The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-27
EXPLOSION FOLLOWED FIRE.
KIRxLAND's BUILDING AT CON-
GREsS AND WEST BROAD
DESTROYED.

The Doors and Windows Blown out
by An Explosion Supposed TO BE n
Can of GunpOwder-The Entire
Building Gutted-The Loss Esti-
mated In the NeighbOrhOOd of
S5,OOO-The Origin of the Fire I'm
lxnown-Other Property Damaged.
The three-story brick building at West
Broad and Congress streets, owned and
occupied by Randolph kirkland as a gen.
eral grocery and liquor store, was Quilted
by fire between and o'clock this morn
Ing
The fire was discovered shortly before
O'Clock by Policeman McCool, who was
standing on the corner opposite the store
Hugo Mendel, a weu-known character
came along with couple of countrymen
in tow. He was looking for Kirkland
and said he had an order for him. Nc
Cool remarked that kirkland might be
in his store, as he saw a light there. Men
del went over TO the door to knock, and
Immediately exclaimed that the place was
on fire.
McCool looked through a crack in the
door and saw three bales of hay burning
He started to run across the street to turn
In an alarm when there was an explosion,
which shook the building in the neighbor-
hood and blew the doors and windows of
the store into the street. McCool sent in
an alarm from box No. IS, which was re-
sponded to. By the time the firemen ar
rived the flames had gotten well under
4
was furnace.
Several streams were turned on the
building from Congress, West Broad and
st. Julian streets. 1t was a long time be-
fore the water seemed to have any effect.
The more water the fremen poured on the
fercer the fire seemed to burr. This was
not due to any lack of water as the strong
pressure on the streams was generally re-
marked.
The building was said to be of light con-
Etruction and it was also said that a con-
siderable quantity of hay had recently
been stored there. The proprietor could
not BE- found and il could not be ascertain
ed what value he placed upon the stock
and building. The damage to both is
probably in the neighborhood of 5000.
The explosion, which attracted general
attention, is said to have been due to a can
of gunpowder which was kept on the
counter near where the fire originated.
There was second slighter explosion
later, due, it was thought, to the discharge
of loaded gun.
General inquiry was made as to whether
second and third stories of the building,
but nothing could be learned. Some
thought that a woman had been living on
the third floor. This story was not gen.
orally credited, however.
Ofhcer McCool said he thought the West
Broad street door to the store stood about
eight inches ajar when he looked in and
saw the blaze in the hay. He
did not stop to Investigate, how
evere, but started on for the box,
and the explosion occurred when he was
about twenty feet on his way. A colored
boy. who runs fruit stand on the south
east corner of West Broad and Congress,
had his attention attracted by the men
standing at Kirkland's corner, and went
across the street. He reached the door
on the Congress street side, and. seeing
the flames, tried to force an entrance. The
explosion came just then, and the door
shutters were blown off against him. He
was thrown half way across Congress
street by the force of the explosion and
his face and hands were badly cut by tile
glass and his body and right arm bruised.
The fremen had the fire under control
at 8 o'clock. after working about ain hour
1t required some time long,t before the
flames were entirely extinguished.
The store at West Broad and st. Julian
streets, though I'm great danger did not
take fire. The lower floor is occupied by
NJ. j. Graham as the Colored Peoples Bo-
tannical Drug Company, and the upper
floors by Mrs. Mcmillan and the family
of ]. w. Mikell The contents OF the
building We're badly damaged by water
Insurance was held by the owenr, Mrs
Ellen Diegnan, with company represent
ed by Messrs. bearing & Hull for 1000.
FOR ASSAULTING AN OFFICER,