The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-03
SERIOUS FIRE THIS MORNING
The Grocery establishment of The ID.
II. Koonce Company Destroyed X
Fire and water-The Sneed Furniture
susfains Heavy Damage

This morning at / o'clock employees
at the livery stables of Mr.. S. j. Davis,
10S and 10 Market street, next door
east of Second street, discovered fire
in the grocery and liquor store Of the
D. F. Koonce Company, No. 8 South
Second street. A policeman tried to
turn in the alarm from box Al, at the
foot of Market street, but the big bell
only gave n tap. Hook and Ladder
Company No. /, hitched up n waited
for the alarm TO come in, but the alarm
did not ring. In a few n some
of the Hook and Ladder firemen dis
covered the fire and sent a telephone
message to the other companies. The
department was on the spot in a jiffy,
and when the companies arrived the
flames were bursting out of the top Of
the rear part of the building occupied
by the Koonce Company. The fire had
also eaten it's way into the adjoining
three story brick building on Second
and Market streets, occupied by the
Sneed Furniture Company. An alarm
was finally rung in from box q.
In half an hour the fire department
had the fire under control, but mean
while the stock Of groceries of the
Koonce Company was about destroyed
by fire IND water. They occupy a two
story building at Nos. 3 and 5 South
Second street, belonging to Mr.. F. J.
Gooding, and the building was dam
aged probably to the extent Of 81, 900.
In the second story of this building,
Messrs. Sneed & Co. have a mattress
factory, and a quantity Of shucks,
straw, cotton, and other inffammable
material made good food for the
flames.
On the second story of the building
occupied by the Sneed Company the
fire had entered from the burning
building next door and havoc was
played with the furniture and house
furnishing goods. The furniture on
the third floor was also damaged by
smoke and water. On the first floor
water leaked through from the floor
above and considerable damage was
done to some fine furniture. One of the
plate glass windows in front of Sneed
& Co.'s store had to be broken in to
get a stream of water up stairs.
The fire also communicated from the
d. F. Koonce store to the second story
Of Mr.. S.. j. Davis livery stable, where
a number of new and old buggies and
wagonettes are stored. Mr.. Davis suf-
IereQ some loss, out 10 what extent
could not be ascertained. He occupies
a two story brick building belonging
to Messrs. s.. & 3. Solomon. The dam
age to Mr.. Davis and Messrs. S. & B..
Solomon is covered by insurance.
The Sneed Company occupies a three
story building belonging to Mr.. r. R..
Bellamy. 1t is damaged to the extent
of $500, and is insured. The Sneed
Company's stock is damaged a thou
sand dollars or more, but it is insured
for SIS, 900 with Colonel Walker Taylor,
J. H. Boatwright & Son, and Mr.. F.
II. Stedman. The loss on his mattress
factory will about to about 5000.
Mr.. Gooding's building is damaged
probably to the extent of 1000, but
he is insured.
The Koonce Company's loss is esti-
mated at about 81, 700 to 81, 800, and they
have 1 ,500 insurance.
The origin Of the fire is unknown. It
started in the rea part of the KOonce
Company's store. A stove fue runs up
between the store and a saloon in the
rear Of the room, and it is quite likely
that the fire caught from the flue or
the stove.