The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-09-06
A :MYSTERlOUS FIRE.

The Damage to messrs. Walker, Evans
& -Coesvell's Estab1Ishment-T The
Origin of the Fire Unknown.
The damage to the establishment Of Messrs.
walker, Evans & Cogswell by the fire yester-
day morning is much larger than was at FIRST
supnosed, The flames originated and were
confined to the third floor of the East Bay
front, but they ragged with great violence
there. and, the room being filled with expen-
slve machinery, the loss will be very heavy.
This was used as the press-room, and con-
tanned two Hoe cylinder presses, three 0or-
don presses, one railway press, one single.
medium Adams press and one douole-meoi-
nm Adams press. All Of these macnlnes are
badly damaged, and some of them are COM
nIetelv ruined, and can be sold for nothing
more than old iron. The wooden furniture
of this room was also completely de-
stroyed, as were also the belts, press
rollers. paper, &C., contained IN Inc room.
The room above this is used as the olndery,
and the whole stock Of paper and Cardboard
contained in 1t as well as the books and pam
phlets in process of binding are all, more OF
less. damaged by smoke. just below Inc
nress room is a floor devoted to the storing Oh
naner and stationery of all kinds, and the con
tents of this floor are badly damaged, prlncl-
nally by water. The loss will amount to fully
ron Thousand dollars, and this sum does not
include the contingent damage that Will De
sustained by the loss Of time, failure OF exist
ing contracts, &c. The firm yesterday tele-
rraphed to New York for four new job presses,
fthree Gordons and one Hoe,) to be shipped
Immediately, and every exertion will be made
IN nroceed with the business with as little In"
terruption as possible.
The origin of the fire is still q mystery. IL
broke out at about ten minutes past one A. H.
in q room which was cleared by the workman
at six o'clock the previous evening, swept out
by the boys, and inspected at about seven
o'clock, Just before the building was locked up
for the night. The fires had been put out IN
the engine room (Which is remote from the
! press room) many hours before, and no lights
or fire had been used in the press room for
many months. The cotton waste used about
the presses was invariably kept 10 barrels OIL
! water, and all scraps and litter were swept up
| from the floor every evening. The windows
and doors of the room were all found closed
when the fremen went in, and they were all
whole and fully glazed. These circumstances
would seem to indicate that the fire was not
the result of accident or negligence, but still
the suspicion Of Incepdlarism does not seem
plausible, as no means was Visible by which
the ~incendiary could have entered or escaped,
and the proprietors have no idea of any
person who would have had any possible
motive for such a deed.
A Card from Messrs. Walker, Evans 81
Cogsweil.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.
SIR We desire, In this public manner, to
acknowledge our deep obligations 10 the Fire
Department and to our many friends for the
timely assistance rendered In the fire of last
night. To the prompt alarm given, the
prompt arrival of the Fire Department, and
the hearty work of our other friends, we owe
the preservation of our establishment from
total destruction.
The principal obstacle now In our way is
the injury to our press-room, but as we have
fe!egraphed for four new presses and have
put a large force to repair the old presses, we
hope in a reasonable time to be ready for
work In our press-room. Although the loss
to our stock in other parts Of the building is
serious, yet we are now ready to sell from our
store and execute orders in all departments
except the press.room.
During Friday we will notify our various
customers who had work in our hands, If we
should be unable to complete the same.
We owe 1t to the liberallty of the various
representatives of the insurance companies
In this city that we are enaG!ed to repair our
damages at once, with no delay concerning
the adjustment Of the loss.
Yours very respectfully,
WALKER. EVANS & CoGswELL.