Fire At Main Hall, Wilson College

On January 17, 1925 at a college employee discovered a fire in the basement of the Main Hall at Wilson College, Chambersburg. He reported the fire to painters working in the building, upon an investigation by them Box 125 at Philadelphia and College Avenues was hooked at 9:25 a.m. When firemen arrived clouds of yellow smoke were pouring from the basement windows. The thick smoke hindered the firemen in locating the seat of the fire and caused seven firemen to be overcome by smoke, all were taken to the infirmary and released the next day. All the apparatus of the Chambersburg Fire Department responded to the fire including the Good Will steamer, out of service for the past three years. Firemen worked for over one and a half hours before gaining control of the blaze. The fire caused extensive damage to the basement of the three-story building. The upper floors suffered smoke and water damage. The cause of the fire remained undetermined and damages were estimated at $5,000 to $10,000. The Cumberland Valley Hose Company’s ALF pumper was called to assist at the scene.

At 11:05 a.m. a rumor reached the fire ground of another fire in Chambersburg and hose was quickly picked up and the apparatus along with the CV pumper headed back into the center of town. Once there it was found that the alarm was false.


This is the first patch I can remember the CV's wearing on their uniforms, I do not know what year the began using it but I used it when I joined there in 1977.