The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-28
A BIG FIRE AT AUGUSTA.
THE CHRONICLE OFFICE AMONG
THOSE BURNED OUT.


THOSE BURNED OUT.
The Total Loss over $25o,oOO-The
Fire Discovered at 3 O'clock in the
Morning - The Chronicles nd itors,
Printers and Pressmen Stick Co the
Building and Issue q Paper.
AUGUSTA, Ca, Aug. H-The greatest
fire In the history of Augusta In recent
years occurred this morning in the heart OF
the city. Over s250, 900 went up in flames.
The fire was discovered about O'Clock in
the large S-story building occupied by
Fleming & Bowles, furniture dealers, and
the Alexander Seed and Drug Company.
NJ. p. Walsh, night editor OF the Chron-
icle, situated two doors above. discovered
the fire. The alarm was promptly sent in,
but by the time the fire department arrived
the flames had such headway that the total
destruction of the Alexander Seed and Drug
Company building seemed 10 be inevitable.
SPREAD WITH GREAT RAPIDITY.
So infammable was the material con-
tanned In the buildings that the flames
spread with the greatest rapidity, both east
and west. The fireman assembled to the
roof garden of Connelly's restaurant and
began to dght the intense heat, but were
powerless TO cope with the flames. The
best buildings on the block were doomed.
Connelly's restaurant seemed to check the
progress of the flames on the east, but they
made good head way on the west. Smythe's
crockery establishment that has so often
seemed fated again fell a prey, but this
time to fire.
WENT DOWN WITH CoLORs FLYING.
When it was realized which way the
flames were eating, Chief Roulette ran a
stream OF water up the rear stairway OF
the Chronicle Office and from the gangway
fought the flames. 1t was a desperate battle
and while the Chronicle force was at work
putting the news OF the fire in type the fire.
men seemed to hold their own, but it was
not for long. The story of the fire was put
in cold type, and although the heat almost
soorched the men they stuck to their posts
until the story briefly told was printed and
the Chronicle predicted its own fate.
Smythes store succumbed, as did
Thomas q Barton's great music house.
The Chronicle force worked to the last
moment. It was a race between steam and
fire, but steam won victory, and when the
press ceased to revolve it had turned out
the entire issue OF the Chronicle.
FALL OF THE BUILDING.
The flames claimed their own, and the
men retreated from the doomed building
soon to see the crash of destruction that
marked another epoch In the Chronicle's
history. All the valuable files of the
.saTa Att -
which, If lost, could not be replaced, were
saved. 1t was just Is minutes after 6
o'clock when the floor in the composing
room of the Chronicle collapsed, and
| down came the immense stone slabs
and thousands of pounds OF type,
making deafening sound. The walls came
down with a terrific crash, completely
buryinR frame house in the rear Of August
DORIS store. About O'Clock the fire was
gotten under control, and thanks to thick
wall between the Chronicle building and
the Dorr building, the flames could not pass
further up the block, which otherwise
seemed doomed.
LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
The firms burned out were as follows:
Fleming & Bowlss, wholesale and retail
furniture, loss $50 900; fully insured.
Alexander Seed and Drug Company, loss
$25, 900; insurance SIS, 900.
f. d. Smythe, crockery, loss SIC, 900;
partially insured.
D. w. Connolly, European hotel, loss
$4,000; insurance s., 900.
Thomas & Barton, music establishments,
loss $40, 900; insurance $4,000.
The Chronicle Publishing Company, loss
SOS 900; insurance $4,000
Hall Photographic establishment, loss
| above insurance, 50, 500.
The Chronicle building cost $4,000 and
was insured for Sl2,0U0.
Miller building and residence, loss
| $50 900; Insurance SIS, 900. @s.s-
King estate building, s45, 900, almost en-
tirely covered by insurance.
August DORIS mems furnishings estao-
lishment. partially destroyed, loss $s 900;
| fully insured. Before the fire had been con-
trolled an alarm was sent in, which called
the department to a large brick warehouse
In the rsar of the W estern Union Telegraph
Company's Office, formerly occupied by the
Robert Portner Brewing Company. 1t was
| damaged SO 900.
After busy day OF moving which fol-
lowed last nights disaster, the Chronicle
force got to work tonight In the Evening
Herald Office aud will get out 6-oounn,
SPACE paper Sunday. The paper will come
out daily as usual without intermisslon.
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