Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-03-06
a--==sa
FIRE.


and ringing Of bella assembled tho entire
the roof and upper story of tho dwelling of
Mr.. John Ansel, on Main Street, was in u
blaze and beyo hopo Of saving the property.
The building wao o large two-story franc,
within about fifty feet of Biemann's Hotel
and in about eighty feet of tho etcro Of Mr.
A. Fischcsscr. a light wind was blowing
from tho Enst, pressing the flames toward tho
store Of Mr.. Eschosser and MIR. Vandiviere;
Just above tho Latter. For n timo it was
believed these buildings would DO burned, and
with the aid of tho large crowd the goods and
household effects wc7o removed from both
buildings. In the the meantime, the strong
est efforts werc made to save these buildings
md also to prevent tho Hotel East of tho
burning building from being lost. IF the
building of Mr.. Fischesser had caught, that
Of Mr.. Vandivicre could not have been
savcd; whilo on the other hand. tho burning
Of the Hotel would have necessarily resulted
IN tho destruction of eight or ten houses East
cr it and 80 near to % Oh other aa (" have left
no hopes Of saving them. Tho wind Div"ing
lightly to the West enabled tho people, with
tho efficient aid of the fire engine. to conGne
the fire to the house whero it originated,
though the Hotel was on fire time or two.
The loss to Mr.. Ansol will amount to $4,000
or moro. There was no insurance on the
building. The most Of the contents were
sayod.. Mr.. Fischcsser and Mr.. Fandiviere
sustained losoes by tho breaking of furniture,
erockery. &c., in tLoir removal to q considc
rublc amount
TIE FIRE ENGINE
Did efficient service, and all must admit that
without its help. the fire must have spread
East and Wost, consuming from fifteen TO
twenty thousand dollars worth Of buildings
including the heart of tho town. Wo are
satisfied .hetown by tho work oflast Friday hns
been amply repaid for all tho money expended
for the engine and tho building Of the water
tanks on Main Street We think the Council
each year should build one or two additional
tanks, until VIC have ready access to watcr all
along tho street.
The Fire Company, We understand, has
almost died out from want of interest among
our people, or from feeling Of security. The
necessity Of ha ying such company was we'll
illustrated last Friday. aud the great service
it rendered shows tho Importance of keeping
it up. When we have n fire all become alive
and active to its Importance, and unframed
,hands.try to do what they should know before
Ianl. 1t is too latc to pray when tho devil
comes, is q true saying. and we'll applies to
this thing Of keeping up our Fire Company.
Prepare for war in times of peace is also a
wise ma! i'm; so we think to prepare by tho-
rough organization to check tho spread of fire
in u town is the part Of true wisdom. If wo
nc7or have fire, to be prepared for it can do
no harm, whilc if it breaks out such organi'
z::ions are capable Of great good,
FIRES
Oflatc years have become more frequent than
in our early recollection. In Wnihalla, in
1878, three stores were burned, including
Mrs. Knees, Vandiyiero's ana Eischesser's.
Since then the largo dwelling and storeroom
Of Mr.. G X. Maxwell wero burned, besides a
number Of smaller buildings in town. New
berry has been severely scourged by fire four
times, whiIc Abbovilo, Greenville, uonea
Path and othor towns have suffered heavily
1t behooves Us, where raost Of our buildings
arc wooden structures to be thoroughly organ
IZCu uPaluSI hEC. " pe'lCNo tubt tho L iiS
Company should have at least fifty members
and that all our ablo bodied citizens should
join Il. We then should have q Hook and
Ladder Company, we'll supplied with al
NODDED appliances, and then company whose
daty it should be to look especially TO the
removal and preservation Of property from
buildings ia cases Of fro. These three organ
izations shoald DO properly oficcrcd and
should movo only by order of their officers
and with regularity and precision. One-hali
Of our available strength is exhausted in
shouting and excitement, without benefit tc
any ono. Everybody wants to command ant
in tho multitude of orders, tho removal O
furniture and property is its destruction
Discipline, coolness and strict obedience to {
clcar head will accomplish moro with twenty
men in ar hour than yelling, excited crowt
can accomplish in two hours If all our abl
bodied eitizons wero enrolled and divided OF
according to their fitness for the respective
duties mentioned, and then properly ofRceret
much property might bo saved in case of fro
Whenever n fro occurs oil our oitizcns, whit
md black, do oil thoy oan to pavc propcrt.
and to shcok the fro. ThoA have tho vii
nua no one can gainsay their Readiness to d
any apd every kind Of work, but they nee'
organization.