Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-11-15
PIRs AT CHATTANOOGA.
Two Blocks of Buildings Nearly Consumed.
Supposed 20 beithc work OF :Incendiaries.

supposed 10 Deltne WOrA u sh"eohi"EhcS'
From parties residing in Chattanooga and
other gentlemen who were there on Sunday
night, we learn the following particulars of the
destructive conHagation which occurred in that
city on Sunday morning, which resulted in the
DESTRUCTION OF TWENTY-FIVE HOUSES.
Tho fire broke out in the jewelry store of W
f. Fischer & Bro, on Market street. corner of
Eighth, and rapidly extended in a southern di-
reotion until its progress was stayed BY the walls
of new building, belonging to Mr.. L. ID. Clip
penger, add consuming six business houses.
At the corner of Eighth and Marke streets
the course of
THE FIRE CHANGED
Northward and pursued its devouring
course, nor ceased until twenty-five buildings
were in ashes, when the hungry flames were
stayed for want of fuel.
We find the following account in the Chatta-
nooga Tines of Sunday morning
" DESTRUCTIVE FIRE-NEARLY TWO BUsI-
NESS BLOCKS BURNED.
About o'clock this morning, an alarm of
FIRE was sounded, and We rushed to the point
indicated We assisted in bursting open the
front door of W. 4. Fischer & Bro, when a
small blaze was discovered issuing from the
ceiling of the wall, having apparently just
caught. But, on attempting to eXtnguish it,
the whole inside between the ceiling and wealth
erboarding was discovered to be on fire.. The
parties present went to work in earnest but 1t
was soon discovered, there being no water ac-
cessible, that the building, being wooden one,
was doomed, the flames having bursted through
the roof The only thing to be done now was
to save as much of the stock watches, jewelry
and silverware) AS possible. The goods were
pretty much all taken out, but, OF course, some
what damaged.
The FIRE spread rapidly in southern direc
ton, consuming the business houses of W. o.
People q Co. family groeers ). ,Goldsstein,
merchant tailor; Mrs. f. h. Fischer, fancy
goods and millinery; L. Silbermaun, watches
and jewelry; j. Bach IL Son, dry goods and
clothing II. N. Snyder 81 Co., family groceries
and provisions.
Here the devouring element was checked by
building.
The window castings Of the old post office
building caught fire, but by judicious fighting
the building was saved.
From the corner of 9Th and Market streets,
northward the following business houses were
burned
NJ Schnec, boot maker kirkpatrick & Co,
liquor dealers Ruble & Hight agricultural i'm
plements; Calhoun, timer Nisbet q Nc
Glohon, boots and shoes Nesy Ransom,
Howe sewing machine 4; l Piper, family gro
ceries; II Schneider x Co.., dry goods;
Vaughn & Co, dry goods Nassaur u Lowen-
merchants and family supplies Water Works
Co. II Deutsch, watch maker Niotke mer-
chant tailor; j Long, furniture dealer Mrs
German. dry goods and millinery; w NJ Jack
tist DIR Osmen physician
The fire stopped here, for the want Of materi
al to feed on.
The total value of buildings destroyed is about
1000, with not more than 5000 insurance.
The total amount of insurance, by agents in
this city is about twenty-nine thousand dol
lars.
THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED
Has been variously estimated. One account
hints it at S75, 600, but it seems that amoun-
~ mn fboD no
sumed, although we are informed that with
three or four exceptions they were wood
The Chattanooga Advertiser extra of Sunday
says:
Practical men who are posted consider the
total loss at least $4,000.
We give below the estimates as to their
sprctive losses of all the victims we have been
able to find in the confusion
The insurance foots up to $32, 900. One or two
sufferers had allowed their insurance to expire
but few days since and had neglected to re-
new. The partial list OF losses, already given,
is $50, $50. In our opinion they will run rather
over than under the figures
AN INCENDIARY.
''Some dammable scoundrel poured coal oil
on pile of shingles in the rear of Nee s. Mills
store, and set in on fire. Luckily it was extin-
guished before doing any serious damage We
| think that if that man could be found to-day a
short shrift and long rope would be his por-
ton"
On Saturday the number of strangers in the
city WAS the subject of remark, and when the
fire broke out it was the opinion of large num-
| Der of citizens that among them were the scoun-
drels who had fired the city, the fire having
originated, it is supposed, in the loft of the jew
elry store.
SO strong was the opinion that 'incendiarism
was at the bottom of the disaster that at the re-
quest of numerous citizens, the following pro-
| clama'ion was issued, which We find in the ex-
| ira before mentioned.
ONK THOUSAND DOLLARS REwABD.
In accordance with the request of large and
respectable portion Of our citizens and tax pay
| ers hereby offer u reward of one thousand
| dollars for the arrest and apprehension of the
person or persons guilty OF setting fire to our
1 city on the night of the llth inst.
! (Signed) w. Il. RATHBURE Mayor.
Chattanooga, Nov. II, 1871.
| Mcssrs. Ruble and Hight are the heaviest
| losers, their losses amounting to $1,000, and
4 from that down to the smallest, which is $50.
| Messrs. PattoR " Payne agents for the CHRoN-
| ICLE, lose about 5000 from removal Of stock.
INCIDENTS.
The streets were filled with all kinds of goods
| and merchandise, piled and hcaped in wild con
Iusion, and apparently irreerievably mixed and
| commingled.
| Whisky flowed freely, and we are told that a
great many persons we're Keeling about during
| excitement in all stages of drunkenness. a
| freedman WAS seen near the river half n mile
| from the scene of the disaster, rolling "A barre
| Of whisky before him, and on being asked
| what he was doing with il, replied that he wa,
| gwine TO keep it from being burnt up
| We are informed that on Sunday morning
twenty or thirty extra police we're placed OF
duty, enough TO prevent any disorder or whole