Huntsville gazette., 1883-08-18
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.
A Nj llion Dollars Worth of Property
swept Away at Atlanta, Ga.-Thc Kim.
ball House Burned.


Swept Away at Atlanta, Ga.-Thc kim
ball House Burned.
ATLANTA, GA, August 12.
Early this morning the Kimball House,
the best-known and largest hotel in the
Southern States, was totally DESTROYED by
fire. The building covered a block in the
very heart of the city, was six stories high,
and was the most snowy super-struciure in
Atlanta. The entire loss will not fall short
of Il 100000. The hotel has national fame,
and its destruction is looked upon here as a
great public calamity The origin Of the
fire is as follows: At the hour of 4:30 Cap
tain Flynn, of the morning watch, saw a
dense volume of smoke issuing from the
cellar department under the real estate
office of George W. Adair. Flynn rushed
to the opening of the basement, but found
it impossible to effect an entrance because
of the binding smoke.
He was the first to give the alarm, but
before the notes of the bell rang out upon
the air Policeman T. S. Thompson had en-
tered the Office of the Kimball and informed
Mr. Thad Hammond that the building was
on fire. Mr. Scoville was at once sum
moned. He proceeded with Mr.. Thompson
to the scene of the fire, and taking in the
situation at a glance coolly remarked: Its
gone" Accompanied by Mr.. Thompson,
Mr.. Scoville hastened into the building
and at once set about arousing the guests.
Mr.. Scoville superintended personally,
going from door to door with Mr.. Thomp-
son. his night Waterman, and others, and in
many instances beating on the doors to
notify his guests, and in some cases break
ing the doors in with his own hands, lest
,l. L..
be lost IN the flames. All, even domeSticS
sleeping in the topmost story, were
awakened in ample time to dress and quit
the building in safety. When, this morn
ing, Mr.. Scoville learned that not single
life was lost, he exclaimed: 81 am the
| happiest man in Georgia." Just how the
fire originated no one can tell, but certain
it is it began in the basement, as above
described.
The clang of the bells and the hurry
ing and steaming of engines soon aroused
the whole city, and hoarse shouts of the fire.
men rose high above the general din. In
less than an hour from the sounding of the
alarm the streets leading to the hotel were
thronged with people, gazing on the grand
est spectacle ever vouchSafed to an Atlanta
audience. Before the flames had spent
their fury the heart of the building had
been Tapped into nothingneSs, and in manv
places the outer walls crashed and crumbled
into the streets. At high noon the great
hotel, which but yesterday stood forth the
pride and grandeur of Atlanta, was only a
smoking ruin.
The Kimball House was built by H. l.,
Kimball, in the year 1870. 1t was owned by
hXnta Xat owned 2sftRh 6nsstrd f ohn
Rice, of Hartford, Conn. owned one-third;
the other third was divided into three equal
parts, owned respectively by General Rob
ert Toombs, John I. Glenn, Esq, and Mr..
James Thompson, Jr. The building yielded
yearly rental from stores, offices, etc, Of
$4,000. The furniture was valued at Yl25,-
000 The aggregate insurance carried by
the owners will foot up about $4,000; the
elder Thompson, $4,000; the younger
Thompson, $4,000; John Rice, $25, 900; John
T. Glenn, $15, 600; Robert Toombs, amount
not known. 1t is claimed by many that
General Toombs had no insurance on his
interest.
The efforts of the firemen were so well di-
rected that the flames were not commune
Gated to any of the surrounding buildings.
1t is an unouestionable fact, however, that
the dead calm which prevailed throughout
the burning alone saved the whole business
portion of the city. Had wind sprung
up no earthly power could have prevented
general and most disastrous conflagra-
ton.
On the Wall street side the losses are:
Geo. w. Adair real estate agent, complete
plats Of the property of the city, covering
many years and indicating its growth, that
can not be replaced; w. B. Burk, old book
store, So, 900 worth Of rare volumes, the
collection of many years, insurance 5000;
T. HI. Blacknall, agent Bull-Durham To-
bacco, office fixtures $500, no insurance,
Whitner & Sons, insurance agents, 5000,
covered.
On Decatur street the losses are: Goode,
Fontaine & Elmore, real estate men. 81 900;
books and papers saved; j. B. Daniel,
wholesale druggist, $4,000, insurance Sl7,-
coo; NJ HARRISON & Bros, $1,000, insur-
ance $25, 900; j. H. Gavan. city auctioneer,
81. 800, no insurance; Big Bonanza saloon,
loss ST 900; the Gate City National Bank,
corner of Pryor and Wall streets, saved its
books and current papers. In the safe IN
the vault there were $4,000 in money and
81 100000 in securities, which are thought
to be safe, but they can not open the vault
until it cools.