Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-24
BIG FIRE IN YAMACRAW.
TWENrY-FOUR HOUSES BURNED
AND TWO BLOCKS IN RUINS.

The Scenes OF the Great Fire OF 1888
Repeated-A Spark Formed into a
Blaze that Wipes Out sea, 900 of Prof.
erty-Where the Fire OTiglnated-The
Losses aud Insurance.
The western part Of the city was visited
yesterday BY a second disastrous confa-
grafton within the past year and a half.
A repetition OF the great Yamacraw fire
Of 1888, in which 312 buildings were de-
strOyed, and 1900 people were made home
less, was for a time threatened, but
through the efforts of the fremen and
fortunate combination of circumstances,
the scenes OF that great disaster were
averted. As it was "a buildings were
DESTROYED, and over 80 families were
turned into the street. The excitement was
intense. and as soon as the locality of
the fire became known the streets
were filed with people, anxious for the
lives and the property of those who were
crowded together in the narrow lanes
where the flames were raging.
The fire broke out in ROOs' stock stable.
a low, One-stOry shed building, on Zubly
and Laurel streets, and was first seen by
Mrs. J. B. Cook, whose house adjOined
the stable in the rear, on Ann street, and
Mrs. P. J. Hartford. 1t was then just
blazing up. Mrs. Cook called num-
Der Of boys, who were playing on
Zubly street, to help put it out.
The flames were in a pile Of hay and
straw on the east side Of the stable next
TO Mr.. ROOs' Office, which is partitiOned
of from the rest OF the building. The
doors were locked and before they could
be got open and the fire could be reached,
the entire interior was in blaze. An
alarm was sounded by Officer Morgan
from box Is at BrOughtOn and West Broad
| streets. The wind was blowing a stiff
| breeze from the northeast, 50 that by the
/ time the fire apparatus reached the scene
the stable and buildings adjoining on the
south were on fire. The men set resolute-
| " TO work and lines of hose were laid
| from West Broad street through Zubly and
Harrison. The flames gained every MN
ute, and famed by the wind swept rapid
| " over the roofs of the low frame houses
/ and sheds. enveloping the entire block.
/ The wind freshened and the fire assumed
/ alarming dimensions. The dense clouds
/ of black smoke from the burning hay ana
straw. and the intense heat nindered the
/ firemen ard kept them from working in
the middle Of the block, where water was
most needed 10 cut of the advance Of the
| flames.
THE SCENES OF OCTOBER, 1888.
/ The scenes in the vicinity were at least
a repetition of those during the great
/ October fire. The streets were filled
with excited men, women and children
/ hurrying from house to house, not know
/ ing what to do. On Harrison and Ann
/ streets. towards which the flames were
sweeping. the sidewalks and stoops were
piled with furniture and household effects
| Ii was apparent that none az the build
I ings east of Ann street could he ed. and
the efforts OF the flremen were directed 10
the row OF frame tenements on the south
L VII
keen the flames from crossing and sweep
ing the entire territory to Margaret street.
The wind carried the sparks of the roofs
Of the burning houses 10 other quarters,
and the flames shot up and leaped from one
building to another, so that II was almost
an impOsslbility 70 prevent them from
I crossing the narrow street and cOmnunI-
eating TO the sheds and terements on the
l opposite side. Ia an hour the entire block
( where the fire originated was burned down
and the flames had crossed Ann street and
I communicated TO a row Of low tenements
on the west side. The fremen divided
/ their efforts and lines of hose were laid
from an engine at Luhly and -. GauI
streets. playing on the row OF brick and
frame buildings facing west on Walnut
street. Ropes were stretched and the
crowds were kept back as much as pos
sible 10y the police TO allow the
hremen an opportunity 10 work
but owing to the narrow streets
and the rapidity with which the flames
spread it was apparent that the entire
row Of buildings from Llbly To Margaret
street and down to Farm was al
tue mercy OF the deyOuring element.
SWEEP OF THE FLAMES.
The stable owned by Mr.. RoOS cost 81
$40. Five buggies. four sets Of harness,
some OF them very valuable, lot Of horse
blankets and other articles were de-
strOyed. Mr.. ROOs estimates his loss al
about $500. he had $500 insurance on
the property placed through the agency OF
Henry T. Bolts. Next % this stable. on
Laurel street, on property owned by Per
cy Olmstead and Messrs. Lester and
Saussv. was a stable erected by Mr.. ROOs
and sub let to Mr.. Ohm
stead. This was also en-
tirely destroyed. There was no insurance
on this pOperty. Mr.. Olmstead lost about
$3.50 in personal effects and nXtures IN tue
sta bic. Extending ir0m this stable 70
the corner of Laurel and Harrison streets
was a row OF frame tenement houses &C.
cupisd by cOl0red people. The nrst three
nearest the stable were owned by Mr..
george WellbrOck. and were destroyed
early in the nTe. They were insured Tor
500 each through the agency of K. II.
FoOtman * Co. The occupants lost most
Of their effects. and nO-e Of them were in
sured. The next house was owned by
Col. Peter Reilly, and was also totally de-
strpyed. Col. Reilly's loss Is fully COW
cred by insurance in the Southern Mutual.
The next two houses, extending 10 the
corner of Harrison street. we're owned by
Mr. Richard Kirkland. They were only
rarity DESTROYED. and were insured for
500 each in the agency OF Johnston &
Douglass. The loss on each house will
be about $3.50. The house next to
the corner was occupied by Susan
Holmes, a cOlOred woman, and the next
by Nancy Brown and other negroes. The
corner house was occupied by susan Bates.
Among others who lived in the row were
]. 4. Bryant and II. Smith, both cOlored.
NOTHING LEFT But THE WALLS.
The first house attacked by the fire on
ZubIv street was the large three-story
brick residence owned by Mr.. y. VI. Ul-
mer. The house was completely Quilted
and nothing but the walls were LETT stand
Ing Mr.. Ulmer had in use and slowed
away in the building about $4,000 worth OF
fine furniture, nearly all OF which is total
loss. He had $1,000 insurance on the
house and furniture in the Southern Mu-
tual through the agency Of I. II. Harden.
The loss is not covered by the insurance.
Next 10 this building. on the corner OF .
Zublv and Ann streets, Is SINH
lar brick house, owned BY Mr.. u
mer. and occupied by Mrs. Annie
E a
prOpertv was not as seriously damaged as
that Of Mr.. Ulmer. Her loss is covered
bv insurance in the Home Mutual OF
Athens. The third story Of Mrs. Davis
house was occupied by Mr.. L. c. Downs
and wife. Mrs Downs was lying seriously
in and was removed from the house and
taken 10 the residence OF Mr.. j. {.
Purder. She was not aware Of the ire
until the blinds were burned and dropped
from the window Of the room In which
she was lying.
TENEMENTs MELTED DOWN.
Next TO the house of Mrs. Davis, on
Ann street and in the rear Of the servants
quarters. were two frame tenements.
owned by Mr.. r. ID. Guerard. both Of
which were destroyed. They were valued
at about 5000 and were insured. One OF
them was occupied by J. b. Cook, who
lost all his furniture and clothing with
the exception OF two trunks. He had no
insurance. The other was occupied by a
negro named Henry Biuyard, who
lost everything. The next TWO
houses were owned by Mr..
Richard kirkland and insured by john
son & Douglass for 800 each. The in
surance will fully cover the loss. They
were occupied by NJ. AshDy and NJ. Nc
team. cOlOred. who lost greater part of
their furniture. Three frame tenements
ooc,nied the remaining space between