This Was Doylestown, 1928

Department store badly damaged by fire -

Close to $60,000 in damage was caused early Friday morning by a fire that broke out in in the storehouse in the rear of the A.F. Scheetz's Sons department store at Court and Pine streets. Practically the entire stock of this fine store was either destroyed or damaged to such an extent that it will not be saleable.

For a time, the entire business section between State and Main streets was threatened. The heroic work of the Doylestown volunteer firemen was all that saved Doylestown from a terrible disaster. They were aided by more than 100 volunteers from eleven other companies, including Chalfont, Dublin, Willow Grove, Abington, Jenkintown, Perkasie, Wycombe, Warrington, Horsham, McKinley and Hatboro.

Doylestown and Chalfont firemen worked hard to hold the flames in check and succeeded after a great fight that lasted two hours. Other companies stood by on watch for other outbreaks from the sparks that were carried by the strong wind two and three blocks in an almost steady rain of fire for thirty minutes.

The entire frame storehouse section burned to the ground. Two delivery trucks in the storehouse were destroyed. Flames destroyed the entire stock of furniture on the second floor in the rear of the store, where the fire was the worst. Other stock in the extreme front of the store was also badly damaged by the flames, smoke and fire.

Eleven head of cattle were rescued from the barns of O.J. Leatherman on Garden Alley, after the fire had started. The heat was so intense that the cattle could be heard stamping about in bewilderment. Two horses were also rescued.

The fire was discovered by Officer Scott Case, who noticed flames near the roof of the storehouse and sent in the alarm at 2:25 a.m.. By the time the Doylestown company got into action the fire had gained considerable headway.

Fred Scheetz, co-owner of the store, stated that he was of the opinion that the fire might have been caused by some defective wiring. Mr. Scheetz, in a hurried survey of the stock of the store, stated that it was practically all a loss.

"I want to take this opportunity to praise the work of the Doylestown Fire Company and the others who came to their assistance. The firemen did great work. If it were not for them, the loss would have been the worst in the history of the borough," Mr. Scheetz said.

State police seize truck with bootleg beer -

After stopping a five-ton truck in front of the Edison substation of the State Highway Patrol for a general inspection of lights and brakes on Monday night, Corporal Pickering seized the truck when he discovered eighty-eight half-barrels of alleged high-powered beer, and placed the driver under arrest.

The truck was so big that it could not be taken into the yard of the Bucks County Prison through the outside gate, and as a result the truck was taken to the Doylestown Garage on West Court Street, where it is carefully guarded and awaiting the analysis of the precious cargo. The seizure contained about 5,000 old-time "growlers" of beer, or a quantity that would make the old-time bartender smile.

When the truck was stopped by Corporal Pickering, the lights were examined and the driver asked a few questions as to the contents and from whence it came. It was not long before the odor of fermented beverage was distinguished by Corporal Pickering.

The driver of the truck, George Casperatis, aged 25, of 1633 North 12th street, Philadelphia, was placed under arrest on charges of transporting and possessing liquor. The truck is owned by Louis Carbin, of 1047 Flanders road, Philadelphia. The driver was taken before Justice Irvin M. James, Doylestown, where he waived a hearing for court and was released under $1,000 cash bail.

The bail bond was signed by Alfred Hendree, of Philadelphia, who apparently followed the beer truck along the Easton highway. He appeared before Justice James and counted out $1,000 from a large roll of $50 bills.

The truck was bound for Philadelphia when stopped. It had come down the Easton highway but according to the driver, he did not know where it had come from, for he took possession of the truck at some point along the highway, after another driver had brought it to that spot.

Constable A.R. Atkinson, of Doylestown, will take a sample of the beer to a Philadelphia chemist this week for analysis.

Agent reports strong demand for houses -

"The demand for houses to sell and houses to rent at the present time is greater that in any time in the last five or six years," declared J. Carroll Molloy, local real estate agent, in an interview at his office in the Eastburn Building.

"I believe the demand will continue to be on the increase owing to the fact that the opening of the new North Broad street subway in Philadelphia will bring Doylestown practically thirty minutes closer to the center of the city," Mr. Molloy continued. "There is every reason to believe that Philadelphia people will move out this way, for it is one of the sections where prices are reasonable."

Mr. Molloy said that just recently there was a building movement in Doylestown started by a group of young men who desired a central location in the town for the purpose of a development of permanent houses. This is an indication that real estate is on the move.

