Flames Damages J. W. Pierce Drug Store

On August 1, 1877 around 10:00 p.m. a dense volume of smoke was seen pushing from the ceiling under J. W. Pierce’s Drug Store in the Criswell Building on the corner of Main and Railroad Streets. Firemen were on the scene quickly with the Cumberland Valley boys taking the well at the Black Bear Hotel and the Vigilant’s taking the well at the Sherman House; two streams of water were soon flowing. Firemen had great difficulty in locating the fire, as the smoke was very dense and suffocating. Only after cutting a hole in the floor could water be played on the fire in the basement. After extinguishing the blaze it was determined that it was a small amount of rubbish burning in the basement causing minimal damage. For Criswell it was good news as in the last 10 years two of his warehouses were destroyed by flames in Shippensburg. The Vigilant Fire and Cumberland Valley Fire companies answered the alarm. After the fire the local newspaper again began their campaign for a water supply in the borough of Shippensburg.

Today's photograph is of the Vigilant Hose Company No. 1 in 1928, this was taken shortly after the completion of the building. Note the newly planted grass in front of the building.

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