Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-04-13
OVER IN ROCK HILL.

OVER IN ROCK HILL.
| A representative of THE ENQUIRER
was in Rock Hill last Saturday to attend
to business of importance and take look
at the general situation after the fire.
The ruins still look very much as
they did the day of the fire, and there was
still some smoke coming from the hot
ashes. AS yet nothing had been done
toward cleaning away the debris; but al
ready the ground owners have begun to
consider plans for new buildings, etc.
| All of those who were burned, with
probably two or three exceptions, have
secured temporary quarters and gotten
back to work again.
| A. Friedheim & Bro. are in brick
livery stable recently erected by them.
It is located over near the o. r. u G. de-
pot, and makes firstrate store room.
And they are down to business. They
saved larger per centage OF their STOCK
probably than did any OF the other suf-
ferers, and as they were we'll insured,
they were not badly hurt.
A. E. Smith & Co., are in warehouse
near their old stand, and are getting
things in fairly good shape. They suffer-
ed pretty severely.
RI. Fewell & Co., are in their ware
house over on the Southern railroad.
They did not save considerable amount
of their stock. In fact, exceptth Rack
et," the aggregate losses of which were
rather light in comparison, they had
larger amount Of goods burned than did
any other firm. Mr.. Fewell, however,
says, he is going to build the most credi-
table store building that Rock Hill has
ever boasted Of
J. B. Johnson & Co. are in the room
formerly occupied by Henry Toole's
barber shop. To make way for them,
Henry Toole moved across the street
to the old Gordon hotel. When the re-
porter called, Mr.. johnson was busy
Strengthening out pile of plunder that
he had saved from the fire in more
or less damaged condition. AS yet there
were no shelves in the room; but this
difficulty, Mr.. johnson said, would be
overcome during this week. He has
already arranged to get soda fountain
and has ordered new stock OF drugs.
The room is rather too small for hust-
ler like Mr.. Johnson; but, all the same,
he will make it hum. He thinks he will
be in a fine new building by about next
September. His actual loss by the fire,
he calculates, was about $1,000.
Mr.. George Beach lost heavily on ac-
count of "fire- proof" safe guaranteed
by the manufacturers and in which he
had faith. He has q good case against
the guarantors of the safe, and he hopes
to be able to make them make him whole
again. People in Rock Hill generally
think this would be nothing but right.
Mr.. f. f. Brodie has his jewelry stock
Strengthened out all right, and is congrat-
ulating himself on the fact that, consider
ing his insurance, he is not badly hurt.
Mr.. Rufus NJ. London also has his print
ing plant arranged in shape again, and is
ready for business.
Captain w. l.. Roddey was pretty bad
ly scarrifed all around. The buildings
that were burned were insured for some
thing like three-fOurths Of their actual
value; but it will take almost twice as
much as the insurance amounts to to put
them back again. This is because it will
be necessary to build on more elaborate
scale. Asked about whether or not he
would rebuild the opera house, Captain
Roddey shook his head somewhat doubt
fully. He did not say positively; but the
| l:,,c hot "a H.
ciently amused. And it is not surprising
either. Captain Roddey has been hold
ing this rather Improbable bag for quite
number of years, and those who have
investigated the matter are aware that it
is not funny. Cut up into offices the
opera house would have yielded good
income. But with only an occasional
travelling entertainment, and big per
cent. of the small commissions to 60 for
license, lights, janitor fees, ETC., there has
been very little left for the owner. But
this is not the worst Of it. Owners OF
halls have to either give them up free to
this or that charitable or social purpose,
or get the reputation of being very unac-
commodating kind of people. Maybe
the newspaper man misinterpreted the
meaning of the doubtful shake Of the
captains head. If he did, he begs par
don, and if he did not, he thinks Captain
Roddey is right. However, there is no
doubt about the fact that Rock Hill GER
tainly needs an opera house, and by all
means ought to have one.
Mr.. c. S. May is very serene over the
result of the fire in so far as it affected
him. He was not burned, but had tn
move his stock, and thereby sustained
considerable damage. When he figured
out his loss and presented his bill the in
surance people said the amout was too
much. VERY WE'LL" said Mr.. May, "get
up your representative, I'll get mine. and
and we will submit it to arbitration" To
this proposition, Of course, the insurance
people had to agree, and as the result OF
the investigation, the arbitrators placed
the losses at just Sl4 more than Mr.. May
had claimed. And Mr.. May, of course,
chuckled.
The rough, unsightly boards already
referred to are still nailed across the
doors and windows of the stores on the