Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-10-09
The COurt-House Fired Twice Last
Night by Incendiaries.
The Firemen, After = Terrible
Fight, succeed In suppress
ing the Flames-Damage
Done Estimated NJ
Ten Thousand
Dollars.


his whistle and gave the alarm. In a few
seconds the Main street engine-house
bell sounded the alarm which was taken
up by the other engine-houses. Before
the engines reached the courthouse
flames burst through the windows of a
room in the fifth story. The roof now
commenced smoking and suddenly there
was a noise aud a puff and the tin roof
opened up, giving way before the blaze
| that at once shot up far above the build
ing. 1t was with great difficulty that
the long line Of hose was carried up the
iron stairway to the upper story, but
through the energy of Captain Madden,
acting Chief of the department, and the
officers and men of the different com.
panies, the work was accomplished in a
very short time. The FIRE had gotten
under the roof above and was spread
ing to the right and left to the fire
walls. A dense smoke filed the upper
halls and FIRE commenced falling down
the elevator trap to the ground floor.
CONFUSION AMONG OFFICIALS.
1t became the general belief about
this time that the immense building
would be destroyed, and to save the
records and papers became the order of
the night. Clerks, deputy sheriffs and
hundreds Of others went to work clear
ing out the different Offices.
State and County Taxi Collector
FARMLAND removed to a safe place all
the books and papers Of his Office. The
records Of the Criminal and First Cir
cult Courts we're also removed. The
offices of the Criminal Court Clerk and
Sheriff we're cleared Of almost everything.
The records, papers and books of the
County Court Clerk and Register we're
locked up in the 6re.proof vaults.
Nothing was removed from the United
States Courtroom, First and Second
Chancery C%ourt-rooms, these rooms and
Offices being in the third story. The fire
had now been burning IN hour and was
being hemmed in and controlled by the
gallant fireboys, who carried the ~nozzles
right into the heart of the flames and
stood beneath falling ~rafters and tim.
bers that upheld the burning roof. The
flames, however, continued to blaze up
fercely high above the building, and to
hundreds Of people it looked as if the
building was doomed to destruction.
THE NcEEDIARY AGAIN.
On the west side Of the courthouse,
fronting OIL Center alley or Court place,
a private stairway leads up to the top of
the house. In the third story are stu.
ated the sleeping rooms for the Criminal
Court jurors and other rooms used for
court purposes. A number of people
went up this stairway to save whatever
property. they could End, but the inoen-
diary went up also. In a private room,
adjoining the sleeping rooms, was locked
up a large lot Of clothing and other arti-
cles taken from criminals, and these
articles we're stored there to be used as
evidence on the trials OF the accused.
The ~incendiary, while confusion reigned
and people we're all over the building
endeavOring to ave property, broke into
the clothing room and piling it up
against a partition set it on ERE, then
getting out be closed the door and min
gled with the crowd. In a few minutes
the cotton goods and some furniture
were in a blaze, but it was discovered by
Messrs. Bob Malone, Bun Price and
others, and they bursting in the door
went to work and pitched the burning
stuff out Of the windows. Had this dis.
covery not been made the third story
in the rear would soon have been ablaze,
and the 6remen who we're controlling the
flames in the fifth story in front would
have had to retreat to the streets and sur.
round the building with their engines
as to protect adjacent property from
destruction while the Court house was
burning down. The City Hall property
on the west would, in all probability,
have also been burned to the ground.
. THE FIRE Ex%TIEGUIsHED.
By IL o'clock the flames were sup.
pressed, and fremen clsmbered all over
the roof with hooks aud axes, cutting
away and tearing down burning timbers.
Captain Braun had placed a police guard
around and throughout the build.
Ing, and all suspicious characters
we're closely watched. When all
danger was over the crowd
Of excited citizens returned homeward,
leaving the building In charge Of a squad
Of %firemen, who kept watch IN the dan.
gerous localities throughout the night,
County Court Chairman Holman was on
his way to q friends house in the coun'
try, and when two miles out be looked
back and saw the Ere. II occurred to
him Immediately, and be knows not why
that the courthouse was on FIRE. Turn
) ing his horses head, he rode rapidly
back to the city, only 10 God his strange
impression 10 be correct,
The watohmsn had been through the
building before closing it for the night
and wore in front on the groud Goor when
the smoke was discovered issuing from
. the roof II Ia evidant that tho incendi,