Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-13
TWO TERRIBLE FIRES.
THE KIMBALL HOUSE IN AT
LANTA BURNED DOWN.

HE kIMBALL HOUSE IN AT
LANTA BURNED DOWN.
Flames Devastate Fifty Acres in the
Heart of Vineyard Hayen-NO Lives
Lost ia Either Observation-Disclosures
Homeless-Atlanta's Loss ~ ,OOO, 900,
and the Other 100000.
ATLANTA, August 12.-The KimbalI
House, whose front is familiar to nearly
every traveller ever passing through At
lanta, was totally destroyed by fire at 3
O'Clock this morning. BY almost unpar-
alleled good fortune, every person in the
hotel escaped unhurt, but large majori-
ty Of the guests lost their baggage and
such other property as they had in the
building. But a small part of the
stock contained in the stores beneath the
hotel proper was saved, and the loss of
the merchants is, in many instances.
aggravated by the destruction of their
books and papers. The rescue of the
sleeping guests is attributable to the
presence OF mind of night clerk Hammond.
who aroused Messrs. Scoville and Arnold.
and enlisted their services IN his heroic
tour of the smoke-filled eridors into
which the guest chambers opened. The
carefully compiled estimate of the MORN
ING NEWS correspondent places the total
losses at 81, ,000, 900. and the aggregate in
surance at $150,000. The hotel originally
cost $6O0,OOO, and the furniture was valued
at $l25,OOO
THE ALARM.
The alarm sounded at half-past /
O'Clock. There were few people around.
it being Sunday, but a crowd of news
Iov ho
led the way to the Kimball House.
The fire was discovered in the rear
part of the basement under George
W. Adair's real estate office, which was
occupied as a wholesale fruit store. On
two occasions lately fire has broken out
at the same corner, but in the second
story.
When the engines ratified up to the hy-
drants in the vicinity of the fire many of
the sleeping burgers, awakened from
their early morning Slumbers by the un-
wonted din beneath their windows, threw
OPEN their shutters and stretched forth
their uncOmbed heads to locate the
flames. Many of the engines We're not
playing and the movements of the hose
men gave no evidence that they were pre-
pairing to cope with fire of any conse-
quence, two facts which so reassured a
majority Of the second and third
story spectators that they crawled
back to bed, firmly convinced
that the department had again been
given an almost unnecessary run. The
ease with which the two previous fires in
the same place had been suppressed also
added to the confidence of these unenter-
prising sleepy-heads, of whom the MORN
ING News correspondent was one.
\ DISASTROUS DELAY.
Nearly an hour after the alarm had been
given no organized effort had been made
to stop the progress of the fire. 1t worked
up into Adair's office and Burke's store.
where it found plenty of paper to burn /:
and then up into the kitchen of the Kim
ball House, where the grease added to the
intensity of the flame. Then the water
works got in order, and the fire engines
put in their work, but all too late The
flames spread upward to the dry wooden
mansard roof and the towers. and
assumed such proportions that all
hope of saving any part
of the hotel was abandoned.
and the twO-stOry block on Peachtree
street was looked after and protected by
heavy streams of water. The Republic
Block on Pryor street and Moore a.
Marsh's building were saved by wet
blankets and streams of water, although
when the mansard roof. blazed the heat
was intense and melted some of the metal
cOrnces on the buildings across the
street. 1t was feared, however, that the
whole block would 90, and the fire move
on and sweep away the Markham House
in addition. In this belief Joe Brown,
Jr., son of the Senator. dispatched a
special train to Marietta for the engine at
that place, but later on telegraphed not
to bring the engine. as the fire was
under control. The firemen came down
on the train and aided the Atlanta de-
partment, which was pretty well eX
hausted. 4 few buckets of water would
have put out the fire at the start, but
where the blame lies cannot be said to-
night. There was great delay in getting
water, but after it came the firemen
worked nobly and saved a dozen sur
rounding blocks. Atlanta's water works
have always failed the city at large fires
because of too small main pipe. Prompt
action saved the guest.
THE DISCOVERY AND PANIC.
The Savannah fast train had lust left
the depot when Oscar Ballard, the night
clerk at Henry Durand's dining saloon in
the depot. saw the smoke coming out of
the fruit store basement, and rushed over
to the Kimball House and notified Thad
Hammond, the night clerk. who at once
awOke Messrs. ScOyille and Arnold. TAX
ing in the danger at a glance they i'm
some instances breaking in doors to
awaken them, and in this way all were
saved.
Some ladies came out in wrappers bare
headed, carrying jeWelry and yaluables
in towels while the husbands followed
with a wardrobe in Il sheet. President
and Mrs, BOyntOn and Hon. }. NJ. COu-
per and family were among the many
families that early escaped and saved
their baggage.
Many regular bOarders lost furniture
and other things. Although hurried out
in undress condition there was no con-
fusion and no accidents.
Messrs. ScOville and Arnold and the
clerks acted nObly-lOoking first to the
safety of life and then to that of property.
A MOMENT OF HORROR.
Some excitement was caused early in
the fire by a guest on the roof calling for
ropes, and saying that others were also
cut off from escape. A rush was imme-
diately made to their rescue, but the
alarm was grOundless. All were provided
for, and came out unharmed. No acci-
dents occurred except slight ones to fire
men, such as scars on the head and cuts
on the hand.
No such hotel fire was ever recorded.
The house was full of guests all asleep,
and vet without ladders or fire escapes.
all were saved. 1t is most remarkable
fact. Had the fire occurred two hours
earlier in the darkness of the night pro-
badly fifty lives would have been lost, and
had a heavy wind prevailed no one can tell
where the cOntlagratiOn would have been
stopped.
Great as is the calamity it might have
been vastly greater.
Although not guest at the Kimball,
Senator Parks was one of the most daring
and efficient workers, and won hearty
praise. Senator DuBignOn and family
were up at Marietta. Carriages were
procured and the ladies were carried to
private residences and boarding houses,
while the Markham House took in $50
of the unfOrtunates, and is now filled to
Overflowing. Hotel quarters will be at
premium until after the Legislature adj
jOurns.
DECATUR STREET LOSERS.
The occupants of the first floor on the
Decatur street side were Gaven, the auc-
tiOneer, with a store full of goods, of
which nothing was saved.
The Kimball House stOrerOOm was
filled with provisions, and nothing was
saved.
Mr.. HaralsOn's tobacco was partially
saved. Mr.. Daniel, the druggist. saved
very little. GOOde, FOntaine IL Elmore,
real estate agents, lost something. This
was the corner lately vacated by Mr..
PRYOR STREET VICTIMS.
On the Pryor street side were Tyler d
McGOodwin, haberdashers, who saved
part of their stock. Part of the furniture
and all of the books and papers in the