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Archives>Article


Sussex County Independent - January 9, 1958 issue

Stubborn Blaze...

Franklin- Franklin firemen are shown battling a spectacular fire which began about 10:45 p.m. on Wednesday and kept the firemen on the run until Saturday, when it was finally extinguished.

According to Fire Chief Ralph Jensen, the blaze that started in the 100-year-old Susquehanna Railroad station, on Dixon street, destroyed not only the 80 x 30 foot, one and one half story structure, but all of the building materials stored there by Anthony Paluso, of Hamburg, who had rented the station for storage space. Destroyed were large quantities of plywood, shingles, tar paper and cement. Damage, which included the building, totaled approximately $40,000, the fire chief said.

According to the firemen, the tinder-dry building flared so quickly it was impossible to determine immediately if it had held any freight or other supplies. The blaze was under control by 3 a.m., preventing its spread to the adjacent railroad office building. The blaze broke out again at 4 a.m. and firemen were called to the scene several times. On Saturday the fire department received permission from the officials of the railroad to let the office building go down if it flared up again.

Many years ago the station was used by passengers and was the hub of railroading activity here. Passenger service to Franklin has been long discontinued. However, it has been reported that a local station master had conducted business there three times a week.