Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-03

Suspicious GIrcumstanc
PrOpertS Consumed.
From the Memphis AYalanche, NOTemterl.

RrOpeHBF C0mSume0s
From The Memphis ATalanche, NOTemterl.
About half past eleven O'Clock yesterday morn
ing FIRE was discovered in the cellar of the large
three story building Main street. the corner
of Madison. occupied as a furniture store by H. L.
Duncan & Co. On repairing to the premises it was
found that the fire was among some boxes and chairs
10 the basement, where there had not been span
Of fire for ten months, and that it was iguited in
three different places. Efforts were immediately
made to smother the fire and save the building, but
as the basement was filed with mattresses, shueks
and other combustibIe material it was found to be
impossible and the house and contents were soon
enveloped in flames. The fremen were promptly
upon the spot, but there was, unfortunately, but
little water in the cisterns, and the flames spread
rapidly as the circumstances would admit, consum-
ing the store in which it originated, and contents
together with the adjoining tenements on each
side. The store in which the fire originated, as
before stated, was occupied by NJ. L. Duncan &
Co., of sCinciunati and was filed with costly
furniture vsriously estimated at from ten to thirty
thousand dollars Duncan is 10 Cincinnati, and the
property was left in charge of others to be sold for
his benefit. The store was closed at the time by
the receiver under the SequestratiOn Act in order
take inventory, and 1t Is said that that officer
was engaged on that very case when the alarm was
given. The fact that the property was in the hands
of the Reee ver that the store closed for making
the transfer that fire had been in the cellar for
ten months qnd )ther not less pregnant circumstances
lead to the general belief that the fire was the work
of an incendiary. Indeed there was a general ex-
pressien of opinion yesterday in the vicinity of
the confagration that all the parties in charge of or
in any manner connected with the establishment
should be held TO a rigid accountability. Duncans
stock is said to be insured in Cincinnati and there
are those who believe that this fact had IFS influence
in inducing the conhagrstiOn of yesterday.
The ha DWARF store of J n. McCombs, adjoiuinR
Duncan & Co.. and situated on the corner of Main
and Madison streets, also consumed, together
with about three fOurths of its contents. The fine
hardware was saved. We unders tand that Nc
Combs q Co. had a very large stock on hand, esti-
mated as high $50 000 and the extent of their
insurance is unknown, as the senior partner, who
has charge CT the papers, is absent from the city
The auction store of ]. L. Andrews Co., adj DIN
ing Duncan's on the North, was also consumed.
Fortunately most of their stock was saved We
learn that their loss will not be 81 000 They
are covered by insurance.
The Dssoto building on Madison, and the Metho-
dist Book Concern on Court street ~ere in imminent
peril The latter, we believe, was on fire at one
time but saved with little damage.
The walls of Andrews auction store fell in on
the Tailor store OccupeI by Pooley and crushed in
the entire roof.
The fremen could do next to nothing for want of
water and the flames spread to the Turey building
On Court street. Here another attempt to save the
building was made. but soon the water was ex-
hausted, and it was gradually consumed. This
building cost sl3 600 and was insured in the Bluff
City 70 IS 600, and other Offices for 81 coo
The three tenements on Main street, first con-
sumed, were owned by r e. BrinkIeY, and were
not insured
While our citizens were actively engaged IN en-
leavoring TO arrest the flames in the buildings on
Main street, intelligence was brought that H1Ward's
Row, arjo ming which is the Ccmmssary depot
was on fire. The announcement seemed at first and
for a moment to stagger belief. Soon there was q
movement and rush on the part of those not i'm
medstely engaged, for the.s scene of the second fire
which proved 10 be notorious establishment kept
by one L ZZie WhiItis and next to the COmmsssry
depot Every citiZ n went TO work vigorously, re
moving the army stores, and soon every thing Was
out Of range of the devOurIEg element. The lack of
water was painfully felt here too and WhIttis
house together with portion of the furniture was
consumed The building was owned by Wade Boil
ton and we believe Is insured.
Suspicious were Indulgef IN to the cause Of
this last fire, many supposing that it also the
result of ncandaryism. The inmates of the house
we learn affirm that 1t caught from lying cinders
of the first ire If this be il Is little sin
GUAR that both fires should have occurred in the
immediate vicinity of the army depots
We find 1t next 70 impossible TO form accurate
estimate Of the extent of the loss by fire yesterday
out the well informed fix 1t at from $50 900 to S75,
900 Let not the lesson of yesterday be lost upon
our people or their representatives,, the Board OF
Aldermen. Let the cisteFns be Immediately filed.
and let a paid FIRE department be organized al
once.