The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-14
A MILLI0N-D DOLLAR FIRE.
the BURNING OF THE kIMBALL
HOUSE, IN ATLANTA.
The Iarscst Hotel In the state Reduced 60
Ashes, but All the CHESTS saved by
Good Management.


largest hotel in the South, was destroyed
bv fire SUNDAY morning, and not vestige
is left except the crumbling walls. A spc-
cial 10 the New York Times says The fire
BEGAN at : o'clock \. VI. in a part OF the
bujlding that was an easy prey for the
flames. and in almost q twinkhng every
floor 81 the structure was IN blaze. By :
O'Clock the walls were completely Quilted
and 81, 0O0. 900 worth Of property was in
ashes. AZ o'clock q dense smoke was
seen issuing from the basement
under the southwestern corner OF
the house. The room was on the
Wall-s;rCct side and was directly
under the Office OF Colonel Adair.
As soon a. the smoke was discovered an
alarm was sounded and the department
turned out. The iiremcn forced the door
OF the basement room, occupied by Charlie
pe0chi. \ stream Of water was thrown
into the room. and il was completely flood
cd. There was no light i'm the room. and
the frcmen were able 10 throw water only
into The dense smoke. No effect whatever
was produced. and the smoke continued TO
increase in density. just In the rear Of the
basement room was a stairway leading 10
the top OF the building, and alongside the
opening in the structure was dlimb-waiter.
The stairway led up from an alley which was
between the walls, dividing the outer wing
OF the house from the inner rooms. II was
soon seen that the flames were mounting
the stairs and bursting through the win
d0ws. From that time the fire spread so
RAPIDLY that the fircmen could not keep up
with il. and in few minutes the entire
western end Of the house was abaze.
The alarm was spread throughout the
building, and the guests were ordered out.
They left hUrrlcdly. but in remarkably good
order. Not q person jumped from the burn
ing building. 4 large part Of the baggage
OF the guests was saved and piled IN the
street The fire took possession OF the
western end Of the hotel. and was soon in
the CaTTcl, making SIX stories on ire. IL
then steadily burned toward Pryor street.
When the flames had gained possession OF
about one bali Of the building the walls OF
the garrett began TO show evidences OF de-
sire 10 tumble. and the crowd was warned
away. From that time to the end Of the
fire the wall, in many places tottered and
fell, and after two hours the jagged ruins
formed an enclosure within which was
mass OF roaring flames.
The scenes during the fire were not
such at usually attend the burning OF such
u
great fire without the customary tales OF
terror. The first thing done was to awaken
the guests. The wMchmen on duty rushed
through the house with nozzleS. and
smashed i'm the door of each room. As
they did so they sounded the alarm, and
the sleeping quests Sprmg from their beds,
threw on any sort Of apparel that they
could get. and rushed for the street.
IN ~ nj OH
were several >pectacle> Of gallant young
men helping ladies down, all clad in
the garments of the bed-chamber. 4
number OF people were aroused just
in the nick Of time. and many lost their
personal effects. II is said that one Of the
guests, stranger, lost a quantity OF Jew
elry and some very valuable diamonds. 1t
il confidently asserted that no lives were
lost. rs the watchmen state that they went
through every room. and that there was
not one person left. As soon as the guests
reached the street they were taken care OF
a. we'll rs possible some going to one hotel
and some TO another. Mr.. ScOyille and
Mr.. Arnold took quarters at No. SO Pryor
street, which i, the Kimball House pro tenn.
During the progress Of the fire remarkable
GOODNESS was shown by every one connect
ed with the hotel. and MeSsrs. ScOyile and
Arnold did everything possible for the
benefit and comfort Of the guests. The
servants worked with energy.
There was but $4,000 insurance on the
building. which cost 100000. John Rice
had his one-third interest insured for
S25.OO with the agency of John &. Whit
ney Il co. The third interest OF Joseph
Thompson. Sr.. was insured for $4,000 in
the following companies: Hamburg and
Bremen, $1,000; Home. Of New York,
$4,000; Southern Mutual, $1,000; North
BriStish. 5000; and Northern, OF Eng
land. $1,000. The ninth interest of Mr..
joseph Thompson, Jr., was insured for
$4,000. and the ninth interest OF Mr..
Tom Glen for n similar amount. Gene
raj TOOmhs's insurance on his ninth in
terc>t expired two years ago, and he re-
fused TO renew it. MIR. J. W. Culpepper
who is interested i'm several other hotel en-
terpriscs with Mr.. ScOylle, announced
that he would undertake the formation OF
a company on Monday morning 10 rebuild
the hotel 10 once Men Of capital and en-
tcrpri>c were quick to announce their
sympathy with such a project and their
readiness go cooperate. There can be no
doubt that before the embers are cool the
dauntlcss spirits that raised Atlanta from
the ashes Of 1865, and have never LET a
blackened wall stay on her streets. will be-
gin the work of restoration. The Kimball
House cost SG00,000 exclusive OF $4,000
for furniture and decorations. 1t can be
replaced in better style for 100000.
The wind shifted TO south soon after the
fire got under way, and this was q fortu-
nate circumstance, as a breeze from any
other direction would have been certainly
fatal TO the buildings on the three streets
surrounding the hotel. More than thou
sand people cOngregated on Pryor and
Whitehall streets. The ashes ieil In 4
white, drifting storm. and soon the ground
looked ~ il il was covered with snow.
The smoke and hot air brought showers
OF fine sand from the mortar OF me
crumbling walls. This was blown Tor
several blocks, and covered the
streets with a queer white sheet. III
was plainlv noticeable on roofs for six or
eight blocks. Another curious incident
was marked in the fall OF the wall on De
catur street. IL was seen bulging 1t the
top for some time, and everybody had been
driven out OF the way. soon II rceled ana
tumbled with a fearful crash. The three
top stories fell and the walls Of the two
lower stories bulged on, in the centre near
~ lnfee Ittl, anu lhch spIdhS pdNh INV
india rubber into place without showing a
crack.
II the hour had been chosen for the
burning Of the hotel it could not have
been better in all respects. The lire origi-
mated in an extreme corner, and literally
drove the people out, giving many OF them
time 10 save their furniture, while nearly all
the occupants Of the stores managed to get
out almost their entire stock. The morning
was calm, and the high walls, which