Quick action by residents and the Williamstown fire company, with some assistance from the wind changing directions, saved Williamstown from the fate of Gratz which one week earlier lost its town center to a disastrous fire. Williamstown was also fortunate to have an active fire company and a close relationship with both Wiconisco and Lykens and their fire departments, who quickly came to the aid of their neighboring town. On the other hand, Gratz did not have a fire department at the time nor did it have a water system – both of which were later organized as a result of the Gratz fire.
No cause of the Williamstown fire was given. Many suspicious fires occurred in the mid-1920s when the Ku Klux Klan was burning crosses in close proximity to buildings as well as in the woods. If these fires were not completely extinguished, they often flared up hours later, sometimes causing major conflagrations. An article in the Sunbury Daily Item, October 17, 1924, pointed this out and blamed the many forest fires that were occurring on the Klan. Less than one month after this article appeared, the Williamstown fire occurred.
The Williamstown fire was reported in the Lykens Standard, November 14, 1924:
DANGEROUS FIRE AT WILLIAMSTOWN, SUNDAY
What may have been a repetition of the disastrous Gratz fire but one week previous was averted Sunday morning at Williamstown only by a direct western wind which fanned the flames from seven dwellings which surrounded the barn of Clayton Miller, located in West Williamstown, near West Broad Street, which was burned to the ground.
The fire in the structure was discovered at about 5:15 A. M. Sunday by Mrs. Phoebe Clouser, who spread the alarm and was instrumental in getting the Williamstown fire company on the scene.
After desperate fighting the Williamstown fire company was successful in confining the flames to the structure, but because of the high wind embers were carried more than 150 yards where buildings were set afire, and blazing embers ignited the dried grass in the Fairview Cemetery, more than 300 yards west of the scene of the blaze.
After the great danger was seen in which fourteen homes and barns were threatened in the path of the flames, a call was sent to Lykens and Wiconisco for help. The companies from this place [Lykens] responded immediately, Lykens leaving the firehouse at about 6:00 A. M., while Wiconisco followed closely after them.
The section which is closely built up is without fire protection the only available means being a garden hose, which was used to battle the flames.
Lykens and Wiconisco companies would have been able to pump water from the Wiconisco Creek if emergency had required this service, but it was found upon their arrival that the fire was under control and they stood by in readiness for action.
Seven Homes Surrounding Burning Structure.
A strong west wind which fanned the blaze saved the dwellings of Charles Machamer, William Clouser, Mrs. Elizabeth Hawk, Elmer E. Kissinger, Clayton Miller, Mrs. Mary Rubendall, and James C. Miller. These residences are within a distance of fifty feet where the large structure about 20 by 80 feet was a mass of flames. None of these places were afire but were guarded by many who had formed a bucket brigade.
Seven Dwellings Afire
Directly west of the burning structure were the homes of Ira Clouser and Mrs. Phoebe Clouser, William Fromme, Mrs. Edward Williams, Ira Wren and Mark Machamer. Their homes were afire a number of times but diligent guard kept by a bucket brigade saved these dwellings each time they burst into flames.
The barn and corn shocks on the farm of Paul Mehalko were afire. This place is located about 150 yards west of the Miller barn. In the blaze Clayton miller lost a number of vehicles, two tons of hay and a quantity of wheat.
Ira Wren and William Wentzel, who kept their autos in the bottom part of the bank barn each lost their cars. Wren had a Ford while Wentzel owned an Oakland.
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Article from Newspapers.com.
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