The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-02-14
PATTERsON's BIG FIRE.
Clearing Up the Debris and Getting Ready
For Work-Loss SS,OOO,OOO.


fire confagration which burned its
way through the business center Of
Patterson yesterday has completely
spent it's force and is quickly dying
out in the ashes and broken brick of
it's ruin. The fremen who hurried
from other cities to save the endan-
gered city have gone back to their
homes and several companies of the
local department have been ordered
to their houses for rest and refresh
ments they sorelY need.
LOSS AMOUNTS TO $8,000,000.
Conservative opinions inclined to-
day to cut 100000 from the ag-
gregate loss of s1O,OOO,OO0 agreed
upon, and sS,OOO,0OO will probably
be accepted finally as the cost of the
fire. No tabling of individual losses
that can be accepted as reliable has
yet been adopted, and it will be sew
eral days before satisfactory figures
can be prepared. Equally incom-
plete is the estimate of insurance. 1t
was stated here today that the insur-
ance amounted to between 81, 100000
and S5,O0O,OOO, but what gave basis
to the calculation was not clear
Several of the largest losers said
that they had not yet had an oppor-
tunity to examine their policies, and
that in the Dleantime they could not
tell what amount they carried. Prob
ably no fire of equal magnitude and
widespread destruction ever produced
an equally small list of losers.
Many of the fire volunteers and
the fremen we're injured by the fall
ing bricks and timber, burned by
flying frebrands or temporarily over
come by smoke, but only a few of
them needed medicinal attention.
The small casualty list is explained
by the fact that the people had am,
pie warning and time to abandon
their homes before the flames came
upon them.
AID FOR STRICKEN CITY.
A Bread and coffee famine was
averted by outside aid. A Newark
bread company early this morning
started wagons loaded with 5000
loaves of bread for free distribution
in the stricken city. Wealthy resi-
dents of this city ordered large sup
plies of coffee and provisions from
Passiac, Newark and New York. The
Ladies' relief committee has estab-
lished it's headquarters in st. Pauls
Episcopal church on Broadway and
will provide food to all who may ap-
ply for assistance.
The fire made no headway during
the night. Famed by strong wind
it burned ftfully in places during
the early hours of the morning, but
wherever it showed threatening
strength the fremen turned streams
on it and beat it down. The fremen
were completely exhausted after more
than 80 hours continuous work, but
remained at their posts. There Is
comparatively little suffering upon
the part of those rendered homeless
by the fire, and the armory, churches
and public shelters opened their doors
to but few applications during the
night. Practically every home that
escaped the flames was thrown open
in spirit of broad charity and near
ly every refugee found shelter OF
some kind.
The declaration of Mayor Win
cliffe that the city can care for its
own is not concurred in by every
body and there may be an appeal
later for outside help.
TO RISE FROM ITS ASHES.
With the e1nbers still aglow in the
business districts commercial Pater-
son planned resumption and restora
ton. All of the banks burned out
Yesterday opened for business in tenn
porary quarters today and the Off
cials of the banks expressed deter
mination to do their part in the main
tenance of the financial standing and
credit of the city.
The militiamen remained on guard
today and will be kept under arms
on1 IN 1ntv as 1Ono as necessary for