The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-02
A CITY In FLAMES.
VERY DISASTROUS CONFEDERATION
O,.r Three Hundred Hops.s asd Three rAou.And
Bales Of Cotton Barrsd Ia tn. City ofsaraanah.
Fifteen Hundred People nsds Homeless.
Three Lives Lost-Loss orsr 81 100000

SAVANNAH, GA, November 1.-Three
hundred houses, coyaring half q square
mile Of territory, large cotton warehouse
containing 5000 bales, aud other property
to an amount beyond estimate, are now
lying in ashes in consequence Of a fire
which had Its origin in this city shortly
after noon yesterday. Fully 1900 people,
mostly colored, are homeless and must
sleep as best they can beside wood fires,
which they have built on the ground
around the scanty effects which they have
saved from their ruined dwellings. The
night cir is damp and chilly, and their
sutferings from cold and hunger, despite
the fact that they are closely huddled to.
gether, cannot but be great.
a careful and uot exaggerated estimate,
facts and figures being unattainable to-
night, fixes the loss at one million dollars.
The insurance is also unobtainable at
present, but 1t Is not probable, from the
nature Of the property, that 1t will equal
half the loss.
THREE LIVES LOST.
lis certain that three lives have been
lost, two others are almost positively know
to have perished, and 1t Is probable that
the total will not fall short Of eight or len.
While the starting place Of the fire Is posi-
lively known, its cause is a mystery. While
number Of men we're rolling bales from
the mammoth brick warehouse OF Garnett,
S9ubbs & Co., flames suddenly burst
forth from one Of the bales and
before 1t could be pushed out
OF doors the fire communicated TO others,
and, famed by strong draft, converted
the whole interior OF the building into q
roaring furnace. About one.half OF the
men knew Of their peril, and these, with a
wild rush, made for the doors, all escaping,
1t is thought, save five. Tonight the
charred remains OF three bodies were found
among the still burning embers. Apartly
melted watch, few gill buttons, and hall
burned wallet leave no doubt that one Of
the victims Is James Cash, white mau Of
lwenty-lour years, employed as clerk In
the warehouse. He was we'll known through.
out the State this season as shortstop OF
the Dixie Base Ball Club.
Another Of tho victims is Moses Caster,
colored, assistant warehouseman, and Presi-
dent OF the Col.red Home Association OF
this city. A colored female named Green,
employed as cottou-picker, is the third
person whose charred corpse tells the story
Of her fats. Her child, who was working
near by her, aad colored man whose
name Ia unknown also, almost usd0ubted.
ly persisted in the building. Several other
persons, both white and colored, are re-
ported missing at their homes, but no &C.
cura.e statement OF henumber will be pos
siblc until the extinguishment OF the fire
permits careful search.
THE BURNED DISTRICT.
The burned district lies in the western
portion OF the city, aud is known as Yama-
craw, the section In ruins being bounded
on the west by Canal street, on the north
by River street, on the east by West
Broad street and on the south by Farm
street. It was almost exclusively occn-
pied by negroes. The houses were
nearly all one and two story wooden struc-
turep, ,interspersed here and there with grog-
geries, small groceries aad small brick
dwellings. Fearing that the negroes would
become intoxicated aud riotous the Mayor
called out the military, and Gordon Of
1000 soldiers was established. No disorder
resulted, however.