The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1884-10-29
THE TORCH IN EDGEFIELD.
DIRE VENGEANCE OF NEGRO DIES.
PERADOES.

DIRE VENGEANCE OF NEGRO DIES.
PERADOES.
Nearly tho Entire Business Part of
the Town Lnid In Ashes-two Men
Narrowly Escape With Their Lives
No Provisions left for the People
Trailing Robbers with Blood
hounds-The Exciting Cause of
the outrage.
Especial Dispatch to the News and Couri er. ]
TRENTON, October 18-In n fire this
morning the village Of EdgcHcld lost
four-fifths Of its stores. All the build
ings on the central and most closely
built square Of the town, and in addi-
ton four buildings on an adjoining
square We're blotted out. came here
from Columbia tonight, intending to
proceed to the village and obtain full
particulars OF the disaster. but the hour
Of arrival was so late that it was found
impractcablc to visit Edgetield in time
to secure the requisite news and telc-
graph it tonight. am, however, able
to give from this point all the informa-
ton needed. The Rdgefield AdrerttSer,
with much enterprise, issued to-day an
extra which gives reliable information,
and which l quote almost entire. The
Adrertisers extra says:
On Saturday morning at day break, on
the 3oth October, 1881. the business
part of Edgcfeld was laid in ashes.
This morning at da ybreak-three years,
lacking twelve doys, having elapsed
the same territory is again laid in ashes.
Every one Of thanew buildings erected
after the fire of 1881 is consumed with
one solitary exception. Mr.. Alvin Hart's.
The fire was discovered tbout five
O'Clock, bursting from the roof of the
storehouse occupied by Capt. C. L. B.
Marsh. This was the middle one Of the
three wooden stores in one building.
erected by Mr.. A. A. Clisby soon after
the fire of 1881. Diagonally opposite
where the four stores, one belonging to
Mr.. w. Is. Penn, the other three to DR..
ID. C. Tompkins. Next west of the
Clisby buifding was the new one erect
ed by Mr.. A. j. Norris and occupied by
Mr. w. n. Burnett. Next was the large
building erected by Mr.. w. f. LvncA,
after the fire Of 1881, two stores, one oc
cupicd by Mr.. Lynch, the other by Nc
Collough r. Son. Next and last was the
new building erected by Mr. James NJ.
Cobb, after the fire Of 1881, and occu
pied by himself. In the rear o: Lynch's
stood the new four-room law office Of
John L. Addison, Esq. In the rear of
Cebb's stood the newly erected Chroni-
Gle office.
In less than one hour all these build
inss were swept by the flames from .he
the face Of the earth. Mr.. Hsrts new
building, being Of brick, withstood the
fury Of the flames, although standing so
near the large Clisby building. The
Jones Hotel and the Sheppard law office
were saved.
The opposite side OF the square.
where stands the Advertiser building,
was in great peril all the while, but es-
capped intact. At one time the roofs Of
the wooden Offices on each side the Ad-
rcrtiSer building, were burning brisk
ly. The flames were extinguished by
brave and persistent efforts, thus saving
tn, South side Of the square, including g
the huge old Ryan Hotel. Park Row.
it will be rendered, has never been
built up since the fire Of 1881.
Upon tho Clisby, the Norris, the
Lynch and the Cobb buildings, there
was not penny Of insurance, the late
high rates Of insurance upon wooden
buildings amounting almost to prohibi-
ton: Upon the Penn and the Tomp-
kins buildings, and the Addison law Of
tics there was some insurance. Mr.. Wi
ley Turner and Capt. C. L. b. Marsh,
occupying the Clisby building. lost their
entire stocks, saving not even their
books. When Capt. Marsh, who lives
upon the outskirts, reached the scene,
the store he occupied was no longer
standing. Mr.. Burnett lost his entire
stock. Mccullough & Son lost their en-
tire stock. Mr.. Lynch saved so little an
scarcely to be worth mentioning. Mr..
Cobb saved about one fifth Of his stock.
Mr.. Brunson, occupying one of the
Tompkins buildings, saved about, half
his stock. Mr.. w. B. Penn's loss is
fearfully heavy. His stock wan unin-
sured. and he saved but q couple of
showcases.
We write within less than Ave hours
after the breaking out OF the fire, but
even thus early we see many signs of
pluck and bravery. Mr.. James NJ.
Cobb, already. with his odds and ends.
in the old Bryan brick store, where he
will rcplenish his stock and push for