Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-03-14
FIRES
Johnston & NnHn's Stock OF Notions
ard White Goods Almost Entirely
Destroyed.
Collector Smiths Office Furniture i'm
the Merchants Insurance Building
Burned.
House In lfhe Suburbs. on Ragland
{ Avenue, Destroyed with Contents
Busy Sunday for FfremeB.

disaster worthy OF mention; and ther
again they follow in SIS rapid succession
as do the pillows Of the ocean during a
storm. This nsorning we have 20 report
three fires, two of wil6th: but for the VIZ Il
directed exeltions OF the best re brigade
on the fsee Of Gods green earth, ~'nuld
have resulted in serious disasters 10 tbs
best property IN the city. Especially
would this have been the case with the
fire Of Sunday morning, for when the
| flames were discovered issuirg from the
store occupied by Messfs. Johnston &
Nuns, a very sharp gale was blowing,
and being ia the midst Of solid blocks Of
buildings. every tenement filed with
| goods that would have burned withou.
the tanning or midsummer. day
zephyr, and the loss would have
amounted to hundreds of thousands CT
dollars. ei9'
.a& FLAME NO.
was the burning of Messrs. Johnston &
Nunn's notion store, No. 80 Main
street, opposite the Peabody hotel, fIom
the ce1sr OF which 8 dense volume of
smoke was discovered issuing about
three O'Clock Sunday morning. The
alarm was immediately given by the Do
licefnan on the beat, to which the fl 70
brigade answered by prompt appearance
on the scene, and, with characteristic
alacrity; the engines were soon pouring
flood Of Water into the building, effac-
tually squelching the incipient eonfs-
grafton: The fre boys had great diff.
Guilty In getting into position because Of
the peculiar locality Of the fire and the
dense, volume of smoke that threateded
10 sufocate those who attempted 10 enter
the building. The stock CT Johnston &
Nunns we get from their balanee-shget
OF January 31st, amounted to twenty.
four thousand seven hundred and
cents, to which additions had been
made since that sheet was made ont that
would place the amount of stock at per.
hsps over tgenty-six thousand dollars.
The stock consisted OF notions, novel;
ties and fancy goods in general, OF
which none tis. dealers in
that line could make q fair
estimate, but We give the figures from
the official statement. The insurance
on stock amounts to So 500 as follows;
Tomlinson's sgsncy - Queen, $4,000;
Royal, 5000; Darlington Maso1's ;.
agency, $4,000; Merchants insurance
company OF Memphis, $500; North
British, ]. G. Lonsdsle agent, $3.50
When the fire was extiDguished go that
an examination could be made is was
discovered that lot of empty boxes and
other iEflsmmabIe material had been
piled along the walls Of the cellar the
entire length of the building, to which
the match had be N applied in two
places, and which is undoubtedly the
work Of an incendisry. The gentlemen
compc sing the firm of Johnston & |
Nunns can give no idea as to who would |
wish to damage them ia that way, as
they believed they are on good terms |
with all creation. This was a
good paying business, IS their books |
show-all their books aud apers being |
Swaziland the loss OF time as well as |
the well-selected stock OF goods which /
1t has taken years to compile, is great
er loss TO them than actual value of |
SO damaged by fire, water and smoke |
that q yield Of ten cents on the dollar
would hardly bs realized from the most
careful sale. The prompt arrival OF the
fire brigade and their indefatigable ef-
forts toward extinguishing the flames
prevented what would have been the
most disastrous confisgratlon ever ex-
Dtrience3 il Memphis, as In the imme.
Hate Wellington the south, the retail
Try goods establishment of Messss.
Taylor, Joy & Co., and on the north the
very extensive furniture establish
nent of Mitchell, Hoffman & Co.-were
hree-stcry buildings; every department
If each erammed full from cellar to gar
ct with heavy stocks of goods in their
esp Ciiva lines, and 10 which, from the
leavy gala blowing ST tie time. the
lamt would hsye spread 10 other parts
4 the block ustii the best business por.
ion of Memp1ls wopli have been ct
he 1s1eTcy Of The devcHr!ng element.
The cellar Of Taylor, Joy & Co. was
loOded, involving cOhsidel abs loss on |
he d ayy goods stored therein. The
ilk goods shove sre sl40 injured by |
mCks, but 10 what ex ent las NOT yet
cen saacTtainea. The stock is, how
yer, fu L. insured. Ga the north side
he furni ufe OF Mitchell, Hoffman & I
%. was 81 g1tly Injured by smoke.
FLAME NO 2.
1as tie aonpla:e cutting Of tie custom
ouse offices IL The Merchants iDsur-
nee building, on Madison, between
fsinand.Front streets, and directly over
ne bank Of Commerce, which took
lace about eleven O'Clock Sundey night. |
It that hour flames were discovered Is
ling from tbs windows OF tie build
lg, and the Locality Of the fire was
,und to be in the back Office OF General c
NTH, and was caused by the sudden {
zpIoslon al 6 r0R-explosive gasoline Z
mp which 0 gentleman connected with
10 custonihouse bad placed on the ia
e The lamp, he says, exploded with
loud report, and the gasoline spread G
l over the carpet, citing everything t
4 FIRE. The patrolmen blew tile alarm, d
nd in a short time the trucks were on O
lie spot, and the hose WIS unrolled and
.tached. A stream of water was
tched into the burning room from Is
e fire plug on the corner of Center ! 81
ley, and when the Hook and o
oder truck arrived the Eoys mounted q
10 ladders and carried the nozzle into U
10 room. The steamers arrived soon II
and in few minutes the fire
IS suppressed, although at one time it
esente I quite an alarming appearance:
ne contents Of the Office, consisting of
anks, unused books and Office furui- a,
re, whers the lamp exploded were de. 81
royed. The doors between the
mt and rear offices were burned
rough, but nothing was injured By the
Q in the front or main Office. Gen. h,
al Smith, the customhouse officer, who ~
ing absent from the city aud knew
thing Of the catastrophe TIL yesterday p
Orning, informs US that the damsge o.
ne by fire and water will amount to
out two hundred dolIsrs The bank
d offices below were not injured. 6,
FLAME NO. 3 =
Is the total destruction of Mr.. Hell fe
ans residence, One-story frame on 1t
sgland avenue, north of the northern to
trance to Elmwood cemetery, which ID
CURED about ten or eleven O'Clock
udsy night. Mr.. Holman and his
nily had retired, and would have r
en- burned up in the beds bat for a ne n,
} man who gave the alarm just Ia Fl
ne for Mr. Holman II save his chill. be
an, while his neighEors got the furni.
Re out of the house. The houss was
nth between $500 and $1,000, but was
~ insured for about $500--in the
Ieen Of London. The cause of the by
3 cannot be traced, but is supposed to
We been accidental.
Law REPuRTS. Of