The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-29
GEN. GOISDON's HOME BURNT.
"A Historic Building Consumed by
tho Flames-HeroiC Work Saves
Valuable Relics.

"A Historic Building Consumed by
tho Flames-Horoic Work Save.
Valuable Relics.
Atlanta Journal Juno 22d.
The historic and palatiai country
home OF General John B. Gordon, THE
Sutherland" was totally destroyed by
| fire last night. The loss Ia inestimable,
for the magnificent home every room
furnished In tho most gorgeous fashion
with relics Of three or four genera.
| tioDs, cannot be replaced
"The Sutherland" was tho home OF
General and Mrs. Gordon for thirty
years. 1t WAS located in kirkwood,
four miles from the city, and is ono OF
the most charming and delightful re-
treats about Atlanta. For years the
hospitality OF the home place as pro-
verbal, and 1t was thore that many
house parties, many receptions and
notable gatherings wore held.
The fire originated IN the collar.
Tho flames wore first discovered by the
falthfu! old cook, who was tho only
person IN the house at tho time. Mrs.
Gordon and Miss Caroline had walked
from. tho house arcoss the spacious lawn
to the front gate when they heard the
cook screaming that tho house WAS on
fire.
The alarm WAS he ard by noiphbors
and friends who rushed to the fire with
all possible haste. Countrymcn, driy-
Ing along the road from the days visit
to tho city, sprang from their teams
and went to tho rescue. Hundreds
worked with strength almost supor-
human, but the grand old building
crumblod under tho eating flames and
fell In ono hour after tho tiro was fret
discovered.
Tho women OF Kirkwood played a
heroic part In tho contlagratiOn. Thcy
worked from the moment thoy reached
tho homo until 1t became necessary for
mon to hold thcm away from tho tot
tering and careoninR root and walls.
Miss Caroline Gordon, daughter OF
General Gordon, carried out trunk
packed with valuablcs which che could
not possibly lift this morning. In the
excitement and frenzy OF the situation
women ran down steps with heavy
pieces Of furniture and brlc.s brac
weighing moro than 100 pounds.
And whilo this heroic work saved
thousands Of dollars OF furniture, there
was much moro lost than was saved,
The ola-fashiOncd canopied bed OF
rose-wood that for generations has
been jcal0usly guarded by the Gordon
family, waS saved In tact, not a scratch
being received to mar its beauty. The
bed weighs several tons and is massive
beyond imagination, but it was brought
out OF tho building by "a dozen mon,
who tore away u portion Of tho wall
and brought the piece In safety to the
lawn.
a mirror that covered one entirc
side OF tho parl0r was brought through
lame and smoke without Jar.
The magnificent piece OF statuary,
brought from the parlor by four mon.
Every cloud has IL sllvery lining"
says Mrs. Gordon, I" for We saved nll
our silver. The superb SGT Kivon Cen
oral Gordon by South Carolina was
saved without the loss Of u pieco. We
thought at first tho walter had been
lost, but this was brought to us this
morning by one OF tho neighbors who
carsAed it out of tho burning building
last night
" Many famous pieces of bricabrac
and valuable paintings were saved by
work that consider superhuman. |
never before In my life saw such
efforts put forth to save property. Mon
and women rushed into the building
and brought out carpets, rugs, trunks
and heavy pieces OF furniture which
they could not possibly havo lifted
under ordinary circumstances"
Tho valuable library Of General Cor
don was saved with tho loss OF but q
few volumes. The books wore brought
out by tho women and children, and
they show little OF the rough handling
they were given.
In the rush and excitement the manu-.
script OF General Gordon's new book
was not overlooked, and every sheet
was saved.