Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1892-09-01
THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE
BLAZE AUGUSTA
EVER HAD-OvER A QUARTER OF A
MILLION DOLLARS GO UP
IN FLAMES BEFORE DAYLIGHT.
The Loss Not Nearly Covered by
Insurance-The Sufferers and
Their Business.

a quarter OF mlllOn 0OllarS
worth of property was destroyed.
The heart of the best business
block in Augusta has been swept
away. The places destroyed are:
Alexander Seed and Drug Co.
Fleming & Bowles, furniture.
Thomas & Barton, pianos and
organs.
smythe's crockery store.
The Chronicle Office.
Hall & Peddinghaus, art studio.
Leroy Miller's residence.
J.R. Laman's law Office.
J. II. Fosters law Office.
DORIS and the Delmonico
restaurant, while not completely
destroyed, are lydemaged.
The fire was discovered by Mr..
Mike Walsh, night editor of the
Chronicle, while at work a few
minutes before 3 o'clock this
morning. He saw from his office
smoke issuing from the roof that
covered Alexander's. and Fleming
& Bowles' stores, but he does not
know in which of the two stores
the fire started. The origin is
unknown, aad will never be found
out.
Those who first arrived on the
scene are of the opinion that it
started in the oil and paint de-
partment. of Alexander's story.
which is in the cellar and on the
first floor, but there is considera.
BILE doubt as to the exact location
of the commencement of the fire
The fire had been burning a long
while, however, before it was dis,
covered, for those who found it out
say that when they reached the
scene, the blaze was rapidly spread
ing, and was bursting through the
roof and the stores of Alexandra
and Fleming & Bowles were veileo
in dense smoke.
Mr.. Harry Hall, whose sleeping
apartment is on the third fool
of the building occupied by
Smythe's crockery store, says thai
about 3 o'clock he was awakened
by the strong smell of smoke, and
rushing to his window and looking
out, he saw the fire belching fortl
from the roof and windows O
Alexander's, and Fleming & Bow
less store.
He gave the alarm, and sent
negro to Schneider's corner to RIM
in the alarm from box 81.
The department answeed the
call, but when they reached tht
fire the blaze had gained stronl
headway and was far beyond
control.
Both Alexander's and Flemini
& Bowles' stores were than envel
oped in flames from top to bottom
and was rapidly spreading tn
full lengths of the stores from
Broad to Ellis streets.
The fire had easy travel, as
was in the midst of the mos
combustible and inhammabl
matter that is always kept in drus
and furniture stores, such as oilt
greasy fluids, furniture shaving
and excelsior.
Chief Roulette quickly saw tina
he had a fierce fire to fgh'
and promptly had sent in tn
general alarm and brought ou
the entire department, and min
streams of water. were soon bein
played on the fire.
It was soou recognized tha
Alexander's, Fleming & Bowles'
and Thomas & Barton's store
could not be saved, so the fireman
went strenuosly to work to chec
the spreading fire, but, dispit
their every effort, Smythe'
. crockery store was soon wrappe
in flames, and the flames passe
to the rear of this building, an
soon took in Mr.. Leroy Miller
residence, on Ellis street.
The frmen were fighting tn
fire from both ends of the burnin
buildings on Ellis and Broa
streets, but they could not get
, the head centre of the fire, whic
was about midway of the stores.
The fire soon ate it's way throug
Smythe's store from top to bottom
and laid in waste Hall
} Pednghaus' photograph CALLER
overhead, and then spreadin
west, took in Thomas q Barton
adjoining music store.
The frman, seeing that it wa
useless to fight the flames in th
store below, started to work to tr
and end the course of the fire s
: Thomas & Barton's and save tt
Chronicle Office, but they wei
unsuccessful, and shortly aftt
Thomas & Barton's store caugf
on fire, the Chronicle buildin
in the rear, was all ablaze and wa
In short order destroyed from or
end to the Other. The heat WI
intense and cracked the brio
walls, which fell in heaps wit