in some way". The alarm was raised, and the fire company arrived promptly, but at first did not have a ladder tall enough to reach the flames.  Once one was procured, the fire was quickly put out.

All of the books, papers, cash, even calendars and blotters were placed in the bank vault when the alarm was raised, but as there was no damage to the banking rooms, they were back open for business by 2pm.

The only damage was "partial burning of the woodwork in the west attic, and damage to the wall paper and plastering caused by water, in the rooms on the second floor, which were occupied by Miss McCabe & her niece, Miss Voris and by J. Foster Van Valzah in the offices occupied by Dr Ralph Steans."

There was no damage to the rooms of the bank proper, other than a slight discoloration of the wallpaper on the side walls of the banking room, caused by water.

The bank was appreciative of the Fire Companies efforts, and handed them a check for $50.  James Packer Esq, always a supporter of the fire company, also gave them a $50 check from his own account.

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The National Bank History, by I.H. Mauser

Began as the Lewisburg Dime Savings on April 20 1853

January 1925, new bank building to be built.

The Lewisburg Chronicle 
August 14 1909

December 1916


"Many of the banks in the county were caught up by acquisitions or as parts
of mergers. For example, Lewisburg Savings Institution, the first bank in
Lewisburg (established 1853), nearly a century later became the Lewisburg
National Bank, which was then absorbed by the Williamsport-based Northern
Central Bank a.k.a. “the bank with the clock,” then Keystone Financial, and finally
the yet larger M&T Bank—always located at Market and South 4th Street in
Lewisburg. "