The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-11
AN ENTIRE BLOCK BURNED
ARLINGTON HOTEL AND BUSINESS
HOUSES IN AUGUSTA DESTROYED.
Masonic Temple Was n Total Loss.
Travelling Men Were Unable to
Save Valuable samples.

!, Augusta, Ga, December 10.--A fire
which had its origin In dry goods store
here shortly after O'Clock this mornine
burned until o'clock. solid block In
the center of the business portion of the
city was laid waste and the damage will
approximate 100000 There were no
casualties.
The flames were discovered in the sec
ond floor of the big wholesale and retail
dry goods store OF j. b. White, and by
the time the fire department had respond
ed to the alarm the flames were beyond
control Chief Roullett sent in a general
alarm. and seeing that the entire depart
nent would have great difficulty In over
coming the fire, wired Macon and Savan-
nah for help, The Arlington annex and
the stores beneath it. all part of the old
Central hotel property, abutted the store
Of ]. b. White on the up town side and
all were involved in the first onslaught
uf the flames after getting outside of
Whites store. Next came the Masonic
hall handsome three-story building, oc-
cupied by offices and lodge rooms. Into
this the flames ate their way from the
rear. Soon the structure was thoroughly
ablaze and II was seen that there was no
longer any possibility that the Arlington
hotel could be saved.
AS soon MS the fire was discovered the
guests OF the Arlington were awakened.
There was much excitement in the hotel
Guests, bewildered at the noise and the
glare or the flames, ran hither and ththei,
apparently da2ed. All made their escape
by the staiways. Many commercial men
stopping at the hotel lost hundreds OF dol
la Of hac bal y 10
played The guests. however, managed to
save most OF their effects.
The smaller buildings occupied by John
Dorr, a clothler: Rice & O'Connor. fur
nishngs; Frank Meyers, cigars, and ]. NJ.
walker furnishings, were quickly de-
stroyed and their contents lost,
The nre soon communicates to the
Schneider building, across Eighth street.
and on the next block The roof and win
dows rnited. but the iiremen who had
moved around 10 this portion Of the fire.
after giving up the main contagration
confined the flames 10 the Schneider
building. After hard work the progress Of
the nre was arrested here The entire
block bounded by Broad and Ellis aud
Seventh and Eighth streets was devas-
tated
II being Sunday. Insurance men and
property owners did not 90 to their books
for accurate data as 10 their losses or the
companies involved The following iig-
ures are the estimated losses made up by
three of the leading insurance men in the
city OF the principal people burned out:
j. b. White. building and stock, $4,000;
Arlington hotel. S100.000 John Dorr,
building ard stock $4,000; Masonic hall.
sa5 900; Rice & o'Connor, $40 900. Louis
Schroeder. jewelry, 10000 Mul'arNey &
sullivan. $4,000. The losses o. twony-
FIVE other business men range from $1,000
TO $4,000 each.
The oririn OF the fre Is not known,
but 1t Is surmlsed nv the fre department
that On electric light wire came IN con-
tact with some woodwork In the White
store. Chiefs OF the Savannah ard Macon
FIRE DEPARTMENTS arrived after record
breaking runs but were too late to rem
der any assistance.
Owing 10 the danger from live electric
wires the current was shut of and the
city was in darkness from o'clock until
daylight.