Smyrna times., 1882-05-03
Serious Fire in Middle
town.
Twelve BUILDINGS Burnc,

Serious Fire in Middle
town.
Twelve Buildings Burned.
! MiddletOwn was yesterday threatened
with one of those terrible dispensations
That have visited SO many towns lately hy
the " fire fiehd," but by dint of hard labor
1t was got under control after the destruc-
ton of some twelve buildings, covering
about an acre of ground. The wind was
blowing at the time, Il gale, first in one
direction and then in another the fierv
missiles were hurled, hut the main force
was from the direction of the Northwest
Under such circumstances, to ste wooden
buildings standing within few feet of
thOSe that were destroyed, when the fire
was raging i'll three different directions at
the same time, looks wonderful, and shows
that heroic service was done The first
difficulty experienced was q want of buck
| cts to convey water. When it was found
the lire was gaining oil them, Wilmington
Was telegraphed to for help and at IL
O'Clock, two hours and a-half after The fire
/ originated, two companies arrived, but bV
this time it was under control. hut the
engines rendered assistance in extinguish-
| ing the burning piles. In the midst of the
would be caught up by the wind and car
rled over the tops of intervening houses
! and lodged on the roofs Of those one and
two hundred yards distant. More than n
dozen houses were set OH fire below the
| burnt district, but eXtingui@hcd. In this
! way one or two houses were fired below
the Methodist church. The people felt at
one time that all that side of The t0,.n
would fall Il prey 10 tn" sl:a.ts, aaE lIer
! hapS would, but for the temporary Shift
ing Of the wind.
The fire originated in J. N. C'ox K Bros
i carriage shops, from u spark lodged in the
roof This stands ON Broad street directly
/ opposite the bank and Trau&cyi,t office
both OF which were severely blis cred
and saved only 10y frequent applications
OF water on their fronts. Brother Way. of
me transcript mounted tn" "pper dec!; of
MS mansard building, and vi h Whitcned
face and perSpirhg body stood his ground
bucket IN hand, with the persistence of Il
! veteran fireman. The rest of the printers
were in the midst of the greater excite
meht elsewhere, not even the Devil re-
manning with him. The furniture store
and dwelling Of George Wilson. brother of
Alex. Wilson Of this town, stood within
twenty feet OF the carriage factory. and
though ON fire several times, was saved.
/. me same was the case with the residence
OIL A. q. Cox, on Green street The flrui-
ture Of both these buildings were very
much damaged. A number of families on
the South side of Main street moved out
their furniture expecting their houses TO
burn. The losses computed are as fellows:
Episcopal Church, $4,000; insurance,
$1,000; Cox Il Brothers. carriage factory,
S3,OOO; insurance. 81 800; w. K. Johnson's
hardware store, loss trifling and fully in
sured two buildings owned by Martha +.
Clayton, $1,000; insurance, $1,000: Barr
q C0mpany's agricultural machine store.
81 900; partly insured; dwelling owned
by Jesse Lakes estate, 81 200: partially
insured; McKee's millinery store, 81 600;
partially insured; DIR. Kennedy's Office.
$500, and Cooling's carpenter shop, 5000.
both insured. The damage to furniture.
&c., by removal and fire will make So. 900
additional.
The most serious and deeply regretted
loss was that of the Episcopal Church.
This stood nearly a hundred yards from
the other property burned, with dwellings
and stables and haylofts between. but a
flake of fire was waited by the wind and
lodged on the lower corner of the roof at
the rear of the building 1t had scarcely
/ ignited when discovered by the rector.
Rev. w. q. w. Lewis. The building had
been considered almost fire proof-stone
walls and slate covered rOof-but a vul-
nerabie point was touched and the tarred
paper that uAderlied the slate, once ignited
ran, Mr. Lewis said, almost with the ra-
pldlty OF lightning. In two minutes the
flames were bursting from every crevice
the whole length of the roof They had
barely time to save the chancel furniture
and part of the aisle carpeting. when
they were driven out by the falling fire.
The altar cloth presented to the original
congregation by Queen Anne, was saved.
but the baptiSmal font was lost. The hell
| weighing 600 pounds, fell from its position
IN the tower with the burning timhprs and
! debris, and it is feared is injured. The
chapel, a frame building and shingle roof
standing within twenty feet of the church.
fortunately, was not burned. The church
! built OF green stone, was one of the attrac-
ITEMS OF the town. 1t was built in 1872 at
a cost of $14, 900.
! Reliable estimates place the loss to
the sufferers at $4,000, about one half of
which is covered by insur nee.
A great many people from other places
visited the town during the day. A num-
her of roughs boarded the train of the
wilmington tiremen, whose object seem
lngly was plunder, and feeling was
entertained that some of them at least
were disposed to have the fire spread |
Several fights occurred among them, and
one fellow was slightly injured by a
| pistol ball.