The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-17
FIREMEN CHASE AFTER FLAME.
TWO ALARMS BEFORE THE FIRE
COULD BE LOCATED.

j. w. Teeple 81 Co.'S Warehouse and
Mattress Factory on Williamson
Street Burned and JacksOn's Cot
ton Pickery DamnGed-Thc Fire
Well Under Way When Discovered.
A Dense Smoke Confuse the Fire
men-The First Alarm Delayed the
Apparatus in Reaching the Fire.
The Loss and Insurance Unknown.
Fire broke out in the warehouse occupied
by J. ". Teeple & Co. as a storerOom and
mattress factory, on Williamson street, at
12:45 o'clock this morning
1t was a most deceptive fire in more
ways than one. Attention was first at
tracted by the dense smoke which settled
over the city from the river to Broughton
street. The smoke was so thick that Po-
licemen McHugh and Smith, who met at
Broughton and Whitaker streets, concluded
the fire was in that neighborhood and sent
in an alarm from box 10. The fremen were
unable to locate the fire, however, or to
form any idea as to its whereabouts
though the smoke was so dense that it was
impossible to see more than few feet
away In the rush for the nearest hydrant
there was a mass of engines and hose
wagons at Whitaker and Congress street
lane, which threatened to be jam, but
which resulted in no damage.
While the fremen were vainly search
ing for the fire Policeman John Murphy,
who was on Factors Walk, saw smoke
pouring from the brick building a the
eastern end of Williamson street and
moment later the door facing on the walk
burst open and a column of flame shot
out. He at once turned in an alarm from
, box nine, at Bay and jefferson streets.
The engines which were sull at Brough
ton and Whitaker streets. hastily re-
sponded. The southern half of the de-
partment also turned out.
When the firemen arrived the smoke
was pouring from the windows of the
warehouse and some little could be seen
coming from the adjoining building occu-
pied by Albert w. Jackson as cotton
pckery. The rice straw used for mat
tress making, that was tOred in the Teeple
building, caused the dense smoke. Chief
Mcguire was among the first upon the
scene after the second alarm was sounded
and at once ordered the fremeh TO bring
the hose of the chemical engine to the first
floor of the building to be played through
the door opening on the alley on the east
side. The heavy fog causing the smoke to
settle close to the ground interfered some
what with the work of the firemen
Streams were quickly gotten into the front
of the building and also on the side from
the alley way leading down to River street
The firemen were soon driven from the lat
ter position by the smoke and carried their
streams to the rear. No streams had been
put on this part Of the building before
h0na11sp nf he # he leo 4
track in the rear of the street. These,
however. were moved as promptly as pos
sible. Several streams were put in here
from the basement and ground floor.
The several platforms usual in the con-
struction of buildings built on the north
side of the bluff, came in well for the fire.
men. They served the purpose of ladders
reaching to each of the floors
The fire was fought from three sides,
the alley on the east, the River street side
and the south side. An engine was also
on the wharf and drew water from the
river. The streams were all strong, and
the fire was well fought
Throughout the fire there was a great
deal of smoke. At no time did the fire
blaze out sufficiently 10 light up the
street. Once or twice there seemed to be
every chance of its doing So but well d.
rected streams forced the flames back as
soon as they made an appearance. Sew
about to find its way through the roof,
but this, too. the firemen were successful
in preventing.
The greatest glare the entire time the
flames were being fought was just after
a large door had been broken in on the
south side of the building. There seemed
TO be such a fury of pent up energy
within that the three or four firemen
standing near and those who had hold
OF the door were blown back. and the
blaze came out in a rush Streams were
directed on the opening and the fire was
soon driven back
It was thought al one time that Jack
sons place would go. Smoke poured out
from the windows and doors in volumes
put 1t had evidently found its way through
between the buildings which adjoin
AT one time il looked as If there was
danger of the whole block burning, the
smoke pouring from every floor of the
Teeple building, and from portions of the
adjoining building
One of the drivers for the Savannah
grocery Company, whose stables adjon
Jackson's place on the west. was at the
hre, and removed the horses and mules
Iney were taken to a nearby lot until the
IRE had been extinguished.
Notwithstanding the lateness of the
hour, there was a big crowd at the fire
The buildings were considerably damaged
The nre did not gain sufficient headway
however, TO cause any of the walls to fall
The firemen would have been able to have
extinguished the fire much sooner had the
delay in locating it not occurred
The origin of the fire is unknown. and
no estimate of the losses or insurance
could be obtained.