The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-01-06
DARLINGTON BURNED.
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
LOST INA COMPLICATION.
One F.renan Killed and another Serious

Several Losses.
DARLINGTON. s. c., Dec. 31.-The
west side Of the public square, which
yesterday was a beautiful block OF
two story brick stores, now lies IN
ashes. About 1850 last night the
slumbers OF the citizens were broken
by the shooting of pistols and the
sound OF the town bell. They arose
to 6rd that the heavens we're aglow,
and that the flames were licking high
up into the air. 4 watchman on the
square discovered the fire and prompt
" gave the alarm. The flames were
found 10 be in the rear Of the dry
goods store of Messrs. Blackwell Bros ,
and they had made such headway that
nothing could be saved. the citizens
rushed up, broke the door open to try
and save little of the stock, but they
were helpless. Only txo show cases
were taken from the building, and
these were so badly broken and the
goods in them SO badly damaged shat
they are practically worthless. The
stock here was worth about $14, 900
and the insurance was about $40. 500.
This IS great loss to the firm.
In the same building and with only
a plaster wall between was the store
of Messrs. Strauss & Rosen, which
was also soon in flames The door
was broken in and all the stock taken
out but about $3.50 worth. This was
only branch OF the larger store on
Pearl street for the fall trade, and as
the stock was to be moved back to the
Pearl street store today it had gotten
low. There was no insurance.
Immediately ABOVE the store Of
Blackwell Bros, was the law offices
OF Messrs. Boyd and BroEn. These
wore a total loss. Mr.. Boyd, being
an old, lawyer. had one Of the best
libraries in the Pee Dee section. The
loss here is unestimable; papers, lib
rary and fixtures. some of which are
very valuable, were all consumed.
The firm carried light insurance.
Just above the store of Messrs.
Strauss 4 Rosen was the law office OF
Messrs. Nettles & Nettles. The lib
rary, fixtures and papers here were all
destroyed. Nothing was saved. The
loss was about 50, 500, and there was
no insurance. Mr.. G. S. Nettle the
junior partner OF the firm, had his re.
sidence burned on Christmas day.
These firms were all in one building,
owned By Mr.. S. Marco, wnose loss is
$4,000, with an insurance Of only
S., ,750. This is the second time that
| Mr. Marco has been burnt out IN the
last few years.
Next door to the Marco building
was the building OF NJ. J. II. Early.
In this were two stores, one occuoled
by Mr.. Early himself, who was in the
hardware business, and the other uy
the county dispensary. The hardware
store was not opened as soon as the
crowd gathered, and after it caught
very little could be saved. What lit
tie stock that was saved was SO badly
damaged by water that it is practical.
ly total loss. Mr.. Early's building
was worth about $40, 900 and his stock
about $4,000. He carried no insur-
ance and consequently was the great
est loser.
The county dispensary, which was
in the same building as the hardware
store, was also consumed by the flames.
Mr.. W. F. Wilkes, the dispenser,
showed great presence Of mind and
refused 10 let the door be opened. 4
guard was placed at both the front
and rear door and no one was allowed
to enter and none of the liquors were
saved. Some of the old toners are
lamenting today that their Il Oats are
dry. The artesian well does not
quench thirst of every kind. Before
the guard was stationed at the rear
door several persons got IN and filled
their pockets. so it is rumored. with
what they thought was champagne,
but behold when they got to the light
and examined it it was gin. The dis
pensary was total loss. There was
about 50, 500 worth liquor in the build
ing, which was entirely covered by IN.
Surance. The dispenser has rented the
store recently occupied by Parrott
Bros, in the Manuel Marco building,
on Pearl street, and will be ready to
satisfy the thirst of the toDers in few
days. He expects shipment tonor-
row
Over the hardware store was the
law Office Of MesSrs. Townsend &
Floyd, who lost most Of their library,
fixtures and papers in the Office. 4
part Of the effects were taken from
the building, but they can't be found
now.
DR.. C. B. Graham had his dental
parlors in the Early building, i'm
mediately over the dispensary. He
lost in instruments, etc., about $3.50,
and had no insurance. The doctor
says he will be ready for business IN
about 10 day.
The building OF Mrs. NJ. J. Byrd, |
next door to the Early building caught
in the roof. BY the heoric efforts Of |
the citizens and fhe department this |
was put out, but not until the iron |
front was ruined and the building
flooded with water. Her stock of MI
linery was taken out, bu. it was very |
badly damanged by water. Her resi- |
dence was over the store and the fur
niture was not taken cut. 1t is soaked
with water. Mrs. Byrd is out OF the
city, having gone to Charleston to |
bury her husband who died here last |
Tuesday, and her loss and insurance
cannot be gotten accuratel ly. Her
building, which is practical wreck,
was worth about s., 900. and her stock