The "Krausers Block" was just south of Broadway in Milton, beside what today is the Milton Realty building.
On February 1904, firemen arrived to find the fire plugs frozen. As they got them thawed to fight the fire, the water froze to their clothing and the ladders, making for treacherous conditions. And then, as the fire spread, it exploded the loaded shells and ammunition in the gun shop. It's truly amazing that no firemen were injured that night. Firemen from Watsontown and Lewisburg came to Milton to help fight the blaze.
"The most disastrous fire that has visited Milton since the burning of the nail mill five years ago occurred Wednesday night" - The Milton Standard
Shortly after 8pm, a dense smoke was noticed coming from the shoe store of Samuel Goldenberg in the Krauser block on front street. The Fire company soon arrived, only to find that all of the "water plugs" in the vicinity were frozen.
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| 1901 Map showing the Krauser Block |
Fox Brothers Jewelry store, located next door, began to move out their most valuable stock, while the fireman worked with a limited supply of water. Calls were made to Watsontown and Lewisburg for assistance, and the Watsontown Fire Company arrived with 800 feet of hose and 30 firemen. Lewisburg arrived with 1400 feet of hose, a fire engine and 25 firemen. By this time the entire interior of the building was on fire, but several fire plugs had been thawed out.
"All hope of saving any part of the Krauser building was abandoned, and the attention of the firemen was directed at saving the adjoining buildings."
A gang of firemen mounted the roof and for nearly two hours aimed streams of water onto the buildings. It was bitter cold, the water froze on the men's clothes, hose, and ladders, making it extremely hazardous to move about. The roof of the bank building was "a glare of ice within 20 feet of the fire".
Amazingly, no firemen were injured and the fire was under control shortly after midnight.
G. Dal. Fox Bros jewelers and dealers in guns, ammunition, and sporting goods occupied the room between the drug store and Goldenberg's shoe store. Although the Fox brothers removed a good portion of their stock, but a large amount of ammunition and loaded shells "could not be gotten out in time and their explosion reminded one of the discharge of musketry", the shots lasting for nearly half an hour.
In the upstairs, the Henry Wilson Post G.A.R. and Hepburn Pollock Camp S.O.V., the Ladies Aid Society, Women's Relief Corps, McCollin Camp Spanish War Veterans and Prohibition Alliance all sustained losses.
Bert Gauger and his wife occupies a suite of rooms on the second floor. They had been spending the evening with Mrs Gaugers father and were not home at the time of the fire, they lost everything except the clothes they were wearing that evening.
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| Inside Krausers |
"The Krauser block was destroyed February 17, 1904, in a terrible fire which had its origin in the basement of Sam the Shoeman. The immense drug business of the Krauser brothers, Daniel and Ellis, and the jewelry business of G. Dallas Fox, the shoe store of Sam the Shoeman, and the effects of the Henry Wilson Post, G. A. R., and S. Hepburn Pollock Camp, Sons of Veterans, were a total loss."
If you watch ebay listings for Milton Pa, Krauser bottles some up pretty frequently.
1914 -
The Krauser Brothers Liquid Smoke was found to violate an insecticide law:
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Made for smoking meats, the liquid smoke was also "to keep flies and mold" from hanging meat.In 1914, the US Govt found the product to be a violation of a 1910 law regarding insecticides. The Krauser Brothers were fined $25.
The 2022 Krauser Block Renovation
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1934, Oct - The Elite Shoppe moved to its new location on south Front Street, in the storeroom formerly occupied by the Rosenblum Garment Center. The new quarters included a rest and lounge room for women, "something entirely different for Milton shoppers"
1965 - Elite Shop moved to the building "formerly occupied by W.T.Grant Company Store on South Front Street." It had previously beeen located "just north of the new location". Both buildings were owned by John Waldron.
1983 - The Elite Shop at 17 south front street, and the Smart Shop at 41 Broadway, both owned by the Bartholomews, were both permanently closed
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1891
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Allen's Western Auto was located on the west side of Front Street before moving north of Milton, not on the east side where Cole's was located. Coles was where the former in part of the former J. J. Newberry Store that include 15 South Front St. the second location of The Elite Shoppe. Mindelle K. Bartholomew
ReplyDeleteDo you know which building is shown in the photo in this post? I see an ice cream shop next to the Western Auto. I can't place, off hand, where those buildings would have been/are on the West Side of Front Street.
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