The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-18
THE FIRE ON SUNDAY.
A Number OF Buildings Destroyed
Loss About $4,000, Partly Cover.

A Number OF Buildings Destroyed
| Loss About $4,000, Partly Cover
ed by Insurance.
At about twelve minutes past two o'clock
was given. The night policeman j. S. Fisher
| observed the light reflected in the clouds and
Immediately fired his pistol two or three
times and cried Fire! Fire!' ~
| Mr.. Thos. Carlisle. watchman at the OIL
Mill, says that he saw the hre, and gave the
alarm In his section when the blaze was quite
small.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PROMPTLY on THE
! SPOT.
| turned out, and did all that was possible 10
save property from the devouring element.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The fire was first seen coming out OF the
roof of planning mill, and soon the light WAS
great enough TO illuminate the town. The
planning mill was surrounded by wooden
buildings and the flames spread In all direc.
tions, and IL Is astonishing how soon small
wooden buildings will disappear before the
fire.
From the first it was evident that the
ginnery and Hills Livery Stable would 60.
of the fire. until the New Hotel and the Ais,
ton House were endangered, on one side, and
the flames took possession of the blacksmith
shop on the other.
cessful, to save Max Brooks shop. 1t was
feared that II his shop had burnt the Episco-
pal church which stood just across the street,
might have been lost.
THE wRECKAGE COMMITTEE GO TO WORK
The first work which was done 10 the way
Of saving property was at A. NJ. Hills stables.
The horses, about fifty in num- Der, were sent
They came out and scampered through the
public square, and roamed about at will, un.
til daylight, when nearly all or them turned
up at the old place. LOCKING for their break.
fast when the Messrs. Hill took them to the
stable of Aug. w. Smith.
After the horses were liberated every effort
was directed to moving the many vehicles
W hich were stored on the lot. The carriage
emptied before the flames reached IT..
When the fire came In proxitnity TO the
New Hotel and the Alston House men never
worked more herdlcally. From roof and
windows water was constantly thrown on the
timbers which were ready to blaze. The New
Hotel was unipjured but the Alston House,
which Is wood structure, bears evidence
that II had been tried as If by fire.
Going before the fire effort was made
TO save Younger's market house, and with
slight injury that building is still standing.
But In the central part OF the L lot the i1,e nre
shed the stable and shop In rear OF Young
er's market caught fire, and it soon eat
through to the wall which was near TO the
while it was enveloped 10 flame, and the
kitchen next caught fire, which was soon
communicated to the elegant mansion OF DR..
Thomson.
lust described, it was eating It's way to the
ginnery and then to the blacksmith and
| MIR. Mabery's home.
The fire commenced a little after two
xutf prpQt fury H.
not until about five o'clock that the progress
OF the flames was stopped.
The vast amount OF dry timber that was
destroyed made a great fire and lighted up
the townyand surrounding country.
Nearly everybody in town came to see the
fire and TO render any assistance possible.
While there Is considerable loss by the nre
yeti it Is true that no one will be wreck
ed or seriously hurt In estate. All the parties
to the loss are able TO sustain their loss, and
none Of them will eat any less or wear any
is greater than any other uninsured takes
his loss in good spirit, and declines even TO
put an estimate on his losses.
PROMINENT CITIZENS COME HOME TO FIGHT
| The fire occurred some ten or fifteen minutes
after the Seaboard train passed Abbevllle.
Capt. l.. w. White and Hon. j. 9. klugh came
on that train. MIR. Blant ton and Policeman
Fisher met the train. MIR. Fisher came to the
| e,
Klugh and Mr.. Blanton got to bed. the alarm
suddenly. MIR. Blanton and Capt. White
passed Church Street, thence along the MOS, 5,
! ley Ferry Street, and saw nothing of 1t. If II
had been burning at the time they. passed
they could not have failed to see 1t. Mr.: Fish.
| er came up from the depot to the Public
Square. He saw nothing of 1t at that time.
but in few minutes he saw the reflection Of
the light on the overhanglng clouds, and be-
fore the blaze itself was visible TO him, he
recognized that 1t was fire and gave the
alarm.
II seems that Captain White and Mr.. Klugh
reached home just in time to help subdue the
flames, and no one did more than they In
stopping the fire.
| LOOKING ABROAD FOR HELP.
At one time the situation appeared so
threatening that there was much desire 10
| send abroad for help. In answer to that de-
mand, our authorities teegraphed 10 Green
willie and Athens. No answer came from
Greenville. Athens telegraphed back:
GENEROUS OFFER.
I'VE are at the disposal Of our neighbors In
Geo. McDorman,
| ''Chiet Fire Department
In answer to another telegram from our au"
thorities the Athens people said:
ATHENS ready. Can reach you in two hours
and twenty minutes after notice. Engine
fired up"
/ Upon reflection, 1t was thought that because
of the scarcity of water and the progress
which the fire had already made that the fire
company could not be OF service, our Mayor
I telegraphed as follows:
/ ABBEvILLEs GRATITUDE.
To Geo. McDorman
i "Chlef Fire Department, Athens:
| sour people are very grateful TO you for
! your offer of assistance, but 1t seems that the
i Are will soon be under control.
! "R. NJ. Hill, Mayor"
The whole square was burnt, except the
buildings on the corners.
i THE CHURCHES IN DANGER.
| This fire endangered four of the white