Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-12-23
KNOXVILLE IS SWEPT
BY DISASTROUS FIRE
Worst Since the Great Mil
lion Dollar Blaze.
LOSS is PLACED AT $5oo,ooo.

Fire Broke Out In a Four-story Build
ing on Commerce Avenue and In Two
Hours Time Much Valuable Proper
ty Went Up In Smoke.
Knoxville, Tenn, Dec. 22.-The
worst fire which has ravaged the bus
mess portion of this city since the dis
astrous million-dOllar confagration of
1897 broke out at 1870 o'clock this
morning on a 4-story building on Com
merce avenue, directly opposite the
central fire station, and occupied by
the Knoxville Pants company.
In two hours time the building adj
joining it on Commerce avenue, occu-
pied by Broyles, Mcclellan & Lackey,
agricultural implement dealers; the l..
David Commission company, the i'm
mense establishment of the George
Brown Hardware company, on Gay
street; the Shanklin Grain company
and the R. H. Cate & Co. building, on
the same street, was completely gut
ted.
The 6-story building of MeTeer,
Hood & Co., wholesale clothiers, and
the 3-story building of the Davies Fur
niture company, which were reported
destroyed, withstood the storm Of the
flames and are but little damaged.
Estimate of Loss.
Brandau & Kennedy, retail cloth
iers; W. T. Newton, jeweler; the
Whittier-Spence company and other re
tail stores on Gay street, opposite the
burning structures, were considerably
damaged. Conservative insurance
men say the loss will be between $400,.
600 and 100000. Other estimates
place it much higher.
The McTeer & Davies buildings
seemed doomed, and although they
were in flames time and again, they
were saved with small damage by he
roic work on the part of the firemen
Several other structures we're also on
fire at different times, including the
big establishment of Gillespie, Shields
& Co., hatters, but they were protect
ed.
Spectacular conhaaration.
The fire was a very spectacular one,
and attracted a crowd numbering
| thousands 1t is a miracle that no
one was hurt with the showers of
falling glass and the terrific explosions
in the Brown Hardware company's
building that scattered bricks, burn
| ing embers and all conceivable .arti
cles of merchandise. Chattanooga
was called on for aid when the fire
was at it's height, and an engine com
pany had been run by special train
29 miles in % minutes toward this
city when stopped by wire, the fire be-
ing under control. The collapse Of
the Brown Hardware company's build
ing saved the business district from a
loss of 100000, the flames being
easily handled when that big structure
| had fallen.
The heaviest loss is that of George
Brown Hardware company. 1t carried
a $1S0,000 stock. The building, own
ed by Colonel Charles E. McGee, OF
New York, was valued at 100000
Partial estimates ON the other losses
are as follows:
r. H. Cate & Co., wholesale liquors.
stock and building, $4,000; Knoxville
Pants company, stoc k and building
| $40, 900; Broyles, Mcclellan & Lackey
farming implements, stock and build
ing, $25 900: Shanklin Grain company
stock and building, $4,000; L. David
| & Co., stock and building, $4,000;
Haynes G Henson, wholesale shoes
10000; McTeer, Hood & Co. whole
sale clothing, $4,000; Davies Furniture
company, stock and building, $4,000;
damage to other buildings and stocks
| 100000
All the firms damaged, except the
| David Commission company, were
well insured Had the McTeer, Hood
& Co. building been destroyed, as re
ported, loss of nearly $250,000 addi
tional would have been added.