The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-10-03
INMATES ESCAPE In SAFETY
Temporary Quarters Are Quickly Pro.
vided For the Homeless Ones.
Movement Immediately Begun
For Rebuilding the Structure.

The Georgia Soldiers Home, in th'
suburbs of Atlanta was totally de
stroyed by fire Monday morning.
OF the seventy inmates Of the home
including eight invalids, all were "a
ken from the home with safety.
Nothing was saved from the build
ing except a few personal effects Of
the old veterans. In some instances
the men came out of the home with
nothing but what they wore.
The fire started shortly after eight
o'clock, and was first discovered by
DR.. E. S. E. Bryan, the surgeon of the
home. At $3.50 o'clock DR.. Bryan went
into the lavatory, which was located
IN the center of the building on tn?
first door.
In the lavatory the Smead system OF
disposing of the refuse was used. Daily
the crematory in connection with the
lavatory was fired up.
The negro porter who started these
fires placed wheelbarrow load OF
shaving and other timber from the
premises into the furnace Monday
morning. The fire burned fercely AMI
broke through the top of the furnace.
When DR.. Bryan went into the de,
partment he noticed the flames. He
ran out and asked if the flames were
not too high.
Superintendent James L. Wilson see
Ing the condition of the fire quickly
gave the alarm. BY this time the
flames had commenced to burn the
woodwork in the vicinity of the fur
mace.
The smoke was pouring into the cen
ter of the house in great volumes, AMI
owing to the draft at this place the
flames spread rapidly.
The sight of the smoke brought oil
the veterans able to be out to the
building. Eight invalid soldiers were
in the building and these we're taken
out.
The fire apparatus which extended
throughout the building was put into
use. Two large tanks of water on the
top Of the building we're turned on.
Decentralization, however, prevailed
among the old men on the premises,
and the hose in the home was not long
enough to reach to the fire.
No check on this account could be
given the flames. In twenty minutes
the building could not be entered, and
all hope of saving it or the contents
of the home, even the personal effects
of the old veterans was gone.
The Atlanta fire department was no
titled, and Chief Joyner responded
with a hook and ladder wagon from
headquarters. When the firemen
reached the home the entire. roof was
gone and they could do nothing.
Within an incredibly short time a
grim array of blackened chimneys,
rising like specters from smolder-
ing, shapeless mass of charred and
tH4StSU uSUllS, was oil ILdI Us 1SIt
of the abode that for the brief space
of four months only had sheltered the
confederate soldiers of Georgia who
claimed 1t as their bone.
The Soldiers Home was insured for
$4,000. Five thousand of this amount
is with the Hamburg-Bremen and S.
900 with the Scottish Union National
Insurance Company. .
The work of the people Of the state,
covering period of nearly Twelve
years, to provide home which they
had long owed to the surviving rem
nant of gray-haired soldiers of the
days Of civil strife was swept away
even as the doors had just swung open
to these true and fearless hearts.
The Home, with the additions and
Improvements that had been made
thereon, represented a cost of $4,000.
Inside the building were furnishings
to the amount of $500. The building
was insured for $4,000 and the furni-
ture for $4,000. The actual LOSS, there.
fore, is something more than $4,000.
The building was lnree-story frame