Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-04-03
| THIS MORNING.
A Big Blaze at a Poplar street Cot.
ton Gin

A Big Blaze af a Poplar Street Cot.
ton Gin
Between four and FIVE o'clock this
morning a FIRE broke out in the steam
cotton gin aud cotton gin factory of
George W. Payne & Co, No. 100 Poplar
street, corner Of Fourth. IL a few min.
utes, owing to the combustible material.
within, consisting Of loose cotton, ETC.,
the flames licked cut OF the root and
through the windows on all sides. The
building, a two-story brick, with adjoin-
ing buildings, sheds and shops on either
side, were soon in a blaze, and the fire
boys, who we're on the ground prompt
ly, found considerable difficulty in
checking the spread of the flames
which threatened to envelop the
adjoining property west and the
block of frame buildings east across
Fourth street. In an hour the flames
we're suppressed, but not before the two
story brick cotton-gin building was
burned out and Quilted from cellar to
root. Nothing but the four walls re-
main, and of these the front and rear
walls are ruined by the heat, large
cracks and assures appearing in them
owing to the intense heat. East of the
Clubhouse and mandatory we're two
one-story frame houses, the corner one
belonging to Mrs. Moore and uneccu.
pied, was injured to the amount Of about
one hundred dollars, and the other, an
office and sleeping.room, occupied by
Mr.. Payne, was damaged to the extent
OF probably two hundred and fifty dol
lars.
The damage done to the steam cotton
gin building and cotton gin factory will
probably amount to between three and
four thousand dollars, if not more, no
estimate to be relied upon having reached
the ear of our reporter up to IL m. TO-
day. The boiler and engine of the
works were in rear and were not injured.
A lot of loose cotton and two bales were
badly damaged, and a portion of both
destroyed. Several cotton gins we're
also destroyed and others damaged.
INSURANCE.
The insurance on the building, ma.
chinery, cotton gins, etc., Of Payne &
Co., is as follows:
In the Planters Insurance Co., Of
Jackson, Mississippi, $225O.
On the same, in the Globe of Chicago,
Phelan q Murphy, agents, $225O.
On baled and loose cotton, in the
FARMLAND, Of Knoxville, $500.
On the one.story frame building be-
longing to Mrs. Moore, and one-story
frame occupied by Mr.. Payne, in the
FARMLAND, Of Knoxville, $3.50.
: Total amount Of insurance, S., $50
The estimate Of loss, as made by the
insurance men, ranges from fifty Il
seventy-ive per cent.
CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
Incendiarism is believed to have beef
the cause of the fire. A negro man, Bill
McNeal, who had been in the employ O
Payne & Co., but who was discharged OF
Wednesday last, is believed to have teeI
. the incendiary, he having been see
; lettering around the building late on las
I night and acting in a suspicious manner
McNeal was arrested by the police an,
. locked up to await an examination, to b
had some time tomorrow before the Re
: corder.
Mr.. Payne has been very unfortunate
he having had his cotton gin burned GU
. three times. The FIRST time it was
{ heavy loss, as be had no. insurance. TIL
second time he also lost, having an in
surance of only $4,000; and this time hi
. losses will hardly be covered by tn
= amount Of insurance.
u