Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-11-04
I. O ca
A Dangerous Fire and Heavy Loss.
DRNING. NOV. 4, 1881.

Friday morning. between four and six
O'Clock.
The fire was first seen by night watch
man Robt Hamilton. 1t was just starting
then in the rear part of Mr. A. SWitzer' s
frame clothing store, and Mr.. Brandeburg
who saw it soon after, could have
put it out if his private hose had been
in working order. The alarm was given
at once and MIR. Hamilton ran to the en-
CINE house and himself brought down
the reel and got the hose off ready
for work. but owing to the lnfiama-
BILE character of the building the flames
running rapidly up the end of the weather
boarded house got into the attic and
spread to the large clothing store of Mr.. j.
W. Abby before the fire companies could
get fairly to work upon them. They were
soon reinforced by the Hook & Ladder
Company, and all worked with will as
well they might. A large portion of the
business centre of the town was in peril.
that were pouring upon the houses from
several different directions the fire contin-
ued slowly to gain ground until'the root
of Mr.. Geo. A. Armentrout's tobacco
store and Capt. J. g. Marquis building
occupied by Mr.. Louis Eisenman were
wrapped in flames.
By this time the continued ringing of
the fire bells had brought hundreds to the
spot. A large volunteer force was engag-
ed in carrying Mr.. Alby's goods to the
police court room in the city hall, and Mr..
Eisenman's stock Of boots and shues, ETC.,
to the billiard room of the Virginia Hotel.
The guests of the hotel were all up and
looking anxiousIy from the windows or
crowding the piazza. while some of them
were securing place of safety for their
baggage thinking the hotel in danger.
The lawyers offices in the rear of the burn
ing buildings, fronting on Court House
square were all lighted up, the occupants
busily engaged storing their valuable books
and papers in their vaults and safes or
packing them up ready for removal should
the fire get little closer.
But at this point and about six o'clock,
just as the flames were leaping up against
the large and valuable brick building of
Mrs. Brandeburg on the corner of New
aud Court House street, and it was feared
that it would go next, the vigorous efforts
Of the firemen were successful and the fire
wasgotten under control and soon after
entirely extinguished.
The citizens Of Stanton have abundant
occasion to be thankful that the night was
a quiet one and no breeze to fan She dang
erous element But humanity speaking,
every thing would have gone for Eought
but for the magnificent supply Of water
that poured from our reservoir on the hill
and shot from the noZzles of the hose with
a force that burst through windows and
burning roofs going to the heart of the
fire and subduing the obstruction that
threatened the city. Not man who had
property or friends or interest in reach of
the fire that night begrndged the $4,000
that was in the reservoir, and it Is proba
Bile that every dollar of that amount was
saved to Staunton that night alone. and
SlGy 4IcdSulcl SdtIOiI COulu iiOO jtafS
found an easier task than that of collect
ing water tax in that neighborhood next
morning.
THE LOSS
is estimated at from fifteen to twenty
thousand dollars, but may fall below that
amount when carefully reckoned up, as
the greater part of it is from water dam
age to stocks. The losses and assurances
are as follows:
Mr.. j. w. Abby, the heaviest loser, had
his building insured IN the Fire Associa-
ton of Philadelphia for 81 $50, Cook q
Sublett) agents, and in the Virginia Fire
Il Marine of Richmond, for 81 $50, Nor
ton & Gordon, agents.l His stock of
goods, about $40, 900, was insured for $4,000
as follows: $4,000 in the Home Of n. 7.
81 500 in the Westminster of Penn, (Hoge
& Scott, agents.; 81 500 in the Georgia
Home Robert Craig, agnt) and 5000 in
the Phenix of n. Y. Cooke & Sublett,
agents) This will probably cover his loss.
Mr.. Geo. A. Armentrout had no ins'r-
ance On his building, but his stock was
insured in the Fire q Marine of Richmond,
Morton & Gordon. agents,) for $500,
which will cover his loss on stock.
l.. Eisenman had SIS 800 insurance Oh
his stock; $1,000 10 the Home, Of Colum-
bus, and ST 900 in the Liverpool, London
& Globe Cooke & Sublett, agents,l which
will probably cover his loss. The building,
belonging to J. c. Marquis, was insured
in the Old Dominion Of Richmond, for
81 800, which will fully cover the loss
Mr.. J. G. Kraeger, matchmaker, in the
store of George A. Armentront. suffered
considerable loss from having all his tools
and machinery flooded with water, but
the watches be had on hand to repair were
in no wise injured, as he had as usual, re-
moved them that evening.
Mr.. A. Switzer had his stock of ready
made clothing, of the value of about 81
OO0 insured in the n. Y. Underwriters
agency, wv. A, Burke, agent,) for $500,
which will probably cover his loss
The building, belonging to John E En-
gleman, was insured in the La Contiance
for 81 200, which will fully cover his loss,
The cause of the fire cannot definitely
be arrived at. but the most reasonable
theory is that it was the explosion of
lamp in the rear of Mr.. Switzer's store.
HARPER's YOUNG PEOPLE is unques-
tionably the most valuable weekly periodi-
cal for boys and girls published in the En-
gllsh language. 1t meets a long-felt want