Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-12-19

and blistered, and its destruction prevented
only by the untiring exertion of the Stonewall
Company. On the opposite side Of the cross
street from the Kennedy building stands
very large wooden house, owned by Mr.. E.
M. Shannon, and occupied by Mr.. D. A.
Brimer as hotel and Mr.. G. A. brennan as
family grocery store. To save this building,
and thereby prevent the destruction of large
portion of the town, called out the skill and
exertion of the fire department, and of the
vast crowd collected at the fire. The Cham
pion Hook and Ladder Company covered the
roof and worked with unfagging zeal, while
the Stonewall played away on the side and
end of the building. Their joint labors were
crowned with success, and the march of the
destroyer in westerly direction was thus
stayed at the cross street.
The origin of the fire is not, and most prob
ably will never be known. The hour in the
morning, however, at which it occurred, to-
gether with the fact that the torch had been
applied to Mr.. Nails store twice previous to
the fire in the last two years, would point with
almost certainty, to the hand of the incendary
as the cause Of the disaster.
Though the blow is very serious one to
some of the sufferers, and is calamity to the
town, it is great relief to know that the ma
jor part of the loss falls upon solvent insurance
companies. The building belonging to the
estate of Major John Kennedy was insured
for s2500, in the Georgia Home. The family
lost furniture, clothing, etc., to the probable
value of s2500, uninsured. S. G. Kaufman
insured for $4,000, in the London, Liverpool
and Globe; portion of his stock saved. Tins
ley & Bourke saved their stock. E.. NJ. Shan
non, not insured house damaged, probably,
5000. G. A. brennan insured for $500 in
the Georgia Home; partial loss from removal.
R. M. Cross insured for $1,000, in the Georgia
Home loss by removal, not ascertained. j.
w. Rothrock, loss 81, 200, no insurance; John
McCauthren, loss $1,000, no insurance Pink
ston Nail, loss $4,000, no insurance; Mrs
Lousia Melton, loss $500, no insurance; I. l..
Clubhouse d Co., loss about $4,000; insured
for $17 500, as follows: $4,000 in the Lon
don, Liverpool and Globe, $4,000 in the Hart
ford of Connecticut, and $2500 in the Georgia
Home. J.J. Mcclure and J. L. Agurs, house
burned, no insurance, no loss. j. E. Curtis
& Co., loss $4,000; insured for s250O in the
Georgia Home. Wylie, Roddey & Agurs,
loss $4,000, insured for $4,000 in the Lon
don, Liverpool and Globe. Captain j. L..
Agur's house was insured for $4,000 in the
Germania, of New York; ten thousand would
not rebuild it.
IL. McNinch, insured for $1,000 in the
Georgia Home; considerable loss from re-
moval and water. R. McElroy, loss s170 in
cash, and the custom work in his tailor shop.
His sewing machines were saved. Archibald
Hogg lost all the contents of his tailor shop;
value not ascertained. Both of these last
named parties occupied rooms in the second
story of Agurs' building Other losses were
incurred by parties removing their goods and
furniture from the buildings supposed to be
in danger but we have no means of arriving
at any Just estimate of their amount
The wind not being very high, and blowing
all the while steady from the west, made the
saving of the Shannon house a possibility,
and with it, in all probability, very large
portion Of the town.
This is the third destructive fire that has
swept over the hill in three years, and now
only four of the old landmarks Of the business
portion of Chester areleft standing; the store
house formerly occupied by Mcclure Il Har-
ris, the residence of James Graham, the
Shannon house, many years ago the property
of George Kennedy, and the house on the
corner occupied by R. M. Cross. These are
the only buildings left out of the many that
crowned the hill twenty years ago. Disaster
in thepast, has only served to call forth all
the latent energy of our business men and
nerve them for sterner struggle with the
tickle goddess. So it will be again. Before
many months pass away the sites now marked
by smouldering embers will be occupied by
large and costly warehouses.
While all classes, colors, and professions
We'd with each other in their endeavors to
save property and stay the progress of the
flames, we feel that we are doing no more than
justice in noting especially the faithful servi.
ces of the garrison at this post. Officers and
men were promptly on the ground, and wher-
ever work was needed, whether on the house
top, in the stores, or at the brakes, there they
were to be seen working with hearty good
will, and doing all that men could do. They
have earned, and they receive without stint,
the gratitude of the whole community.