Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-04-10
For the Journal
AWFUL CONFLA IN WADEs-
BORO-TERHIBLE UEsGaUCTIoN
OF PROPERTY

BDSp--EEREEBsAE UESGAUCT1SS
OF PROPERTY.
WADEsBoRo, April g. 1863.
Editors Of tie Wilmington Journal Il
write you to give you the particulars, as
far as can be ascertained, Of the terrible
calamity which has Gesolated our town dur
ing the last twenty, four hours, and has
laid all the business portion Of it in ashes
This morning there are many melancholy
faces and heavy hearts here, and many ap-
prehend it will be a long time before the
town. will DE built up as closely as before
this calamity.
About one o'clock this morning the dis
tressing cry of &c fire WAS raised, caused,
it was found, by the Arson Hotel and
buildings adjoining, drumming South OF it. J
being in blaze. The buildings were old
and composed of very combustible mate
riai3, and the flames fanne., by fresh
breeze, rapidly spread, SO much SO as to
barely allow time for some OF the occu
pants and guests at the Hotel to escape.
On that block the fire destroyed the build
ings on the West Of the Hotel, known as
offices, and also South Of it as far as the
residence OF James Threadgill. Tom the
Hotel the fire spread to the buildings Gu
the North side of the street, destroying
! five of them, thence to and including the
Court House, and East on that block
around to and including the Jail East Oi
the Hotel to the store houses OF Il A Cav
ford a2d Arnold Il Cooley, and South to
and including the Conner house, occupied
by John Ryan.
The origin of the fire is in doubt re-
ports are very conflicting, rs to whether
it was accidental or the work of an incen-
diary and as to whether it originated il
the Hotel building Or the buildings adjoin-
ing.
So far as I have been able to ascertain,
the losses are estimated as follows None
Of the parties named L al Insurance on either
their buildings or stocks
Arson Hotel, owned by G. Is. Thread
gill, Sheriff; j. Benton Burns, lessee. Mr..
Burns lost all Of his stock Of bedding anu
furniture, and lis family nearly all their
clothing. He also loses about thirty bales
OF cotton, and three thousand pounds of
| bacon. His Individual loss is about $1,000
The building is estimated as worth about
s., O00
| Coming South, the next building was
owned by j. &. Hargrove, and was occu-
pied by W. H. Mills as a wareroom. Mr.
HargrOve had stored in it five bales of Cot
ton and q lot Of iron. and Mr. Mills, four
bales of cotton and lot of bacon. Mr.
Hargrove's loss, including building and
cotton, about 500, and Mr.. Mills about
! $500.
Next South, building belonging to Mrs.
Duncan, and occupied by Messrs Morton
& Brennan, as q dry goods store. Mr..
| Duncan's loss is about 81 ,000, and Messrs.
M. q B., in stock, about 81, OO0
Next South, storehouse belonging to 6.
! Willougut1 and four offices. The arst was
occupied by j. 2. Billings & Co., as a
grocery, and the offices, one as a sleeping
room attached to the grocery, the next by
James Dismukes (colored) as salesroom for
his bakery, aud the other two by j. E.
| Hill, shoemaker. In the storehouse Mr..
Willougutz had about 100 bushels Of corn,
which was also destroyed. His loss is about
So, 800. His tenants losses are small, as
most Of their stock was moved in time
Mr. Wlllouguts also LOST three offices Oh the
row east Of the postofice, which are covered
/ in the above estimate.
Immediately north of the hotel the build
ings consumed are building on the corner,
formerly occupied as p drug store, but a
short while since by J. n. Proggan as a
family grocery. At the time OF the fire 1t
was unoccupied. It belonged to S. D. Cole;
{ loss about 81, 200.
The storehouse next adjoining, belong
ing to Rev. 4. e. Bennett, and occupied
as family grocery by J. n. Boggan.-
Mr. Benefits loss is about 81, 500, and
Alr Boggin's $500. Mr.. B. was able 10 save
portion of MS stock.
Next building, belonging to Jesse Ed
wards and occupied by Or. W. G.. Ramsay,
as family grocery. Mr.. Edwards loss is
81 800, and DR.. Ramsay's in partial loss OF
stock 81, 200.
The next building west of this, occupied
as private residence, by extraordinary ex
ertions, was saved, and the further progress
of the destroyer arrested.
The next building north of the corner
on this block, belonging to Rowland
Crump and occupied by J. Hebron as
dry goods store, was also destroyed, with
nearly all its contents. Mr.. Crump's los
is about 81, 200, and Mr.. Heilbron's 81 200
Crossing to the East side o. the maln
street, running North and South, the courl
hou3e, with all it's records, excepting those
in the Recorders Office, was destroyed. =
The flames extended down the whole OF
this block to, and including, the cfice late.
~ occupied by DIR. Glass, and the county
Jail.
The building next to the court house,
belonging to Mrs. E. A. Pickett, of Ala
bama, SISTER of Hon. Thos. S. Ashe, Con
sentative candidate for Goyernor) wos oc-
cupied by Messrs: Smith & CoPpeage, and
the building adjoining was occupied by
Mr.. W. NJ. Joneg, shoemaker and Mr.. Elly
Davis, matchmaker. Mrs. Pickett's loss i
'about $1,000; Messrs. Smith & Coppeage's