Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1883-11-20
LuRID FLAMES.
Six Days Shalt Thou Work and
the Seventh Put Out Fire.
Assoc BLAzE-HALF INSURED.

that suddenly rang out and broke the
stiffness of the Sabbath day, at IL :l5
o'clock Sunday. Ministers cut short
their sermons and the loafers Oh
the street corners took up the cry
and soon the city was alive with a
crowd of excited men, women and
children hurrying to and fro
with alarm depicted on their faces.
The bells rang and the members of
the fire company rushed from the
churches, and their homes and in ten
minutes were OH the way to the
scene Of the coniagration. The wor-
shippers at church, without waiting for
a benediction, rushed out and ran for
the spot and went to work manfully
in their best Sunday attire. The fire
was found to be in the coal Office of
Underwood, Ellis & Co., Oh Adams
street, between Campbell and Rail-
road. When discovered the flames
were breaking through the roof and
ii was seen at glance that the build
ing could not be saved. The scales
of the coal yard, covered by shed,
Joined the burning Luilding to a
large frame warehouse, owned by b.
T. Underwood and used as a storage
room by various parties. In Il few
minutes the flames had caught this
and as a steady wind was blowing in
a northwcsterly direction, the old
building burned with alarming
rapidity. The hose cart became de-
tached from the fire engine and
caused some delay and it was twenty
minutes before it began throwing
water from Coleman's pond. The
warehouse was falling in then and
they went to work to save the ada
cent buildings. Mrs. Colcnan's res
idence, just east of the starting point,
was saved by the heroic efforts of the
crowd, who kept the back end Of the
house saturated with water and the
roof covered with wet blankets. A
small cottage across Adams street, in
the direction the wind was blowing,
could not be saved but was soon in
flames. The residence of Nelson
Cross, col, on east side of it was
saved with great difficulty and the
progress of the flames stopped on the
east side. Directly north of the
warehouse was a vacant lot
with a small frame ware
house in the southeast corner of it.
This was filled with hay and machin-
cry and was burned in spite Of all eff
forts to save it. In the meantime the
engine and number of patent force
pumps were doing valiant service to
save the large frame planning mill and
lumber yard of Jno. Orr & Co., west
of the burning Houses, separated only
by the railroad. There were several
coal cars standing on the track and
these protected the lumber TO some
extent and helped to stop the prog
ress of the devouring element. The
mill was saved by the hardest. The
Touring mills of F. L. Ellis Il Co., on
the railroad, to the northwest, we've
also in considerable danger, but
were saved by carefully watch
ing the burning chips and
using water wherever they fell. Dur
ing the hottest of the fire
burning clips were carried several
hundred yards and several houses
set on fire in this way. Every house
top in the vicinity had a man on it
with bucket of water to put out the
burning fragments that were con-
stantly falling. Mrs. Ellis dwelling,
three squares to the northwest was
fired in this way. Chas, M. Meach-
ANS, next to Mrs. Ellis, was set on
fire in five different places. An old
frame stemmery building, adjoining
the Peoples Warehouse, was set in
four places and the blaze in one place
was burning at an alarming rate
when discovered. 1t WA extinguish,
ed by the prompt and effective exer-
tons Of Mr.. w. L. Blanton, who was
formerly connected with the fire
company of Clraksville. An ole
frame house back of Capt. Aber
nathy's residence, eight squares from
the fire, was ignited and was burning
on the roof when discovered. 4
small warehouse back of Ellis mil
was also fired on the roof in tw,
places. The wind shifted to tn
north in the midst of the fire, almos
providentially it seemed, and som
tenement houses between Ellis mi!
and the fire were saved by har
work.
THE LOSSES.
Underwood, Ellis & Morrow, col
Office and Office furniture, $3.50; N
insurance.
b. I. Underwood, warehouse
$1,000; insurance $1,000. Scales $25(
no insurance.
r., j. Morrow, hay stored in ware
: house and an iron safe, ETC., 5000; n
insurance.
G. w. Metcalfe & Bro. fertilize
machinery, ETC., mostly saved, br
1 loss estimated at $3.50, il
o surance $3.50. Machinery belongil