Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-05-12
TWO FIRES WITHIN HALF HOUR.
Tazewell Has an Unusual Record on
Fires.

Tuesday afternoon at about 6:45 O'Clock
an alarm of fire was again heard in our
town. 1t was soon found that the fire
was at the handsome residence of Mr..
James F. Hurt in the east end of town.
The mantel had caught on fire in the
paror room and before it could be ex-
tinguished the mantel was destroyed, two
lamps in the room were exploded, curtains
burned, carpet ruined and the room Sc
riously damaged by fire and smoke. A
crowd of citizens were promptly on hand
and with buckets put out the fire before
the hose arrived. Nj. Hurt, beingan in
surance man, is, of course, protected by
insurance. He does not know the extent
of the loss, but will repair the damage and
replace the things destroyed, and in that
way find out the amount.
The people had just begun to settle
down from the excitement of the first fire,
when, at about 7:l5 o'clock, the bells
again began to ring and the cry of "fre,
fire." was heard.
This time it WAS DR.. Huffords stable,
which is just north of his residence and
close to the Presbyterian church. Persons
nearby rushed to the stable and succeeded
in getting Dr. Huffords two horses out,
also his vehicles, two seated phaeton
and blackboard, before the flames
reached them. The stable of Mr.. l. E.
Chapman was separated from The Hufford
stable bv only a few feet. Mr.. r. c..
Chapman hurried to the scene and got
the horse out of their stable and also their
basket phaeton.
BY this time the infamable material
inside the Hufiord stable was in full fame
and the flames had been communicated to
the Chapman stable; and it looked like
both structures would be completely de-
stroved. The fire company had, at this
stage, gotten a section Of hose attached to
the plug in front of Huffords residence
and another section attached to the plug
in front of the High School building.
They began to play on the flames, and the
people present soon realized that the new
water works were success so far as force
and quality were concerned. 1t was but
few minutes until the fire was under con-
troll The inside of the Hufford stable was
burnt out but the frame is not seriously
injured. The hay in Mr.. Chapman's loft,
several hundred pounds, was entirely con-
sumed but no damage done to the stable,
except to the shingles, which will require a
new roof.
The fire was so close to the Presbyterian
church that the building would have been
in serious danger, and could only have been
saved with great effort, if it had not been
for the splendid force of water.
Capt Will White says some of the fire
laddies responded promptly and worked
very efficiently, while others were not on
hand or did not give any assistance. He
says further that the company needs
drilling so it can work with more system
and dispatch. The interference Of by
ISLANDERS with the firemen is great mis-
take. They should be left to use the fire
and the captain 10 direct the
work.
1t is now very evident that the water
system should extended to give protection
to the eastern and northern portions of the
town. More than one half the residence
portions of the town have no, or very in
adequate, protection. Two or three thou
sand dollars will place four inch pipe in
those sections, and steps will be taken by
to induce the town council to make
the Improvement Every citizen of the
town should not hesitate in giving his
support to such a movement.