The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-05
FIRE IN FURNITURE
w. e. wIMPY's STOCK HEAVILY
DAMAGED.
LOSS COVERED BY INSURANCE
BLAZE STARTED ON TOP FLOOR OF
BUILDING.

Three Floors Flooded and the En-
tire stock From Top Floor TO
Basement SOaked-The origin of
the Fire Un1<nOwn-Mr. Wtmpy
Valued His stock Mt $3O,OOO-Was
Three Quarters Insured which
VIII Cover the LOss-Firemen Mt n
disadvantage But Did Effective
Work.
Fire was discovered on the third floor
of the store occupied by w. Z. Wimpy,
No. 26 Broughton street, west, shortly
after midnight this morning by a
young man, who. crossing Congress
lane and Whitaker, saw flames issuing
from the window. He turned in the
alarm from Broughton and Whitaker
streets, and in short time the fire
department was on the scene. The
front door of the store was broken in
and stream from a chemical engine
was run into the building, and up to
the scene of the fire, while another
stream of water was carried through
the door and up the elevator shaft, and
third was turned on the blaze from the
aerial ladder that had been run up in
Congress lane.
The third floor of the building is
used to store reserve furniture and 1t
was a part of this stock on the north
eastern part of the floor that had
caught and was burning. The flames
were extinguished in very short time
after the firemen got to work. The
damage from the fire will not amount
10 a great deal, but that from water
will be very considerable, as not only
was the stock of the third floor dam
aged, but that on the other floors as
well, because of the water leaking
from floor to floor.
When the firemen arrived the rear
of the building was found securely
fastened, and the doors and windows
from that side could not be broken.
The large plate glass in the front door
was smashed with an ak and the
chemical stream was taken in first.
The firemen felt their way through
darkness to the third floor and saw
at once that water would have to l e
used.
The firemen had been at work some
little time before the electric lights in
the store were turnd on, and they were
able to see what they were doing. A door
in the rear was opened, but no other
streams We're taken up by way of the
ground floor. The other stream of wa
ter was used from an aerial ladder,
which had been removed from the
truck and taken into Congress street
lane. A window on the top floor was
broken with an ak and the stream was
put on the blaze from that position The
fire was fought entirely from the rear.
The building is part of the Lyons
Block, owned by Mr.. John Lyons, and
is insured The stock, which is valued
at between $50, 900 and $35. 900, is insured
for a part of that amount, probably
enough fully to cover the damage.
Just to what extend the stock had been
damaged Mr.. Wimpy was unable 10
say, nor will he be able to estimate it
until he has gone over the entire stock
Neither has Mr.. Wimpy nor any OF
the firemen any theory to account for
the origin of the fire. The building
was closed as usual at Z o'clock, and
at that time everything was apparent
ly all right. The employees of the
store are called to the top floor. where
the fire originated. every once in a
while to get out stock, as it is needed.
and it is possible that a cigar or Gig
arctic may have been dropped and
thus started the blaze.
The fire attracted a large crowd. A
rumor was atioat that young white
man had been found in the building
and arrested as he came out by Pa
trolman Dooley. The rumor was entire
ly unfounded, however, for while there
was man answering that description
arrested, il was because he insisted in
trying to get to the door of the build
ing, evidently prompted by curiosity to
see what was going on inside. He was
told repeatedly to get out of the way.
warnings that he as often disregarded
until he was arrested. AT the police
station the prisoner gave his name as
Chris. Hanson. He was charged with
being drunk and disorderly, and re-
fusing to move when ordered by an
officer.