The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-01-26

THE TOWN OF HENDERSON IS
VISITED BY ANOTHER BIG
FIRE,

FIRE.
A Good Time and Good Place for the
Flames to get in their Work.
Last night about quarter past ten
O'Clock the alarm Of fire was given.
Sleety and slipping as was the ground
the cry of fire and the sight of the
flames soon brought big crowd to
the scene when it was discovered that
the " Young Row" ofwooden buildings
that line the railroad IN the main bust
ness part of town was burning. The
fire broke out in Moses Peace's res
taurant, catching from the stove pipe.
| The flames soon spread and set fire to
the adjoining buildings on both sides.
The fire department was promptly
upon the scene and both the Hook
and Ladder and the Engine companies
did good and noble service. The houses
being wet, the tops covered with snow
and the wind low, everything was
favorable to keeping under and pre-
venting the spread of the flames to
other and more valuable property on
the opposite side of the street, if not
checking them, as possible. Indeed
taking this view of the matter the fire
could no: have come in a more OPP
perfume time, nor could it have been
in any part oftown, extending over such
an area, and done SO little actual dam
age. While many honest and hard
working persons have been thrown out
for the time being, and have sustained
more or less loss, the GOLD LEAF re-
CARDS the fire last night in the light OF
positive benefit to the town. And
this is the view taken of it by the
heaviest losers by 1.-THE property
owners. The ground this morning
where yesterday stood mass of old
wooden buildings in themselves insight
ly, and abstructing the sight of the best
portion Of the main business part of
the place, is far more desirable and
worth more by 40 per cent. than it
was before the houses were removed.
The finest brick building in town
would not have been very desirable
hemmed in by such 4" fire traps with
no power to remove or prevent them
from setting fire to you, and SO this
side of the street has not been built
up with handsome and imposing brick
structures as has the opposite, the
owners waiting it seemed for the hand
of Providence to remove the old build
ings for them. Now they will be re.
placed with such houses as will be in
keeping with the onward and upward
spirit of the town and be credit and
an ornament rather than an "eye-sore'
to it. The losses are as follows:
Capt. d. E. and r. E. Young foul
buildings and several sheds usec
as butcher stalls and huckster stands
Their loss is about $4,000. ]. w
Vaughan two houses; about $4,000
Geo. B. & S. r. Harris one house
about ST., 900. Charles Burnett on,
house !; about SI,2oo. DIR. w. w
Young one house about $1,000. II
all eight store houses and number O
small buildings were burned, clearing
a space from the corner building OPP
, posite the bank to the vacant lot mex
| to the Harris building, in front Of S
& 6. Watkins, about one hundred
yards up the street. Had it not beer
for the fact that Mr.. Young moved
couple of houses off from this lie. SOM
time ago the fire would not have stop
! ped when it reached that high up an.
= there is no telling what the extent Q
! the damages would have been.
/ While the citizens. (many Of then
at least) white and black, worked mos
faithfully the water supply gave GU
about the time the fire reached the las
| building and it here spent itself. Tn
e engine did good work as long as Their
:. was water and fully demonstrate
e what it is worth to the town if the com
{, pany is sustained in its efforts to pro
+ tect and save the property of citizens
r TO do this there must DC an ample wa
ter supply. This fact is SO apparent
: needs no argument to force itself upo
q US, and comment is unnecessary. Neve
f did we see men work harder to saw
i other peoples property than they dit
e last night, and the GOLD LEAF wishe
t it could call by name and give du
n prominence and credit to those pei
r sons white and black who did sue
earnest and manly and heroic servlc
;. both in trying to check the f1mes an
+ helping to remove and save the prop
i erty of those who occupied the burnin
e buildings.
y A. f. Rosenbusch, groceries, est
1 mates his loss at between $500 and 6 90
+ damage and loss of stock by removal
e A. M. Jordan, groceries, about 5000
;, Robert Reavis and Stephen Gregory
: colored, groceries, &c, about sIoo
n w. H. Cook, colored, barber shoE
> about $40 Moses Peace, colored, re:
}, taurant. about s25; Allen Perry, co
: ored, baber shop, about $500; S.
z Written, saloon, about $500; Adar
{ Reavis, cclored, restaurant, abor
= $500; Sid Davis, colored, butcher
J. slight Frank Tucker, colored, grocer
! les, about SIS. Mrs. E. e.. Wrigf
e and Mrs John Richardson, Jim Gree
. and others occupied rooms up stairs j
The f,,,;ljiorS and thAy S,,eS, ;raJ vx,o~