The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-03-10
"A BIG BLAZE!!!!
Twelve Buildings Burned
to the Ground--A
Block In Ashes.
The Fifth Fire in Five Years Which
Has Systematically Destroyed
2 Square at a Time.

has systematically DESTROYED
Square at Time.
Last Sunday evening, a few mo-
ments after o'clock, while most Of
our citizens were engaged in worship,
the dreaded, yet familiar sound, the
ALARM OF FIREl!l
was heard upon our streets, and in ten
minutes a great crowd had assembled
to view the work of destruction. The
fire was first discovered in Yopp &
Bailey's market house, or rather, upon
the outside Of it, as it is confidently
believed that some one saturated the
wall (Which was france with coal oil,
and deliberately proceeded to
APPLY THE MATCH
In short time the building was in
flames, which soon communicated
to j. B. Sprays restaurant aud mar
ket house on the east and LeonaId
Owens saloon on the west. These
being frame buildings, they were con-
sumed like so much finder, and gave
the fire such Roadway that all the
FIRE ENGINES
in Silsby's mandatory could hardly
have arrested its progress. The gro
Gerry store (brick) occupied by A. w.
Q. Lewis, next caught the blaze, from
whence it was transferred to the roof
Of Moore & Harvey's drug store.
The citizens and others present
worked nobly and faithfully to save
the contents of the different houses,
and had it not been for their prompt
and immediate action, the loss would
have been much greater than it is
The flames spread very rapidly, |
considering the fact that the wind was
not even blowing
A GENTLE GALE,
for at O'clock the entire side Of the
street was in blaze, with the excep-
ton of Miller's livery stable, on the
and Mrs. 81. I. Folks store
on the southwest corner of the Square.
The latter house escaped by having |
fre-proof wall and tin roofing the
former by a miracle, supposed to have
been innocentIy brought about by the
fact that Sam Miller actually
WENT TO CHURCH THAT NIGHT,
an occurrence so rare as to deserve
mention and the kind consid-
Grafton of all those interested in mis-
sionary work.
Major McNears frame building, in
the rear of Bills old stand, was
ready prey to the fiery-tongued demon, |
and it took some lively work to pro-
tect Newbern's livery stable, just
beyond, but it was done, with only a |
slight damage to the north wall.
The most singular part of the catas-
trophe is the early hour selected by
the incendiary to stalt the fire, as the
dark and dismal midnight is generally
chosen for such deeds. As yet there
is no known reason why anybody |
should wish to destroy the block, for
the guilty one must have known the
fire would inevitably spread to the
buildings.
This is the fifth fire in the last FIVE
years which has destroyed a block !
each time, with almost mathematical
precision. The blocks destroyed by
the previous conHagrations have been
replaced by handsome brick buildings.
winch are an ornament to our city.
LIST OF LOSSES.
Yopp & Bailey, market, partial loss.
Building owned by Gen. r. P. Nicely;
no insurance on building or contents.
Leonard Owen, saloon, very little
saved; house belonged to Gen. Nicely;
no insurance. Owene's loss about
5000.
Austin's saloon, fixtures, ETC., loss
about 500; balance saved; building
owned by Mrs. H. G. Grigg, of Som
erville; no insurance.
j. B. Spray, restaurant, frame
structure also, nothing saved. Owner,
Gen. Nicely; no insurance.
A. w. G. Lewis, grocer, stock
saved in damaged condition; insured
in the Phoenix for $500 and $1,000
in the Home, of New York; building
Cbrick) belonged to Gen Nicely; in
sured in the Continental ms. Co, of
New York, for $1,000.
J. T. Joyner, postmaster and grocer,
stock partly saved, in damaged condi-
ton; insured in the. Home, of New
York, for $3.50. Building, brick;
owned by Gen. Nelly, and insured in
the Continental, Of New York, for
$4,000.
Moore & Harvey, druggists, part OF
stock saved, in damaged condition.
Insured in the Home, of New York
and Underwriters Agency for $4,000