The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-20
BYCK BROS, STORE BURNED.
SECOND FIRE STARTED WHILE
FIRST WAS RAGING.

or the Flrem en-meSsrss bSck ETe-
fer to Make No Statement Re-
gnrdfng the Amount of stock or
the Insurance-The Firm VIII Re-
sumo Business at Once.
While the firemen were lighting the
flames that enveloped the Habersham rice
mills yesterday. fire broke out in the sta
tionary store of NJ. S. & D. A. Byck, on
Bay street. between Bull and Whitaker.
The alarm from box eight sounded the
tower bell at headquarters, at Indian ard
West Broad streets, from which the de
partment got notice that its services were
also needed elsewhere.
The fire was discovered by ex-Postmas,
ter Haines and his son, who smelle1
smoke as they passed the store, about 5
O'clock. An examination resulted in find
ing the place full of smoke, while flames
could be seen in the Interior. No time
was lost turning in the alarm, since the
indications were that the fire would spread
rapidly if it should once get started.
Assistant Chief Mouro had fortunately
sent Firemen Eganse and Adams from the
first fire to the central station, where
they loaded a fresh supply of hose to be
in readiness for further calls. Scarcely
was this task completed when the alarm
sounded and the start was made TO the
second fire. BY the time the apparatus
arrived from the rice mills two lines of
hose were laid in readiness to begin work
Only one engine was left at the mills, the
other four being hurried to the second
fire, With a hook and ladder truck and
hose wagon. ~
The entrance to the stores Is from the
eastern building, which is used as a sales
room. The adjoining building, in when
the fire started. is the office and ware
room, while in the rear of it IS
the printing department, comprising
presses, type, an electric motor and
other equipment. The stores are connected
near the center by a large wall door, and
it was directly opposite this door that the
fire started in the west building. There Is
nothing around the point where it is sup
posed to have originated except tightly
bound wrapping paper on tables. This was
considerably burned, however. The fire
quickly made its way to the ceiling, then
spread both ways, to the Office in the front
and the printing room in the rear. 1t also
shot through the wall door and was set
ting fire to the opposite store, especially
the articles along the wall which faced the
door. Both stores were filled with smoke,
which made it extremely difficult for the
hremen 10 get in with water.
After the doors had been broken in, two
streams were opened up from the front,
while one or two were set to work from
the lane entrance Battling with the smoke
was task by this time, as it was heated
and sufficiently energetic to find its way
to the offices Immediately above. 1t was
not a great while however, before the fire
was under control principally by streams
sent from the east building. Most of the
ceiling had fallen in 1t though In the rear
of this store the damage seemed to be
mostly from water, as the fire appeared
to have been checked before reaching that
part of it. This was made possible by the
powerful streams the f1remen were enabled
to throw from the big mains on Bay street
1t also accounts for the greatly disordered
condition of the stock, which was thrown
from shelves and hurled about when
Struck by the water.
There was considerable damage TO the
stock in the basement which consisted OF
heavy wrapping paper paper bags and
dishes, Irvine and various other things
The basement was completely deluged, the
water finding a regular basin between the
brick walls and floor. IT is estimated that
most, If not all the stock there, is damag-
ed so much as to make 1t practically
worthless for any other than an auction
sale.
There Is some question as to Just what
portion of the stock in the stores is much
damaged. 1t appears that considerably
more of the stock was injured by water,
as the fire did not apparently do much
harm In the salesroom, except the places
1t reached in spreading through the wall
door. The show cases filled with morocco
L. i
as much of the stock in cases along the
walls was torn up and scattered Water
stood about four inches deep, and every
thing that fell to the floor was drenched.
There was also a pool in the office where
books and files were DANA ed. All valu-
able papers. which were in the safe. in
surance policies aud other documents, were
saved, though some Of the papers We're
wet when taken out.
The origin of the fire Is unknown Neither
the fremen nor Byck Bros have a theory
to offer. "There Is no way in the world
1 can account for it, said Mr.. Moses S.
BYck, when approached on the subject
about 1 O'Clock myself and my brother
were at the store. We remained there a
short tame attending to some business mat
ters, and when we left no lights were
burning, and there was nothing IN a dis
ordered condition The floors were clean
ly swept, as Is usually the case at all
tunes, ana can OfTer no solution whatever
for fire starting in the place 1t did. There
is an incandescent light near where the
fire is SAID to have started, which was
placed in the store about a week ago with
other lights, three of which were in the
basement. l am confident this light was
not burning when we left the store, how
ever"
MIR. Byck was asked about the insurance
but declined to make any statement for
the reason that he had not been able to
make correct calculation He also de-
clmed to make a statement of the amount
of stock on hand, as II would be inpossl-
bic, he said, to do it correctly now, He
preferred not to make even approximate
estimates on either the stock or the insur- |
surance. He said, however, that the loss
was over $4,000, since the stock slightly
damaged might be considered lost. as il |
would not be salable.
Assistant Chief Mouro stated he had not
been able to get any idea of the origin of
the fire. The only thing which seems nos
sible TO him is that stray match nav
have been left on the shelves. or In some |
place contiguous to loose paper or other
material. The fact that the fire probabIt |
started near the wrapping paper makes = |
solution the more mysterious, since manor !
of this kind is