Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-04-20

disaster unequaled in magnitude
since its firstOrigin. A fire broke out
in frame building in the rear OF
Kincannon's Tin and Queensware
store on franklin street, between
Second and Third. The alarm was
given about half past eleven, p. NJ,
yesterday, and before help could
arrive the fire had attacked all the
surrounding buildings, first some
other frame buildings between
Franklin and Commerce streets,
and very soon the main building
of Kincannon's. From this it spread
with appalling rapidity to the adj
joining stores, travelling more rap
idly west than east in consequence
of the number of frame buildings in
thatdirection. Very soon the whole
length of the square, from Alwell's
block to Second ST., was in flames.
Alwell's block being three story
brick edifice with a slate roof, and
considerably higher than the neigh
boring stores was an obstacle to its
progress farther south.
Soon, however, the falling in of
the houses on the south side of
Franklin, with a freshening breeze
from the south carried the flames to
the north side of Franklin, and the
grocery of NJ. Sullivan and the
Saloon of Charles Lehman were
on fire. This carried the cOnflagra-
ton to Strawberry alley, where it
consumed the block of offices in
which were the offices of Smith &
LurtOn, Gen. w. A. Quarles and
other professional gentlemen are
situated; but advanced rapidly
eastward, burning the Court House
to complete ruin, together with
the engine house, Chancery Clerks
office, etc, and was stopped by Mr..
S. Hodgson's new building. Mean
time Harrison and Kelley's three
story block, corner of Franklin and
Second, was burned rapidly to the
ground, and the flames from it were
carried across Second to Caldwell &
Shelton's livery stable. This de-
cided the fate of the next block,
which all consisted of frame build
ings, and was rapidly burned up,
including MelOdeon Hall and the
Tobacco Leaf office. This last build
ing limited its progress eastward.
From the livery stable, however, it
again crossed Franklin to the north
side, consuming Burke's agricultural
machine store, the residence and
blacksmith shop of C. Dineen and
the fine new residence of Mrs.
Wheatly.
We have now to return to Frank
lin Hall and follow the destroying
element along the west side of Sec
Ond street, where it burned down
two or three one-story frame stores,
the Central Hotel, the Hook and
Ladder Hall and the Gracey tobacco
warehouse, on the corner of Second
and Commerce streets. This limited
its progress westward, though for a
while Mrs. Moore's kitchen, on the
south side of Commerce street, was
on fire. 1t was, however, promptly
extinguished by the family.
The limits of the cOnflagratiOn
may now be defined. On Franklin
street, the Hillman block on the
north side and the Alwel block on
the south are safe, and constitute
the western limits of the fire. From
these points it extended eastward to
Third street, consuming both sides
of the street throughout that extent.
On Strawberry alley, from Cout's
furniture store to Third street, the
whole south side was consumed, but
the north side escaped. On Second
street, from Dineen's blacksmith
shop on the east side and Franklin
Hall on the west side, it extended
To Commerce street. In general
terms its limits may be therefore
stated as follows: Eastern limit,
Third street; western, the Hillman
block on Franklin, between First
and Second; northward, Strawberry
alley; Southwark, Commerce street.
In no part of town could a fire of
the same area destroy as much val
liable property and goods. The bus
mess houses burned, are those
of Lindley, family grocery; c. l..
Cooke & Co., jewelry and queens
ware ; Ligon d Ely, cOnfectiOneries;
Rudolph d Lockert, family grOce-
ries; J. G. Joseph, clothing; Hodg-
son & Mcguire, millinery; Pitman
SLewis, clothing; Owen q Moore,
drugs and books; John Young, sad
Ter; VIM. Rosentield, millineri NJ l..
Joslin. saddler; L. Gauchat' watch
maker and jeweler; A. A. Johnson
confectiOner; Kelly 4 sullivan
LII, GROCERY: ]. ID. Russell, dry