A. H. SPECK THE TENANT.
Son of an Annville Man Sustains Considerable Loss.
Insurance In Lancaster Company. Fire's Origin Not Known.
A big fire on Sunday afternoon at the farm of Allen H. Speck, of North Cornwall township, drew scores of people from this city to the vicinity of Rocherty. The barn caught fire in some mysterious way about 1:30 o'clock, and was a mass of ruins in a few hours. It was one of the biggest in the county. Joseph Mark, of Annville is the owner of the farm. The loss is partly covered by insurance in a Lancaster company.
STARTS IN A PIG STY.
The fire started in a pig sty adjoining one end of the barn, and spread fast. It was seen at the start that the building was doomed, and the horses were at once taken out. The five pigs in the sty were burned to death. The cattle were out of the barn when the fire started. With the barn were destroyed a number of small buildings near it, including a chicken house with about 100 chickens.
WIND SAVES THE HOUSE.
The dwelling house occupied by Mr Speck and family is close to the barn and had the wind been blowing in a different direction, the house might have been destroyed. Another factor in favor of the house was the fact that the ends of the barn were Of stone. The Speck family was at home when the fire broke out. Neighbors saw the smoke issuing from the pigsty and the barn almost as soon as members of the family, and tried to subdue the flames, but they had already too much headway. The fire spread so fast that lots of farming implements and vehicles of all description were destroyed with the barn.BARN VERY LARGE.
The barn is said to have been one of the largest in the county. It was a Swiss barn, with three floors. It was fully 100 by 50 feet in dimensions. Word of the fire came to Lebanon early in the afternoon, and before the hour was past its climax a stream of autos, bicycles, buggies and other vehicles were taking people from this vicinity to the place. The farm is near the Smith property at Rocherty, and is located on what is called Kreider's Creek. Joseph Mark, the owner of the farm, was at Mt. Gretna when the fire broke cut. He made the trip to the farm in his auto.
THE BARN'S CONTENTS.
The barn contained quantities of grain, feed, hay and straw, which were destroyed, but the loss in this respect was not as large as it might have been had the fire occurred in the Fall of the year, when the crops are in. Mr. Speck, the tenant farmer, is the son of Daniel R. Speck, Sr., landlord of the Pennsylvania House, Annville.
Lebanon Courier and Semi-Weekly Report - May 12, 1911