The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-20
THE ABBEVILLE, FIRE.
A FULL ACCOUNT OFTHE CoNFLAGRA.
TON.
Its Origin, Progress and Incidents-
Tho Losses and Insurances.

An extra edition or the AbDevllle Medium,
which, with characteristic enterprise, was is-
sued on the very day of the fire, briggs us
full and graphic description of the terrible
confagration, which last Sunday morning laid
Tho finest business portion of that thriving
little town In ashes. all the important facts
connected with the disaster have already been
reported by telegraph by our attentive Abbe-
vile correspondent and published In The
NEWS of Monday and Tuesday mornings, but
as matter of general interest we give In ad-
dition the description of the IRE as furnished
by the extra Medium:
Again has a terrible calamity visited our
town and an immense amount or property
been destroyed. The bells at one O'Clock this
morning rang out weird-lke peals, the fierce
flames shot athwart the bright blue sky, dense
columns of smoke obscured the face of the
moon which sadly looked upon the swift work
of destruction Abbeville never saw a bright
er, lairer and mere sorrowtnl Sabbath Than
that of to-day. Property and wealth which
had been accommodating for years has suddenly
been swept away; fine works Of art which
once delighted the eye OF the artist DOW lie In
ashes; the costly and stately buildings which
composed the Granite Range are crumbling
heaps, or, charred and blaekened, rear their
naked walls heaVenward-a gaping, ghasuy
pile. .,.,..
The scene Of the confagraton was sublime;
anxious property holders looked wild with ex-
element; women and children fed for their
lives; the flames cracking, kissing and roar.
ing poured their burning passion forth, and
Without mercy clasped their red hands in glee
at the weak efforts made to STOP their pro.
grees. Mel worked amid the scorching heat
o,,ff.,
eating clouds Of smoke with the courage OF
Spartans, but-all in vain. The flames spread,
the overheated walls cracked and trembled,
and many Of them fell with thunderous
rumble. The night was very. calm,. and q
kind Providence kept the wind In abeyance..
II is slppOaed that the fire originated In the
kitchen Of Mr. A. H.-Hill, but 1t was far be.
yond control before it was discovered. Mr..
Hill was awakened by his wife about one
o'clock, and. on opening his chamber door to
ascertain what was the matter, was met by q
binding cloud OF smoke and heat. Mrs. Hill,
sick In bed, YVES, with The greatest difficulty,
saved. Que OF his children, pursued by the
flames, leaped from the second story OF the
oni!ding and sought safety In flight. Mr..
Hills losses are very great and severe. He
lost four hundred dollars In money and sue
creded In saving nothing whatever clothing,
furniture, bedding and everything was de-.
sroyed, and nothing was covered by insur-
ance. ~
Barnwell & Co. had their store burned, and
succeeded In saving nothing. Their books
and about four hundred dollars IN money were
lost. The losses of this hrm are partially COW
cred by insurance; they were Insured for
s6OO0
The store of A. M Hill & Co. was Quilted by
the devouring element. part of their stock
was saved, aud they were Insured for $2500 In
the. Continental. Their warehouse was are-
proof. and the groceries, cotton, &C., which
we're stored In 1t, suffered No injury.
The furniture store of j. D. Chalmers g. Go.
next fell prey to the flames. A part oi their
stock was saved, and they We're insured for
$l8O0-ss00 In the London, Liverpool and
Globe, and $500 in the Georgia Home. The
clerks, sherlf's and couRty commissioners
Offices were totally consumed, with all their
books, papers aud records. The loss of these
papers TO the county cannot be estimated
These offices met with heavy losses at our fire
In January last, and now nothing is left. The
destruction oftne books, papers and records II
these offices will canse great embarrassment
/ In our financial and business circles. It seem!
| that Abbeville, between robbery, wrong anC
| fire, is destined 10 be destroyed.
The drug Store OF Lee & Parker ended the
progress of the FIRE In southerly direction.
This store was filed with drugs, which added
| fuel to the flames. A part OF the stock was
saved, and insurance 10 the amount Of two
thousand dollars held In the London, Liver.
pool and Globe.
It was thought at one time that the whole o.
| the western side of our public square woulC
be burned; but the fre-proof wall of Lswson'i
/ Hall and the almost superhuman efforts of 6
portion of our citizens stopped Its further pro
gress. On the wall OF Lswson's Hall few
men gallantly Taught the flames. Coloret
men and white men stood breast to breast
| cheered each other and worked like horses
/ q. h. Ellison, colored member of the Leglsls
lure, forgetful Of the dignity of position, work
I'd for the good Of his fellow.cltizens. On the
ground lawyers, merchants, mechanics anC
ministers, mingling In one common crowd
did efficient service.
While In the conduct OF q number of our peo
pie there was much to commend, we have
nothing Of praise or commentator to give L
| the greater class-that class which stoot
aside, unmoYed bv the losses which thel
nelghbors were suffering, and grimly smiled
promised reward. The hook and ladder
company was not out In full force. The pro
gress of the fire In a northerly direction Was
checked by the frepr0ol Wall OF WardlaW d
| EdWards,s store.
Many losses of minor importance to those
enumerated above we're occaslOned by the
| fire, aud the calamity which has belallen us IL
most grlevous The business interests of oul
Town have been paralyzed, q portion OF oul
| brsL and most beautiful range OF buildings de-
stroyed, the legal documents Of our county are
In ashes. It will he years before the iDjuries
occasl0ned by the fire will be overcome.
III order that so great misfortune and misery
may never again visit us, let there be IRE
| company fully organized and equipped.