The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-01-24


down the stairs, and soon the larger por-
tionof the furniture ofFthe' Hotel is put
in q place of safcty Tke1nercharts, too,
occupying the basement story, Messrs
Trowbridse s. Co., and Tr,cger & BE.
quest, succeeded in moving the greater
portion Of their stocks, and were enabled
to lend their aid to others in staying the
progress OF the flames. -.-,r.,.,s.sss --e-..r
But alas, the extemporary organlza-
ton, without any of the appliances of ac-
tive, successful eff0rt-engines, hooks,
ladders and buckets-is entirely unavail-
ing to stay the oontlagration. One OF the
wooden buildings adjacent to the Hotel
is partially unroofed, and buckets or
water are dashed against the rails of the
Hotel, and wet blankets are applied
But nil without effect. The raging
flames reaching hcavcnward in spiral
columns, and licking up all around with
their forked tongues, steadily advanced
in their destructive march; enveloped the
wooden range next the Hotel anu soon
igniting it's wooden shutters and the rail
ings of the piazza, rose in column OF
fire to the cupola. 1nthe burning of the
cupola was seen q sight imprcssively
grand and sublime and abcautiful-the
gorgeous beauty of the scene divesting it
of some of its terrible attributes. .
But even before the burning of the
Hotel, the terrible tornado oofsparks from
knoX's blazing block had set on fire the
old inflammable roof of the Aston
House, occupied by the Misses Cater,
and seemed to threaten its speedy ruin.
But by early successful efforts. OH the
part of Mr.. Edwin Cater and others, tho
blazing shingles were torn off, and that
building and the Western portion Of the
town were saved. The sparks ignited a
tree in the lot Of DR.. Lyon, and for II
time created great alarm. The inmates
of the Aston House all removed their
effects. and 50 did those generally Of the
adjacent houses, whilst nearly all in the
upper part Of the town had theirs packed
ready for removal. ... ..l ...
The carriage shop of Messrs. Seal, Sign
and Robertson, On Washington Street,
and near the burning block, was in inn
mincnt danger, and was only saved by
the most earnest and persistent efforts.
All of its contents were removed, and
then the liberal application of water and
wet blankets did the work. Had this
been bnrned. Mrs. Hughoy's just below,
would have shared a similar fate and all
the buildings iii that part. of the town.
But whilst the flames were rushing
Westward aided by favoring wind,
they progressed more slowly but as
surely to the East, until, having swept
the brick buildings occupied by Chris
tian& Wilson and Kaphan & Sklarz, and
the wooden tenement next Law Range,
they canght the wooden cornices of the
Court House, and slowly ignitcd the
rafters and shutters, Slowly tho tin roof
rolled npon itself like parchment
scroll, and rafters and slecpers and floor
ing were all ablaze, and falling in, left
the massive walls intact. The wooden
next Law Range, threatened
imminent peril to those offices, and only
the most active efforts Oh the part Of Mr..
John Enright and others, whose names
arc mentioned in card published in an
other column, saved the building. As
it Was, the lawyers; generally, removed
theIrboo and papers, which have been
thrown into confusion worse confoun-
ded," than some Of its most inextricablc
labyrin.is. ~.a i. M1f..- ia.."@ 3D..
The records of the Clerks Office. .werc
partly savcd-all the office books, and
the current papcrs-;nearly all the books
and papers in the Sheritf7s and Judge OF
Probate's offices, and all the books and
papers of the County Treasurcr's office
The books and papers of the Auditors
office were removed and safely returned
The insurance generally, bears but q
small proportion to the property lost
The Marshall House, valued 1T some
$4,000, was insured only to- the extent
of 81, 900, in the London Globe, WIN. II.
Parker, Es1, agent at this place. The
stock of Trowbridge & Co., valued al
IS, 900, lost onc-third, and was covered by
policy of So, ,O)o,in tlie-Hartferd. The
buildings of Knox and Cunningham sus-
taincd loss of about $1,000; Insured in
the Richmond Banking for $4,000. Mr..
Knox lost his stock valued at 5000, iu-
surcd in the Andes for $1,000. Dennis
O'Ncill lost tenemcnts to the valuc OF
$1,000, insured for $1,000, in the Cont
uental and Andes. each respectively
Christian 4 Wilson lost a building worth,
say 81 900, upon which there was no in
surancc. Also their stock worth ST ,010.-
B.'OConnor, a building worth S,3GO-no
insurance. IIaphan & Slllarz saved most
of their stock upon which there was al,
Insurance of $3.50, in the Continental,
$3.50 in the Hartford. Trcgcr d. Be
quest, saved most OF their goods. L. IL.
Russell, lost 81 900; L. D. Bowie, 81 900.
the boardcrs in the Hotel about 900 ;
Mr.. Mays, $1,000; Lee Russell, $500 /;
whilst the loss in the Court House
was at least $4,000. The aggregate loss
will, probably reach some S7O,ooo, upon
which there was insurance to the extent
of $l2, ,OUO.: I. .... T. ,a d! a.-....o"
THE loss IS heavy, but Abbcville may
well congratulate herself that the Wcs-
tern side of the town, with its beautiful
range of stores and handsome private
editices remains untouched, and that now
substantial brick buildings will soon re-
place the .frail tenements of wood which
of late covered most of the Burnt Dis
frsot Yb ~ yryYrE yof renovation has ol-