This particular development did not materialize in the purchase of a tract, but it did result in the purchase of a number of houses, and others to be purchased in the near future.

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Electric company to protect shade trees -

The Philadelphia-Suburban Counties Gas & Electric Co. will do everything possible to co-operate with Borough Council and the property owners of Doylestown to protect the shade trees of the town, General Manager William E. Herring said Tuesday.

"We want to avoid cutting trees any more than is necessary to give the best service," Mr. Herring said in a conference with Councilman G.S. Hotchkiss, chairman of the electric light committee.

Council, at the suggestion of Mr. Hotchkiss, recently asked the electric company for a conference concerning the use of heavy insulated wires through trees, where it would be possible in that way to avoid severe trimming of the street shade trees.

"Because we want the good will of the community, we have used some of the special wire in earlier work, but this is not always possible," Mr. Herring said. "Where there is heavy rubbing by tree limbs, under certain conditions, the use of this wire would not be advisable or practical. It would last but a few years, and then the tree trimming would be necessary again.

"The electric company will not trim any tree more severely than is necessary, nor at all when it can be avoided. As you know, when we trimmed the trees a few years ago, we co-operated with property owners to the fullest extent. That will be our policy in the future," Mr. Herring stated.

Organizations planning community athletic field -

Representatives of the Doylestown Rotary Club, Doylestown Kiwanis Club, Borough Council, Doylestown Athletic Association and A.R. Atkinson Post of the American Legion will meet at 8 o'clock March 14 in the Legion rooms to discuss plans for a community athletic field.

N. F. Power, president of the Rotary Club, spoke of the need for such a field at the weekly dinner meeting of the Kiwanis Club on Monday evening.

"I know that a community athletic field in Doylestown is absolutely necessary," he declared.

President Power said that in 1911, when he came here, there was a playing field near the county jail. After 1913, that playing field was dropped and the younger boys of the community had no place to use as a play center. In 1917, a ball grounds was established in what is now the McKinstry tract, and that was used until 1924, when the site was purchased for real estate development.

In 1925, the Doylestown ball club was forced to go to Warrington to play, and interest in home talent development was at a low ebb, President Power pointed out. During the past two years there has been practically no baseball because there has not been a suitable place to develop young players. For that reason there is no representative town baseball team this year.

President Power called attention to the fact that a community playing field is a great advertisement for any town. It puts the place on the map. He also pointed out that organized athletics will keep the boys in school, and girls, too, in some cases. A junior baseball league, such as is planned with the advent of the new community field, will mean a place where young boys can be developed physically in all sports.

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Doylestown Town Notes -

Dr. George H. Lorah and Miss Sarah James have returned from Florida and will occupy their home on North Main street [now the James-Lorah Memorial Home] in the near future.

Mrs. Harold H. Keller, of East Oakland avenue, will undergo a slight operation in the Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia, on Tuesday.

Rev. William Reese Scott, who has accepted the rectorship of , will arrive in town next Thursday with Mrs. Scott. Until the Episcopal rectory on East State street undergoes some remodeling, Rev. and Mrs. Scott will live at the Fountain House.

Horace M. Mann has rented his house on Shewell avenue to Mrs. and Mrs. Russell B. Gulick, with possession April 1.

Joseph Kramer, of Swamp road, recently purchased the Allen Zeity farm at Court street and Swamp road. Mr. Kramer is going to remodel the home, which will be called "Fair View."

About 30 persons attended the annual officers' conference of the Bucks County Sabbath School Association in the First Baptist Church on Saturday afternoon.

Mrs. Webster Achey and son, Dick Achey, of East State street, left on Sunday for Fort Myers, Florida, where they will spend a month.

Jesse Smith, of Lahaska, has accepted the clerkship in the offices of the Doylestown Building and Loan Association, filling the vacancy left by the resignation of Mrs. Frank Haring, of Shewell avenue.

Mrs. and Mrs. Wynne James, Jr., of Linden avenue, announce the birth of a son at the Emergency Hospital on Sunday.

Doylestown's three troops of Boy Scouts left town at 12:30 Saturday for the Commerical Museum, Philadelphia, to see the Boy Scout Jamboree that is being staged there.

Mrs. Allen H. Moore and son, Allen Hoyt, have returned to their home on East State street after spending some time in Atlantic City.

Miss Mary Paxson, of Maple avenue, was in Philadelphia on Tuesday, addressing a meeting of the Emerson Club on the Gandhi movement in India.

From the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, Week of March 4-10, 1928