From History of Western MD., Vol 2, by Scharf (1882)
At about twenty minutes past one o'clock on Saturday, Sept 5, 1874, a fire broke out in the loft of the store of Beall & Koch, on Main Street, nearly opposite St. Michael's Catholic church. The flames gaining headway soon extended to the adjoining roofs of Keller and the old Franklin Block. This row of buildings, including Marx Wineland's extensive store, next caught fire, and being very dry wooden structures, were in a few minutes a sheet of flames. From the Franklin Block the fire moved southward on Broadway, and crossed Mechanic Street to a large stable owned by the Hoblitzell heirs. From Mechanic Street the fire swept around on Water Steet, in both directions. The Cumberland fire engine arrived about three o'clock, and after a sharp struggle comquered the flames.
The losses on Main, or Union, Street were as follows:
Beall, Koch & Co., dry-goods dealers, building and goods, $30,000; J.J. Keller, grocer, building and goods, $15,000; Marx Wineland, dry-good dealer, building and goods, $45,000. These establishments were insured to the value of two-thirds of the property destroyed. John Huntley, hardware dealer, $3,000, said to have been uninsured; Madame VanKlaiser, millinery, $1,500; T.S. Metzger & Co., stationery, $1,000, insured; August Theopil, confectioner, $1,000. These four establishments were in what was known as the Franklin Block, owned by the Hoblitzell heirs, loss in building about $6,000. English Lutheran church, damaged to the amount of $10,000, insured; Lutheran parsonage, some $1,000, insured; Hitchins Bros., dry-goods dealers, damage to stock by removal, $300; Frostburg Mining Journal office, damage to stock by removal, $100; Peter Payne, damage to property, $300.
On Broadway the following losses occurred:
L.M. Gorsuch's stable, owned by Hoblitzell heirs, $1,500, insured; L.B. Porter, liquor dealer and grocer, Porter's Hall building, containing Porter's establishment, barber-shop, and saloon, $15,000, insured; Douglas Percy, damage to buildings, $600, insured; William R. Percy, grocer, damage to building and goods. $600, insured.
The losses on Mechanic Street were Hitchins Bros., three tenement-houses, $1,800, insured; Mrs. Joseph Keller, two tenement-houses, $1,000, insured, $700; Philip Michael's, black smith and wagon-maker, $1,000, insured; McCormick & Locke, wagon-makers, loss $1,200; Nelson Beall, small dwelling and office, $800; Dr. Englar's stable $800, insured.
On Water Street the following property was destroyed:
Mrs. Joseph Preston, corner Mechanic and Water, saloon and bowling-alley, $500; Hoblitzell heirs, three double dwelling-houses, $4,500, insured; J.W. Tomblinson[sic], wagon-maker, shop and stock, $1,000, no insurance; Mrs. Sarah Taylor, brick residence, $2,000; Levi Taylor's residence, $1,200; Geo. Humbertson, three dwellings, $1,800, no insurance.
Totals, Main, or Union, Street, $114,700; Broadway, $17,600; Mechanic, $6,600; Water, $11,000. Aggregate loss, $149,900.
