Firemen Respond To McKinney

On August 7, 1931 at about 9:30 p.m. a telephone call was made to the Cumberland Valley Hose Company requesting their help in fighting a fire in McKinney that was threatening another home. McKinney was located between Newburg and Roxbury on the Franklin Cumberland county line. Borough Fire Chief Earl Burkholder took the call and inquired if there was water available on the scene for firefighting purposes, upon being told there was he and the Cumberland engine headed to the fire. Upon reaching McKinney all was dark and quiet and no evidence of a fire could be found. Soon a man with a lantern that was not burning flagged them down and informed them that the fire was over in the bushes. An investigation revealed an unoccupied house belonging to Gene Sommerville had burnt down 17 or 18 hours before the call was placed for their help. The C.V. boys were upset that they made a run the whole way to McKinney only to find that their services were not needed.