Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-10-26
o,NrRA1 POINT IN RUINS.

Point stood two-story brick house, the
lower part used as grocery, dry goods
and meat store, and the upper part as
family residence. This house was built
and occupied about two years ago BY .
man named Peck--the same Peck who
at the last Municipal election was chosen
as an Alderman TO represent the Tenth
Ward. Somehow or other, Peck prefer
red seeking his fortune in Iowa than
taking his chances as member Of
the City Council; so he sold the
store, furniture and fixtures to Mr..
Whipple, who with his family moved
into the establishment as soon as Peck
moved out. Business, however, didn't
flourish very well in the house at the
Point under the management OF MI
Whipple. Executions for debts OF some
sort fell upon him, and his store was at
one time closed by order Of the Sheriff,
with the intention, we learn, Of selling
the stock. But the Sheriff didn't sell,
and Mr.. Whipple opened his store and
again commeaced business in the usual
way. A large part of his custom had
dropped of, and he consequently be-
came dissatisfied, expressing to some
of the neighbors willingness to
"sell ont" Be this as it may,
he kept his store open until a quarter
past nine o'clock last Saturday night,
when he partially closed the front door
and stepped over to the establishment OF
Mr.. 7. V. O'Brien, on the opposite side
Of the street. Mrs. Whipple, who was
left in the store, took the oil-lamp down
from its support over the counter, and,
placing it on a barrel in the store, went
up stairs. She had not been long there
when she heard loud pop" so she
ran down to see what was the matter, and
found the lamp had exploded and the
csal oil running over the floor in flames.
She called Mr.. Whipple, who ran over,
barred the door on the inside to keep
out intruders, and endeavored to ex-
tipguish. the flames with blankets. Bat
the flames were not to be conquered ID
that way; so they kept running here and
there around the store until they pene-
trated into an oil barrel, and then whiz
flash went a large volume of fire up to
the ceiling, consuming brushes, brooms,
washboards, hams, and everything within
its destructive sweep. Around the store
| it flashed and dashed, scorching and con-
suming until it reached keg of powder
on ono of the shelves, when fz boom i
an explosion down dashed the east END
wall into DR.. Jackson's drug store {;
in rushed broad tongue Of fire, Kissing
and spreading and tapping up everything
inflammable, gradually growing broader
and wilder and fercer, until 1t flashed
through the roof in faring blaze OF de-
struction. Grocery and drugstore were
fast disappearing under the wild MUNICH
ing of the terrible fre.tongue, which
kent on consuming. From DR.. Jackson's
drugstore it spread to barber-shop ad-
Joining, also his property; then to a
frame tenement belonging to Mr.. Can
dee, occupied by Mrs. Meyer and her
three daughters, who came very near
being burnt in their BEDS The fire.
tongue now turned northward, and
lapped two-story frame tene-
meut occupied by four families of ne
groes; then it stretched westward to Dr.
Jackson's residence and frame cottage
adjoining it on Brinkley avenue; then
to another two-story frame house occu-
pied by negro families; and lastly across
Brinkley avenue to the two-story frame
house occupied as a residence aud bar
room by Cuneo h Legomarsino, the Oldest
place at the Point. All we're consumed;
nothing left save piece of brick wall,
five chimneys, and smoulderiug debris
The roof of Mr.. T. V. O'Brien's store
also took FIRE. but through the exertions
If officer Gates and Q lad named Jimmy
Cole the flames we're soon extiDgulshed'
and a confagration prevented on the
south side of the Point
Firemen we're too late to do any good I;
even if they had been on the spot early,
there was no water to use. 1t appears
petition was presented to the City
Council some time ago to have a public
cistern made in that neighborhood the
prayer of the petition was granted, and
, there the matter ended-words, aud
nothing more"
, Mr.. Whipple's loss on the building is
$1,000; on goods and furniture, $500
, total, $500. Heis insured in the Etua
Company, on the house, $S0O0i in the
Home Company, on the goods, $500
on the furniture, $500. DIR. Jackson
D loss on his two stores, clearinghouse
stock of drugs, furniture and fixtures
! amounts to about $40, OOO no insurance
! This is heavy loss on an old gentleman
9 with large family. His eldest
daughter-Miss Bette Jackson lost
! nearly all her wardrobe. Cuneo a
{ Legomarsino's loss on stock and
fixtures is $500. no insurance; LOST
d on the house, $4,000. Mr.. Candee's los'
o on house, about s2OOO-insured, we be-
4 lieve. Mrs. Meyers losss on furniture
o 500. Loss on two-story tenement oe
: cupied by negroes, $1,000; nearly al