The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-08-16
THE LAST OF A GREAT HOTEL.
Destruction by Fire of the KimbmII Iionsr
Atlanta.

| ATLANTA, August l2-Thc kimball
House WAS discovered on fire this morn
| ing at 5 O'clock, and the flames soon
getting beyond control, Mr.. Scovillc, the
proprietor, ordered the guests to be
awakened. The guards went through
the Railways breaking open the dours
where necessary TO insure the safety Of
the guests. The fire having originated
in the rear Of the building was favorable
to the escape Of all. Within twenty
minutes the hotel WAS empted of its
guests and within one hour the structure
was razed to the ground.
The hotel WAS built by H. /. kimba!l
and owned by Robert Toonb3, John
Nice, Joseph /. Thompson and u;iIrfs
1t cost 100000 and the furniture WAS
valued at Sl25,O00, insurance only $50
600, scattered among many companies,
the names of which cannot be- ascertaincd
owing TO the absence from the city Of
parties who are informed thereon. The
Gate City National Bank, HARRISON X
Bro, tobaccOnists, John B. Daniel, drug.
gist, and others are among the loser.
The total loss is q million dollars and
the insurance is not over $200,ODU
The fire is claimed by Mr. Culberson,
agent of the company, to be of inccndi
ary origin. !i the vaults Of the Gate
City Bank were half million dollars,
| and its safety is yet = matter of doubt.
The History OF Ill" KimbniI.
Among the men who gathered to see
the house fall under the flames was Mr.
j. &, kimball. Olc Of the tDnsiitutiOn
young men asked him TO give him the
history OF the building. MIR. kimbnIl
said:
"Afer II. I. kimJall had completed
the capitol and had practically settled
the matter of the location of the capitol
in Atlanta he saw that the next demand
would be for good hotel and he decided
to build it. lie began laying his plans
and WAS some months in 0btaning the
property such AZ he desired 1t was not
until the l!.h Of March, 1870, that he
gof his deeds. ihe work was inimeai
ately commenced and the hotel wa.
opened to the public on :he l7lh OF
October of the same year. The nrchi
tect OF the building was Il New York
man, and the local superintendent wa.
Mr.. w. II. Parkius. The hotel COS,
including the furniture with the spu,
wing finished only to the second story
S62O.OOO, and it WAS owned 10y II.
kimball."
How did it come to ">. out Of hi
hands 2"
| in building the house he lacked som,
OF the necessary funds and had NOR,
gagged the property. AT the time of tht
failure OF the Brunswick and Aiban,
railroad, and on account of losses by tht
Chicago fire, he became embarrassed ant
| In Int T., A,
ry on his enterprises. The hotel theI
fell into the hands Of the mortgages
although the amount then due on tn,
house was less than one.thirl of the
cost, but the entire house was sacrificed
A part of it was subsequently made uI
to him by Il transfer of one fourth of the
property to him on his return to Georgi,
in 1875. Upon that being accomplished
bonds were issued of which he got one
fourth and those he disposed Of 1t i.
simply this: II. l. Kimbnl lost about
S400, 900 OIL the house"
Yesterday there WAS general inquiry
rs to the probability OF the rebuilding O
the hotel. 1t wns surprising to see tho
absolute confidence in Atlanta enterprise
Dir. Culpeppcr remarked that he thought
he could start Monday and raise com
pany to rebuild the hotel. lie thinks il
can be replaced for $iUO,OOO, though il
cost nearly twice that sum.
Mr.. Frank Rice, and experienced con
tractors thinks 100000 will be easily
raised to put up hotel az large ant
better in some respects. Mr.. J. {
Peck, one of the contractors of the build
ing, offered yesterday to replace tn,
house for 100000. The almost univer
sal opinion is that in few month:
Atlanta will have grandcr hotel thar
the superb structure whose ruins looked
so mourninl in Inst nights dim moon
light.