Newspaper Article:

Fire at Uhler's Drug Store

Fire of unknown origin occurred in W. H. Uhler's drug store, southwest corner Main and Market streets, about 7:30 o'clock Wednesday morning, which for a time looked very threatening. The clerk, Eugene Donahue, opened the store at 7 o'clock (the regular time), and after attending to a few matters about the establishment went outside to sweep the snow off the pavement, and while thus engaged noticed smoke coming out through the doorways, which are always opened in the morning to ventilate the room. An alarm was immediately sounded and the fire department soon responded, but in the meantime several chemical fire extinguishers from Hoffs hardware store were brought into service. The smoke, however, was so dense and impregnated with the fumes of burning pepper that it was impossible to handle the extinguishers by any one person for more than a few seconds at a time, and the liquid was thrown about at random as the fire could not be exactly located at first. It was afterwards found to be in the southwestern part of the room under the prescription counter and the hose of the firemen was turned in that direction and the flames soon extinguished. The heat was so intense that several thermometers burst and one of the large plate glass windows on the Market street side of the building was cracked at two places. Most of the labels were also melted from the jars and bottles. The damagne is estimated at about $500, which is covered by insurance with the J.H. Rowe agency of Millersburg.

Mr. Uhler's store was open for business shortly after the fire and by noon presented its usual tidy appearance, excepting the ceiling and that part of the room to which the fire was confined.