Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-04-17
The Nashville inn, the Conrt House
&C., in Ruins!
loss 100000!

t By far the most disastrous confla
grafton that has ever visited Nash.
iyille occurred yesterday morning,
! between two and three O'Clock. The
fire originated in the basement q
the Nashville Inn, above the oven il
the kitchen, and had 50 far progress.
ed, when discovered aid the alarm Civ.
en-, no human efforts could arrest it
IA very stre1g wind which was blow.
ing from The North, drove the flames
r.pidly through the house, the in.
imates barely having time to make
their escape, and in a few moments
the whole building was in blaze
The atmosphere was filled with float
ing flakes of fire, which were driven
over the square, and over the South
ern portion of the city down to Broad
street. Large masses of these flakes
fell upon the roof of the Court House,
and it was not long before that build
ing wasspouting up columns of fierce
flame, contributing its thousands to
the myriad sparks which poured over
the city ike a shower Of fire from
heaven.
Before the Court House was more
than half burnt the large ware houses
on the corner of Market street and
the square, and on Market street, be-
longing to I'll. & b Douglas, and oc-
Icppied by Hugh Douglas, also took
fire, and III succession the stores of
Ell. G.. Scovil, druggist; Stricken &
Ellis, and Gardner, Shepherd s. Co,
on the square, shared the same fate,
the lofty brick wall of Morgan & Co.'S
store checking the further progress
Of the fire in that direction. Mr..
Douglas lost nearly all the large stock
of Dry Goods, &c, he had in store,
but we are pleased to state that his
books and papers, of half million
in value, were all saved. The build
ings he occupied were owned jointly
by himself and his brother B. Douglas.
The division wall Of Evans & Cos
beautiful store east of the Inn, put a
stop to the march of the flames on
that side.
Gov. johnson was amongst the
boarders at the Inn. He had the
day before made preparations for
trip home, and when he laid down at
night, placed near $1,000 under his
pillow. Aroused by the roar Of the
flames he made his way out of bis
room to ascertain the extent of his
danger, when he was met by lady
who appealed to him for help. There
was no time to lose, the smoke was
almost sitting, and the fire pressing.
He gallartly went to her aid, and sue
ceeded in escorting her to place of
safety. The result was a loss Of his
money and wardrobe.
The loss of the Court House cam
not be less than $4,000. Insured
in the Tennessee Office for $4,000.
In the Court House, all the records
in the Offices of the Register, Circuit
Court Clerk and Sheriff were saved.
The records Of the County Court we're
saved, with the exception Of those
previous to 1910, which, being III a
small room to themselves, were over
looked. All of the records and most
of the papers of the Chancery Court
were saved. But one desk, contain
ing all the unpaid notes, receipts, cash
books and many minor memorandams
of the transactions of the Court for
the last ten years, and all the private
papers of j. B. White, Esq, late
Clerk and Master, we're lost. , The
value of the papers in this desk, ex-1
+ceeds $4,000. and it might easily
have been saved,.if any one present
had been acquainted with the value
of its contents.
We make eur summary Of the total
losses as follows:--
\ an
Douglas & Co, Sl1o,o0o
Court House, 30,UO0
Gardner, Shepherd & Co, 5000
Stricken, Ellis & Co., 5000
IL Ewing, 3,00l
w. r. Elliston. 5000
| Il. G. Scov;l, $4,000