The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-07-26
SIX STORES IN ASHES !

MOLLOHON BLOCK BURNED-FIFTY
FEET OF HOSE NEEDED-GAL-
LIANT WORK BUT LITTLE
WATER - INSURANCE
$44,450!
The six two-story brick stores
that were left standing on Mollo-
hon Block, when East's Drug
Store was burned, are in ruins,
and the destruction of the
block of buildings is at last COM
plete. Last Thursday night be-
tween ten and eleven o'clock, the
attention of Messrs. George John
stone and L. K. Vance, who were
ON the Public Square, was attracted
by an unusual, bright light in a
room over the store Of Wright &
Coppock. The fire alarm was imme-
diately given, and the store broken
open. But the fire had made con-
siderable headway inside, and was
soon bursting out from the stores
occupied by Wright & Coppock and
Flynn The Excelsior Fire Conn.,
pany was promptly on the scene
with the engine, which was stationed
at a small cistern behind Mrs.
Mowers store, from which place a
stream of water was thrown upon
Martins large brick store, which
was blazing in, several places, and
the law Office Of Suber & Caldwell.
Here the engine dds incalculable
service, for had Martins store
burned. there is little doubt that
every house would have been laid
in ashes from the Opera House to
the Crotwell Hotel, including the
latter. The supply of water in the
cistern was soon exhausted, and the
engine was moved with great
promptness to a large well at the
livery stables Of H. H. Blease, and
then to Scott Creek, 1000 feet
distant from the fire. By this time
there was no hope of saving any Of
the five stores fronting on the Pub
lie Square and constituting Mollo-
hon Row, and all efforts were Gen.
tered upon the store Of Simeon
Pratt, occupied by the Wheeler
Brothers. The hose of the engine
was so feet too short; and the
stream Of water could not do
efectual service. 1t was thrown
upon the unfinished stores Of A. j.
Crotwell, which have basin-like
roof, and the cutters being stopped
the water was caught up in buckets
and used on the fire. The Hook
and Ladder Company of colored
boys did gallant service, but it is
not well equipped. The flames did
not take hold of the Pratt building
for several hours after the fire was
| discovered and it couldhave been
saved, if there had been an ade-
quate supply Of water. But, after
fighting well and desperately for
| three hours, the firemen had the
modification of seeing this store in
flames.
The Newberry Hotel was sep
arated from one of the hottest fires.
Newberry ever saw, by a street 30
feet wide, and we expected every
minute to see it ignite. Messrs.
Schumpert & Pool organized a
squad Of men and placed them on
| the Hotel, where they fought the fire
with water and wet blankets. Their
efforts, together with row of small
shade trees running along the side
| of the building, saved the Hotel.
The five stores on Mollohon Row
were occupied by D. C. Flynn
dry goods; Wright & Coppock-
clothing and furnishing goods;
Peoples & Johnson-hardware; O.
H. P. FAINT t-groceries; and George
McWhirter--groceries. The first
three belonged to R. H. Wright and
the other two to the estate of
Jacob Singley. The sixth store,
fronting on Pratt ST., was occupied
by Wheeler Brothers-confection-
cries.