Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-05
A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
Fred L. Smith e. Sons Planning
Mill Burned,
Together With Several Tenement Houses
The Property Of Jas. T. Wood,
By a Morning Blaze.

ing out of the rear end of the Clarks-
vile Planning Mills, on Franklin
street, owned by Fred l.. Smith &
Sons. A strong breeze was blowing,
and the house, being filed with COM
bustible material, the flames spread
and before any assistance
could be rendered by the fire compa-
ny the entire surroundings were en-
veloped in one great sheet of flame.
The origin of the fire is not known.
Some say it started in the boiler
room; others say it was first discov-
cred in the northeast corner of the
building, where the shaving machine
stood.
The building was almost new-a
large two. story frame, erected a year
or two ago by the present firm and
fitted up with splendid machinery.
The upper story was used for work
shop and contained a great deal OF
unfinished work, shavings, etc,
scattered about over the room cOnve-
nient for the several workmen, and
consequently facilitated the rapid
spread of the fire. The lower story
contained the machinery and great
deal of dry dressed lumber and fin
ished work. On the west side of this
building stood the storage house,
crowded full of select fine floor
ing, doors, mantles, sash, blinds,
etc, with just narrow pass
way between the Two. in the
rear of the main building was anoth-
er large dry lnmber shed stored full,
and stacks of lumber, cover the
entire lot, containing about two acres,
including the buildings. Next to
the storage-ro0m was a paint shop,
and then a brick stOre-house on the
corner of Franklin street and Uni
versity avenue.
To the rear of the brick store stood
four small tenement houses, owned
by Jas. Il. Wood. TO the east of the
main building, on an adjoining lot,
was a frame cottage owned by
Mrs. Shaha, now of greensboro,
KY, which was her all.
In few minutes the flames spread
all over the entire grounds, sweeping
everything except the brick store.
The entire square between Tapscott's
residence and University avenue and
Franklin street and the rear alley
was at once solid sheet of flame
The heat was at times so intense that
no one coul1 pass between the fire
and the pond south of franklin
street, and it was impossible for the
liremen to approach near enough to
do any effective service beyond pre-.
serving the neighbOring houses by
constant streams of water.
There was also a stable on the lot,
in which the harness horse was kept.
The neighing and screams of the
animal was pitiable but no one dared
to attempt his rescue, and he persisted
in the flames.
The loss of Smith q Sons is about
$25, 600. They were insured in the
Millers' Mutual Fire Insurance Com
pany of Louisville for SO, 900, and in
the Springfield Fire and Marine, rep
resented by j. P, Dunlop, for 81 600.
The company is composed of Fred
l.. Smith and his two sons, Tandy
and Ed, young men who have just
started in business and they had
made this property by hard work
and close attention to business. They
have the sympathy of the entire com
The houses owned by Jas. II. Wood
were valued at $3.50 and were insured
for $3.50. The damage to the store
house, corner franklin street and
University avenue, will amount to
800. This building is also the prop
erty OF Jas. II. Wood.
Mrs. Shaha's cottage was worth
about $500 and was not insured.
SPARKS.
Fred. l.. Smith & Sons had lust
fixed up large shipment of goods
which they intended to start out to
day. 1t amounted to about 800 and
was all burned.
A night-watchman was employed
by Smith Il Sons yesterday to go on
1uty tonight. Had he gone to work
asst night there would likely not have
Decn fire.
The fire engine is almost nuisance.
A bucket brigade will beat it any
ime. Business men noticed its poor
work last night and spoke of starting
popular subscription for a new one,
citing the old one go in as part of
he fund. The fact of the business
$, that engine has seen its best days