Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-08-26
CONFEDERATION.

SO
While the engine-house bells were.toll.
ing the hour of twelve last night the po-
licemen we're whistling up from South
Memphis to the station-house the FIRE
alarm, the four blasts on the whistles in
succession, startling all slumbering citi-
zens. Soon the jarring and changing of
the fre-bells tolled out harshly on the mid.
night air, and as if by magic the streets
were alive With people in a few
minutes. Our representative had just
turned into bed, but turned out immedi.
ately when he saw the southern heavens
all aglow, as joachim Miller would say,
like some great sailing ship on fire.
The engines dashed past and everybody
followed to Georgia street, between. Main
street and Rayburn avenue, South Mem
phis. That portion of the city was
lighted up and the buildings for half a
mile around stood out in clear cut relief
beneath a red sky, presenting a Rem.
brant style Of picture, charming to a
connoisseur in art. The volumes of
white smoke, filled with myriads OF whirl-
ing sparks, and bearing pieces Of wood
which scared high in air and fell a mile
away, south of Shelby street, The main
building Of the Wood and Willow Ware
Works we're now in an immense
blaze that burst forth from
the roof and windows and the piles Of
lumber in the yard adjoining were catch
ing FIRE all around. When our reporter
arrived on the ground it was almost i'm
possible to pass by the burning works on
Georgia street, so intense was the heat.
1t felt like a furnace, and the crowd had
to stand back a hundred or more yards.
NO WATER ANYWHERE.
The 6remen we're at a loss what to do,
on account of the absence Of water, as
but one cistern was within reach Of the
fire. At first the dwellings and other
buildings on Georgia street east Of the
works, and those Immediately across the
street, we're in the greatest danger. One
Of the steamers aud the hook and ladder
truck dashed out Georgia street from
Main, but overcome by the heat, the
horses attached to Engine No. 2 stalled
in front of the fre-one Of them falling.
The heat was so intense that it was
almost impossible to remain near the
engine, and many who went to the as
~sistance of the iremen we're driven back.
The fremen succeeded in cutting the
horse loose, but not until one Of the
quadrupeds was badly scorched. The
hose Of another engine was turned on
the imperiled steamer, which enabled
the fremen to seize it, and by main
strength drag it out of danger. The
hook and ladder truck also got out O
the way. While this was going on the
flames obtained an overwhelming head
way, so much so that all idea o.
saving the factory was abandoned
aud the only thing left to do was to pro
tect the adjoining property, and if posi-
BILE, the heavy stock in the lumber yarG
adjoining the burning building.
THE / RACES WESTWARD.
The steamers were now playing on the
building and lumber piles, but the water
, seemed only to feed the flames and stil
them up into fierce activity. The from
wall cracked open and tumbled down
the roof and machinery fell in and the
building was gone, the walls and the
tall chimney being left standing, and
from the top.of the latter rushed forth
smoke and FIRE to a great hight.
The main building was nov Quilted
but a tremendous fire ragged within and
without, and the lumber yard, extending
north fifty yards and west still farther
was catching FIRE in every direction
The wind sprang up and blew briskly
westward, carrying the flames through
the tall piles Of lumber hat principally
lay in that direction. The water seemed
to give out, and no more seemed to b
within reach. The engines had to ceas,
working at this critical time and had t.
be withdrawn to distant cisterns, so a
to force the water through very lonl
lines of hose. Dwellings on the otheI
side of Georgia street in front of thu
lumber piles o began to smoke from
| the intense heat, but the occupants anC
others kept the roofs well wetted will
water, which prevented thebuildings from
, breaking out into a blaze. About this tim
the water tank, which was elevated OF
f high posts on the west side of the factor,
wall, fell down, and a deluge Of waite
flooded the ground adjoining and sup
pressed a very intense fire which wa
progressing all around it. This was fol
tunate, as it checked the flames in tina
vicinity for some time.
! The flames now advanced rapidly
west and north through the lumber pile
and the residents Of dwellings west o
/ the yard began moving out their good