Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-02
THE ECLIPSE STABLE
At Last Reduced to Ashes By a
Midnight Fire.
An Account of Some Heroic Work Done
BY Members of the Clarksville
Fire Fighters.
THEY FOUGHT LIKE TIGERS.

ashes. For more than twenty years
ii has withstood all attempts of the
fire fiend to lay 1t low, but at the
eleventh hour of its existence it
feeds some of the hungriest flames
thnt have been seen in Clarksville in
many years.
1t was about midnight last night
when the negroes who sleep at the
stable were awakened by the smoke
and popping of the fire. They saw
in the lofts near the center Of the
building huge volume of fire max
ing rapid headway on the provender
that had been recently put in the
lofts as winter supply. They gave
an alarm and then went about liber-
ating the numerous horses that were
doing in the stalls before the fire
broke out. When the animals saw
the vicious flames creeping nearer
and nearer to them, however, they
began rearing and plunging in an at
tempt to break their halters. The
widest excitement prevailed, and it
looked at one time like many of
them would certainly perish. Sew.
eral men, however, who were in the
neighborhood and who had not re,
tired for the night went to the rescue
and soon all but three of the horses
were galloping over the COY mons.
1t was at this juncture that the fire
department appeared on the scene,
and the boys were not long in taking
in the situation and deciding on
line of action. The flames had burst
through the metal roof by this time
and were seriously threatening ad,
joining property.
The handsome new stable of Jas.
p. Gill was in imminent danger.
Lawyer row was hot enough to boil
water, Keesee q Northington's ware
house in the rear was threatened,
while the residence of Ernest Elder
on the opposite side of the street
from the stable, was smoking. This
was the condition of things when
the first stream of water was thrown
on the building, which was fast be-
ing converted into ashes.
Chief Mattill quickly stationed his
men. One division was put to work
saving the lawyers Offices on Straw
berry street, another was stationed
on the north side of the stable pro-
tecting Gill's stable, while third
was sent around in the alley in the
rear Of the stable to protect Keesee &
Northington's warehouse. Every
thing was smoking aud it required
some excellent work to save the sur
rounding buildings. These, how
ever, were kept damp by frequent
streams, while enough water was be-
ing thrown on the stable to hold the
fire partly in check. Some very fine
work Was done after the boys got
Strengthened out, and the citizens
owe a debt of gratitude to them for
narrowly averting serious fire.
They fought in their positions for
one long hour before they had the
fire at point where rest could be
taken. AS result of this work
some good property was undoubtedly
saved.
The stable, however, was burned
to the ground. The tenement house
in the rear of the stable, on Straw
berry street, owned by Mr.. f. B.
Ely, was saved in very badly dam
aged condition. In this building
Henry Westenberger had a shoe
shop, VIM. Boyd a carpenters shop
and Beatty & Rutherford also had
their shop in the same row. Each
shop was gutted and some valuable
tools were destroyed for all three of
the parties.
The lawyers offices were all more
or less damaged by heat and water.
The cornice on this building caught
fire and had to be knocked off to save
the block. The window panes were
broken and the interior of the build
ing was damaged considerably by
water being thrown through the
window.
The Eclipse stable building was
owned by Robt. Daniel Insurance
men seem to think that it was worth
about 81, 1000. Mr.. Daniel could not
be seen to-day, consequentlya state
ment could not be had from him.
The building was insured with Jas.
T. Wood for $1,000, 1t is understood
that Mr.. Daniel had $500 more on the
same building, but the policy expired
a few days ago.
The rolling stock and horses in the
stable were the property of G. S.
Daniel. There were some forty or
fifty animals of various descriptions
in the stables, hut all were
saved except three. One of
these was the property Of f, b. Ely,
his sorrel horse which worked to his
delivery wagon. The other animals
that perished were a colt owned by
Mr.. Daniel and a mule, the property