The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-24
TIE BURNING OF ABBEHILLE.
Full Particulars OF the DIsastr-'-The
Losses-Scenes and Inctdei

From the Abberille Medlum-Extra.I
It is our duty TO chronicle this week
! the most terrible colamity that has ever
befallen the village of Abbevllle. The
| shriI cry of 'fre, fire." aroused the
peacefully sleeping inhabitants OF Abbevllle
on Yesterday morning at about half.past one
O'Clock, and for three mortal hours the "fre
klngn madly ragged and ruled. The streets
| were thronged with noisy, bnstling, excited
| crowd, and what with mad flames leaping up
to kiss The skies, flying women, frantic ne
groes and earnest workers, the occasion was
of property was destroyed, and II is estimated
that seventy-ive thousand dollars will not
cover the lOssee. The fire continued about
| three hours, and dying embers are now Sob
/ bing, as 1t were, sorry that 80 much has been
| lost, and by their agency too. Tall, uosighily
| looking chlmneys and wlde-mouthed win
dows now greet US oss as we pass oy' ana make
A thousand rumors are aflUat about the orr
gin, progress aud Incidents Of the great fire.
Some alege it to have been the work of an
incendiary, while others attribute 1t to chance.
II the former, we hope that the perpetrators
of so helllsh deed may be apprehended and
made to suffer the full penalties OF the law; If
the latter. we advise greater caution In the
future. The fire Is said 10 have started IN Mrs.
Bowle's kitchen and to have been nnmanage-
able before discovery. This house was siLu-
ated lust back OF the row OF buildings known
as Knox's Range, and, bnlt OF lumber, was
fit subject for the inauguration OF so terrific a
confagration. Knox's whole row Of buildings
was destroyed, the courthouse, Marshall House
and the row Of old shantles next to the Marshall
House. Such conduct as we witnessed OF great
many persons present was disgrace to man
hood. While the flames were licking up every
thing, gaping prodigies Of manhood Oiled The
streets, rnd never lifted hand to help the
brave. While those held back and were dis.
graced, others rushed forward and became
sscovered all over with glory" Doctors, law
yers aad preachers, all took hand 10 lighting
entirely consumed, with great part of It's
appurl enances. In Its loss another old land
mark has left us, and resting place for The
weary traveller Is destroyed. 1t had been
much improved recently by lis proprielors,
Messrs. Wilson & Cothran, aud was neat, line
looking buildiDg-an ornamen. to our town.
A great part OF Mr.. Mays's-the le:see-lurni-
of the Marshall House was cut Into store
rooms, and their occupants, Trowbridge& Co.,
and II aser d Bsquest, were heavy losers by
It's burning. Trowbrldge & Co. saved about
half of their stock of goods, and Tr@ger Be-
quest the larger portion of theirs. Kaphan d.
Sklarz, on the Knox range, lost q part OF their
stock, and John Knox lost nearly al of his
Every barroom In the place was destroyed,
and not being covered by Insurance OF any
kind, We believe they were total loss.
The larger number OF these burnt out were
totally or partially insured. The "Marshall
House" was insured for $4,000 In the London
Globe Insurance Company, of which VIM. b.
Parker, ESQ. is agent at this place. The fol-
lowing named parties had insurance policies
In the Continent al Of New York: Rev. Dennis
O'Neall In $1,000; Kaphan & Sklarz In S4260.
In the Hartford: Kaphan & Sklarz 10 $3.50;
Trow bridge d Co. In $4,000. In the Richmond
Banking: John Knox In $4,000. In the Andes:
John Kuox in $4,000; Rev. Dennis 0'Neall In
$1,000 total OF 0,0U0. DR.. /. & w. Tuley
Branch are the agents at this place for the
Continental, Hartford, Richmond Banking and
Andes Companies. These companies, We be-
lleve, are all solvent, and the blow will not be
so heavy on those VINO were insured.
A great deal OF stealing was done during
the progress Of the fire, and as much lost by
rucuery rs was losL by fire. No order existed
whatever among the people, and 1t Is strange
that ANYTHING at all was saved. A disorgani-
zed, selt-opinioned crowd has little use 1T q
big fire. We hope that our citizens will see
the importance of body OF organized fire
men, and that they will go 10 work, raise o
fire company and buy an engine. Experience
is q dear school, and the repetition of sad ex-
periences should be shuniied. We tender our
thanks TO Messrs. McGill, Enrlght, Hayden,
Maxwell and Talmadge, and number OF COL
ored men for efficient and valuable services 10
looking after the Medium. We sympathize
deeply with the sufferers In this great and
melancholy catastrophe. We will give fuller
account in our regular number.