The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-06
WHEN AID CAME HERE
SAVANNAH HELPED AT THE TIME
or ITS GREAT FIRES.
THE DESTRUCTIVE CoNFLAGRA-
TIONS OF 1906 AND 1870.

Great Quantities of Supplies Then
Sent to the City-Extracts From
CANDLES "History of the City Gov
eminent" Describing the Two Most
Destructive Fires in the Annals OF
SnVannah-HOw SaVannah's Chari-
~ Renped Its own Reward-IR-
stances of This City's Past Gener-
osity to Sufferers Elsewhere.
The destruction of the greater part Of
Jacksonville by fire has naturally revived
interest in the great fires of the past
in Savannah. This city has had three
great CONGREGATIONS, destroying property in
each instance approximating 100000 in
value, but 1t has never suffered to SUCH
an extent the unfortunate metropolis
of Florida, Its closest approach to this
was in 1885. At that time Savannah, while
a city of much commercial Importance.
was little more than a good-sized village
so far population is concerned, its in
| habitants at that time probably not ex-
| ceedng 1900. The following description
| Of the fire Of that year, and of the con-
| ditions that existed al that time, is taken
from the forthcoming History of the
City Government of Savannah" by
| Thomas Gamble, Jr
1T was realized that, as the city was
almost entirely frame, it was at all times
in great danger from fire, and severe pen
alties were imposed on parties violating
the fire ordinance. Allowing an open fire
in the yard was punished by a fine of
| five pounds, and other offenses against
| the public safety in proportion. A chin
ney fire always subjected the owner or
occupant of the premises to punishment,
and no one was so high in station as to
escape. DR.. George Jones, in January,
| 1893, was summoned before Council for an
| offense of this nature 1t was shown to
| Council that the house was then occu-
| pied by his Excellency, the Governor, and
the fire being fully proven, ordered that
| his EXcellency, Edward Telfair, be fined
in the sum of five pounds, with costs
The Governor paid the fine and costs. So
cial station or political power was no
| barrier to punishment for other violations
| of the laws The Sunday laws prohibited
unnecessary work and frequently citizens
were brought before Council and fined
| for allowing Or requiring their servants
to perform labor not actually necessary.
| the clerk of the market for such an Of
Tense, and other prominent citizens also
enriched the treasury in the same way.
| Mayor Noel, in 1896, was fined $40 by
| Council for lending a fire ladder.
THE fears that led to such precautions
| against fires soon proved well founded.
| On Saturday, Nov. 26 1876, "a great part
| of the dwelling houses, stores and other
| valuable buildings, stocks in trade, tools
of mechanics, household furniture and
| other property of the inhabitants of the
| city were consumed by fire. The build
| ings dedicated to the worship of Cod
| continues the minutes of Council, have
| been laid waste, very large number of
/ industrious and honest inhabitants are
| involved in the utmost distress and ruin
and their families left without shelter
or means of subsistence. Christ Church
| and the Presbyterian Church were among
| the buildings destroyed. In all 229 houses,
| besides outbuildings were burned and
only III buildings were left stand
| ing in the compactly built part of the
| city. During the fire much property was
| stolen. Guards were ordered to search all
| vessels in the river. and all plantations
for stolen goods. Joseph Clay, John Hab-
| ersham and Thomas Young were appoint
| ed by Council as a committee to receive
| donations. and the Mayor John Y. NoeD
was instructed to write to the chief
magistrates of the different cities and to
| other respectable citizens of different
states asking for assistance. In view
of the extreme distress of the people,
and to prevent extortion by INSCRIPTIONS
dealers prices at which articles of food
! and building materials should be sold,
were established by Council as follows:
| New rice $500 per hundred. or ten cents
| per quart; superfine flour. $15.00 per bar
rel; flint corn, Is cents per bushcl; gourd
seed corn. 6213 cents per bushel' beef. by
! the quarter AZ cents per pound; beef, by
the pound. Ga cents; pork, GA cents per
pound; Indian meal, $500 per hundred;
potatoes rs cents per bushel; ranging tim
ber $500 per thousand; scantling and
! boards, $500 per thousand; shingles, A.OO
per thousand
ANY provisions or lumber sold at
| higher prices was to be confiscated and
both the buyer and seller were made La
BILE to a fine not exceeding the value OF
the property so seized
Donations were received amounting to
S39, 305.S4. Some of the sufferers by the
| fire relnuuished their claim to a proper
ton OF this amount. In the winter of
1889 there remained SS,5l417 in the
hands of the committee. Philadelphia was
then suffering from an epidemic of yell
| low fever, and by direction of Councn
! this amount was forwarded for the relief
! of sufferers there. Other sums were also
! subscribed by citizens for the same pur-
| pose"
The next great fire in Savannah. and
| one infiicting heavier financial loss but
probably not felt so keenly as that of
| 1876. occurred in 1920, just before the ter
! rlble yellow fever epidemic. From adj
| vance sheets of Mr.. CANDLES history the
! following extracts were secured:
I'm January of the same year QS20) oc-
| CURED one of the greatest fires the United