The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-04
ONE OF THE MOST DISASTROUS IN
HISTORY or THE CITY.
FINEST BUILDINGS BURNED
Atlantis Hotel, Virginia Club House,
Albemarle House and several
Handsome Stores ANON the Build
inEs pestroyed-No Live. L~ost-Nar-
row Escape of Some of the Hotels
Guests-Mi.s Rfxey Found Uneon
scious and Rescued by . Negro
Who Does Heroic Work.

SAANNC "AACl u
Joined the hotel: the Alternate flats and
s. block of stores in the centre of the
city
The conflagration. one OF the test
IL the history Of Norfolk. broke out
SHORTLY before 2 O'Clock this morning.
and when finallv subdued over $500. 200
worth OF property had been DESTROYED.
The loss is believed Il be fully covered
~ insurance.
The flames started Ill the Columbia,
which is the largest. but one. Of Nor
folks office buildings. 1t was Il struc-
ture six stories high and was built in
1892 by Davis L~owenberg. its owner.
The fire was first discovered at 1:55
o'clock this morning and shortly after
ward over 1000 gallons OF whiskey
stored in the BUILDING expIoded with
terrific force. tearing u h front
wall.
The firemen were driven back by the
explosion and before they could get a
stream of water on the flames the en-
tire building was alre.
Hardly fiftaen minutes later the north
a Will vas ONSL 49,
nigh. fell in, completely annihilating
the home OF the Virginia Club. when
aGjoins the building OH the north.
From the outset il was evident that
TIE immense Atlantic hotel was
doomed. j. Hull Davidson. Its proprie-
tor. personally made the rounds OF the
rooms. and, aided by his assistants.
aroused every guest III the building.
To this is due the fact that. so far
as known. no life was lost. although
about 800 people Were asleep in the
motel wnen the alarm was sounded.
The little army of half-dressed men
and women refugees from the flames
eibowed their way though the crowd
ed streets. In their nsIIds they carried
such small belonging. as they were
able to save in their night.
The flames soon spread to the five
story Albemarle apartment house op-
posite the Virginia Club. which was
quickly destroyed. and then to the en-
tire block facing the Atlantic and rum
nIn from Plume to Main streets.
Within an hour this block was annihil-
ated.
The flames were finally subdued
through the hard work Of the fire de-
partment and the shifting of the wind,
which veered to the northeast just as
the fire had gotten a grasp on the big
dcoartment store Of Watts. Rettew &
Clay.
Live Goals rained on the Merchants
and Miners and the Bay Line ware
houses, the pier and the wholesale no.
ton store buildings of Talbot, Dudson
e. Grady n driving the Western
Union operators from their offices in
ile Dodson building. All these struc-
lures were saved. The fire was sub
u at 5 o'clock this morning.
The origin Of the fire is not Known.
! The blaze was first discovered in
che Columbia building, by e. police
man whn Immediately turned in the
alarm. The whiskev which exploded
was in the cafe.
All the Atlantic hotel guestr escaped,
though J. o. Ready. of Brooklyn. n. Y,
mad a close call.
The Watts. Rettew & Clay building
was saved. although the stock was
damaged by water.
In the Atlantic hotel building were
the ticket Offices Of the Southern. the
baltimore and Ohio and the Norfolk
aid Western railways; the offices Of
Nottingham & Wrcnn. wood and coal
dealers: the Equitable Life Assurance
Company; Dodson's drug store: YER
millions liquor store. and Solomon
| skcy's tailoring establishment
In the Columbia building were the
cafes of c. r. Brown and Nedds: the
offices Of D. Lowenberg. the owner. and
| a. numerous real eSIdle HIliIS, d ySlSs
physicians. architects and contractors
In the block DESTROYED with the AL
Demarle were Johnston's China storei
Cary & Dean, tailors: Motter, w
s. Co. brokers'; Stephenson & Taylor.
HI okers: the Norfolk and Western for
eign freight department.. and the office
u the Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia
Air Line. While in most cases valuable
private papers were saved a large
quantity Of personal property of un-
known value was lost.
The lost to the owners OF the Atlantic
MOTEL is about $3.50. 600. covered bv in
surance and Of the Columbia building
ss0. 1000 on which there was s35. 900 insur-
ance. The Virginia Club was a fash
innable institution and its quarters
were handsomely furnished.
The loss will approximate 5000. 600.
possibly half covered by insurance. The
buildings burned were: The Atlantic
hotel. for which. with its site Mr.. g.
M. Randolph, who is associated with
Mr.. r. Lancaster Williams. Of Rich
mond, in the Ocean View railroad. re-
Gently paid 1910. 1on.
The Columbia building. which cost
$50. 900: every thing in the Offices in the
building DESTROYED. loss over 100000.
The A1bemarle APARTMENT house
owned by Mr.. George l. ARES. valued
at about s25. Don.
The Johnston China Company. with
q costly stock occupied the grourd
foor and lost $40. 000. The building was
owned by Mr.. C.. W. Sans. valued .,
$4,000.
Mottu Dewitt & Co. bankers an6
brokers'. occupied twn floor OF thu
building and lost valuable papers.
The building owned by Mrs. Saraf
Almond. occupied by Stenhenson G
Taylor. real estate. and other tenants
loss SO. 900.
The building occupied bv Hatch 6
Dean. mems furnishings. Sis 600
l. B. Carey. merchant tailor. SO nan
l.. G. Blick. florist. n three build
iIGs on Plume street in tie rear Of tn
Virginia Club. 500. 900.
Miss Mamie Rixey. sister Of On
Rixey. the recently appointed surgeon
general of the navy. was a guest a
h Atlantic hotel and she had a yer,
narrow escape from death. William
Thorrogood. a big negro politician. wa
assisting in the rescue Of guests vine,
he our Miss Rixey living IN one of tn,