The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-01-26
THE TISE BLOCK BURNED
Winston Visited by Another DiSaS-
trOuS Fire.
The FIREMEN Do SPLENDID WORK,
And Were the Means of Saving the
Block from Utter Destruction =
The Store Occupied by the Sneed
Furniture Company Entirely De-
stroyed-It burned Like finder.


Furniture Company Entirely De,
stroyed-It Burned Like finder
When Winston's ffremcn, so eager
to pay back Salem for her exceeding
great kindness during Winston's re
cent fires that they reached the scene
of the fire at the Salem bridge Satur-
day evening before Salem's engine got
there, they little expected that la
ter that night Salem would again
have an opportunity to put them un-
der added obligation to her. But
such was the case.
The first fire of the year 1898 was
discovered in the store of the Sneed
Furniture Company on Main street
at twenty-five minutes after twelve
o'clock last Sunday mOrni n e.
The warehouse bells were soon ring
ing out on the chilly winter air their
wild alarm and in few moments the
iron throat of Salem's fire DELL took up
the echo and screamed forth the fear
fui sound.
In spite of the fearfully cold night a
large crowd soon gathered at the
scene. The Winston engine attached
to the plug at the corner of Third and
Main streets. 1t failed to make the
Fourth and Main because the ice
barred the way there. Salem's en-
CINE attached to the plug on the oppo-
site side of the street from Gilmer &
Marler's store on Main street.
Those who reached the scene early
found clouds of smoke issuing from
both the front and back door windows
of the store, especially, however, from
behind, and it is believed that the fire
ni tp6 in hn hnS /
is said that the right hand front door
of the store and the basement door
behind were found to be unlocked.
The Winston firemen at first took a
line of hose around Fourth street in
order to reach the basement. While
doing this the flames in the basement
at 10 minutes before, found vent and
burst forth with an explosion that
knocked down several men who were
working near the windows. AT one
minute before l o'clock the flames
broke forth from the first, second and
third stories in front.
As the ire progressed the Salem en-
CINE which at first began to play her
hose in the front of the store moved
around to the rear by way of Third
street, carrying their hose through
Green's bar room. They fought the
fire manfully here for long time, as
III It's IOuSJ NCIOuo
of flame out of the windows and
around the building, but it was more
than one stream could do to eXtin-
guish flames under such fearful head
way, and fed with such cOmhuStible
fuel as a stock Of furniture.
The Winston tfremen had the same
difficulty in front, where they were
then playing both their streams to
the very best advantage. 1t was a
foregone conclusion when the fire once
broke out that the building was lost.
seen structure of that size burn up
quicker. s It fourteen minutes after
one the roof and front walls fell in.
With great effort the firemen saved
the BuXton-Shelton block of stores,
occupied by Jacobs clothing store, J.
w. Shipley's harness establishment on
the first floor, and the second floor by
the offices of Civil Engineer Ludlow,
the Winston-Salem Development Co.,
j. G. BeSsent'S Insurance Office and
others.
With the building to the left of the
Sneed Company's store, however, they
were not so fortunate. Smoke was
eventually seen making its way out
between the bricks, near the roof, and
later through the windows. This
building was occupied by the Stand
ard Music Company. The right store
was empty. Up stairs was the office
of Cicero TiSe. The contents of this
building were all saved, but damaged
The pianos of the Music Company
were scratched and otherwise injured.
The fire seemed to be between the
ceiling and the roof. How it origin
ated is not known. There was an
iron door on the second story which
opened into the building which had
just burned. 1t might possibly have
caught through that, but it is more
probable that it took fire from flames
from lateral window in the Sneed
building, which was very near the
rear wall of the building in question.
further than the other.
The firemen by hard labor succeed
ed in saving the building after it had
been partially Quilted.
: The Sneed stock of goods was corr
pletely burned. Nothing was saved.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Layman occupied
apartments in the second story but
were both absent at the time of the
fire. All their effects were lost.
Robert Bryant fell from a ladder
while the hose was being carried to the
top of one of the buildings, but was
only slightly injured. An ankle was
Sprained and his lower limbs bruised.
The bremen of both towns deserve
great credit for their effective service.
They saved the block from burning.
Both the buildings were owned by
Jacob Tise. The building occupied
by Sneed cost $4,000, and is total
loss. The building used by the STAN
ard Music Company cost about 1000,
and is very considerably damaged.
The SneedS had $4,000 insurance on
= CT Dob hi oh, or
So, 200.
j. w. Shipley, who is damaged con-
siderably. had S., 600 insurance on his
harness. His loss is not known. The
Standard Music Company was iusur-
ed for $1,000
The Sneeds bought out the stock OF
furniture owned by Cicero Tise the
latter part of May, 1892. They were
doing a successful business and had
one of the largest stocks of goods OF
any furniture dealer in the State.
Both members of the firm say that
that they have no idea whatever as to
the origin of the fire. They were at
home when it occurred and were not
advised of their loss until about two
O'Clock. The building and stock were
in ashes when they arrived upon the
scene. The papers and ether valua-
bles in theisafe were taken out this
morning and were found to be only
slightly scratched.
The Messrs. Sneed say they expect
to resume business as soon as they get
their matters adjusted and find a suit
able stand.
The origin of tile fire remains 9
mystery. It was first discovered iI
the east end of the basement. Mr..
Tise, the owner of the building, says
that when he came up he saw a lot Of
straw and other trash burning, but
the room was so full of smoke he coulG
not tell where it started.
TILE SALEM FIRE.