Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-27

Solomon Bros. Grocery EstaDAlsn-
ment Burned Out-Loss S9O,OOO-
Insurance S54.

ment Burned Out-LOss 100000
Insurance $4,000.
An alarm of fire was turned In from STA
ton No. II, corner Of Bay and Jefferson
streets, yesterday afternoon at hslf-past
three O'Clock, which was occasioned by the
discovery Of smoke issuing from the upper
portion of the extensive grocery establish
ment of Messrs. Solomon Bros, Nos. 173 and
us Bay street, between Barnard and Jeffer-
son. The department reached the ground in
remarkably short time, and were quickly de-
ployed for efficient work by Chief Osceola
Butler.
It was apparent that the fire must have
been smouldering for some time previous to
its discovery, as before the steamers got well
to work dense volumes Of smoke were issuing
from the upper windows both on the Bay
and on the lane, indicating that the interior
was pretty well enveloped in flames.
There was 8 half attic Immediately
above the second floor, and It was from this
quarter that the smoke poured. The second
floor was densely packed with brooms, pa
pers, matches, and other light goods, which
accounts for the rapid Roadway made by the
fire.
were several small kegs of guIpowder and
five or six barrels of kerosene oil, which
were removed as soon as the doors were
opened to the opposite side of the street to
q place of safety. The entire force Of the
department were employed, four steamers
being in service, and the men worked with
a will.
Au immense crowd collected in the VI
cinity of the fire, and it was found neces-
sary to stretch ropes across the street to
keep sufficient space clear for the fremen
to work efficiently. After some difficulty
the windows on the second floor were
broken in and the iron shutters to the Win
dOws on the first floor forced, and the fire
men were enabled to play their streams to
| better advantage. Mounted on ladders
| thrown up against the building, the gallant
pipemen and their associates battled man
fully with the raging element, until the
crumbling Of the cornice com
/ PEELED them to shift position;
not, however, before several fremep,
members OF the Waiver, were injured slight
/ " by being struck by the falling bricks, one
| OF them, Mr.. Robert Warner, being very
/ painfully injured in the head and face. 1t
is fortunate, and almost a miracle, that there
were not more hurt. Notwithstanding the
immense quantities OF water poured in the
/ building, It was seemingly impossible to
| stop the progress of the fire, and 1t soon
became evident that the building
was doomed and the entire stock
would be destroyed. About half-past
| ) o'clock Chief Butler, in order to avert
the possibility of any fatal accidents, deter
mined to pull down the front wall, which
was cracking badly under the intense
heat, and showed signs of crumbling, and
the hook and ladder boys with their hooks
were soon at work, and down came the wall
with crash, as the flames shot upmard in
| perfect sheets, famed bv the ventilation thus
| given. The demolition Of the wall
enabled the fremen to work more effective
", and apprehensions that had been
J experienced in regard to the cotton ware
| house of Messrs. Peacock, Hunt & Co.,
| adjoining on the west, were allayed, when
considerable excitement was occasioned by
the report that the fire had broken through
| Investigation revealed the fact, not
before known to the Chief Fireman,
that there was a skylight on the
roof of the warehouse near the burning
| building, and some Of the falling bricks had
smashed through, carrying sparks with them,
and setting fire to some OF the bales. The
doors of the warehouse were at once opened,
and a line Of hose introduced into the
premises, good stream efectually extin-
gushing the fire.
Some twenty-five bales Of cotton, which
were in immediate proximity to the sky
light, were removed. Only four bales were
slightly scOrched, and some fifteen or more
damaged by water.
Some OF the goods on the first
floor OF Messrs. Solomon Bros. might have
| been removed, but under the circumstances
little could have been saved in the end, and
the removal was not authorized by the in
surance agents. The books and some ar
ticles of Office furniture were saved, and the
safe received a copious bath, which proba-
bly, kept it cool, and 1t is thought the con-
tents are uniDjured.
The building occupied By Messrs. Solo,
mon Bros. is a double store, two stories in
height, with the half attic referred ., and
was filled with an immense stock e. groce-
ries and liquors, valued at $4,000. The
building and stock may be said TO be total
loss. The property belonged to the estate
OF Champion and was insured for $4,000 in
the Southern Mutual Insurance Company,
represented by Messrs. T. Fl. Harden & Co.
The stock was insured as follows:
| G. A. ReitZe's Agency
Royal Of Liverpool. ...-.................S9 50, zoo
German-American, New York. g. 500
Insurance Company of North Americ9,
| Philadelphia. -...-.. .-....--.-. 0,tuU
Star Fire Insurance Company. New York 3,00l
Scottish Union and National, Edinburgh. 5000
| Q q Fallgant's Agency
London Assurance Corporation. 5000
J. T. Stewards Agency
London and Lancashire. .........-....... $500
W. H Daniels Agency
Liverpool and London and Globe. ....... 800
Z. F. Neufville's Agency
| Imperial and Northern. ............ ..... s. 500
| j. F. Wheaton's Agency
Williamsburg City Insurance Company. $500
| Total. .........................S9 4,O0O
Mess RS. Peacock, Hunt & Co.'s loss will
only be about fifteen or twenty bales Of cot
ton. The warehouse was pretty well stored
with cotton, and was fully insured in
agencies represented by Messrs. Z. H. Dim
stead, J. 7. Stewart, J. F. Wheaton, G. a.
| Reiize, r. II. FOotman, E. T. Neufville,
John Sullivan & Co., and Johnston q Poin-
| dexter.
All danger from the fire was at an end by
half past seven O'Clock, but for prudential
reasons Chief Butler kept one Of the steam
ers on duty most of the night. The manage