The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-27

The firemen played upon the ruins of
Friday nights fire al! of yesterday and until
late last night Sghtseers focked around
the ruins all day. In the early hours of the
morning and until noon the crowds stood
around the scene in such numbers that the
police had to force them back at times to
allow vehicles and pedestrians to pass.
The Belt Line put force Of hands at
work early in the morning clearing
the debris from its track and replacing the
wires, and by 1890 O'Clock the line was
running regular schedule on Bay street.
THE WALLS RAzED.
City Marshal Wade had a force of hands
at work tearing down the threatening walls
on Bay street. Several largo sections of the
Guckenheiner building were pushed in.
The walls on the lane of both the Quicken
heimer and McApin buildings look rather
frail, however, and are likely to fall at any
slight shock.
1t is such occasions as Friday nights fire
that convince every one that fireman
sometimes has a hard time of it. The fire.
men were on duty all night and all Of
yesterday. 1t was early yesterday MORN
ing before any reliefs were made, and most
OF the men were on duty for fifteen hours
or more.
The smoke poured in clouds from the
ruins all day and even the rains yesterday
afternoon and last night did not subdue it.
PRAISE FOR THE FIREMEN.
Parties from other cities who saw the
work ofsthe flremeu Friday night said that
they had seen the same sort of fires in New
Y ork and other cities, with four or five
times as many engines and firemen, and the
fires were not managed one whit better.
They thought the hrsmen deserving Of the
highest praise in checking the fire as they
did.
prominent insurance agent said yester-
day that iron shutters are the very worst
kind to contend with on burning building.
They are worthless for holding in the fire
and 1t is very hard work to force them
open. A strong wooden shutter, covered
with tin, the agent said. afford the best
protection to a building in case of
fire. The timed outside protects the
window from fires which may be raging
without, and when the fire is inside the
building the close wooden shutter holds il
in, while it is seldom that the shutter burns
to any extent The fremen can easily pry
the wooden shutters open with their pole
axes when necessary.
SHUT OUT BIZ IRON SHUTTERS
If the firemen had been able to pry open
the iron shutters of the Guckenheimer
building on the lane there might have been
| different story OF night be-
| fore lasts fire. The fire was well un
der way when the firemen
| reached the scene, and it would have re-
| quired hard work to subdue 1t, but prompt
work such as the Savannah firemen are
| accustomed to might have done it. Even
| il the doors had been thrown open ten
| minutes carrier than they were the fire
might have been gotten under control in
side the building.
The site Of the Guckenheimer building
was, previous to the erection Of the build
| ing, occupied by one-s5ory cotton ware
house, which comprised the lower story Of
what was once a place famous throughout
the state. The building was known as
Washington hall, and at that time was the
largest brick building in Savannah. In the
large hall all balls and public meetings were
held. and the upper floor was used by Ma
sonic and other societies. 1t was destroyed
by fire in the early forties, and its burning
was for many years one of the dates remem,
bered by the people.