Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-12-10
ATLANTA e JIcITcn
ALBANIA ID W9lIEU
BY A S5OO,OOO FIRE
Half of Valuable City Block
Is Destroyed.
NoRcRoss BUILDING BURNED.

NoRCRoSs BUILDING BURNED.
Early Morning Contlasration Breaks
Out and Though Firemen Fight
Flames HeroicalIy, Much Valuable
Property Goes Up In Smoke.
Atlanta, Dec. 9.-This morning
shortly before 4 o'clock most destruc-
tive fire occurred in the heart of the
business section of the city, entailing
a loss of fully $50O,OOO, more than half
of the block bounded by Marietta,
Broad, Peachtree streets and the rail
road tracks, being burned,
Among the buildings burned was
the handsome Norcross office building,
valued at about 100000; Williams
house, Shook & Austin furniture store,
Guarantee clothing store and Jacobs
pharmacy.
The fire started in the basement of
the Shook & Austin Furniture compa-
nys store on Peachtree street. 1t
was discovered by James r. Johnson,
watchman, and when he saw the
flames they had already spread to the
Viaduct restaurant, which was in the
same block
For hours the hremen doggedly
fought the flames with all the bravery
and persistence of heroes, but the fire
gained on them. The block bounded
by Marietta, Peachtree and Broad
streets and the railroad tracks was
almost entirely destroyed
AS soon as Chief Joyner reached the
scene the general alarm was turned
N.
Every available engine and ladder
was brought to the scene.
Five engines and eight ladders were
soon. in action, and 20 streams were
soon playing on the conflagration.
Five minutes after the first engine
arrived the flames reached the stores
of inflammable furniture in the upper
part of the Shook & Austin building
They burned like linden and in spite
of the efforts of the firemen the roof
fell in with loud crash shortly before
5 o'clock.
At a quarter past o'clock the south
wall of the Guarantee clothing store
building fell with a terrible crash
across the railroad track The cry
was raised that three firemen had per.
ished in the ruins, but upon investiga-
tion this was found to be untrue.
A scene of the greatest excitement
was enacted at the Williams house
No. 1, when the fire was raging in that
block. Firemen rushed through the
house, neelng under their weight OF
hose and shouting orders and giving
general alarm.
The inmates rushed from a deep
sleep into a sudden panic, poured into
the streets, wild with fear.
The Kimball house was next
| thought to be in danger and Chief
Joyner dispatched dozen fremen to
the roof to fight the shower of sparks
which wene falling on that building in
perfect torrents.
The flakes of fire were falling as
large as hen eggs and 1t was only with
the greatest effort on the part of the
flremen that 1t was prevented from ig.
hitting.
The estimated actual losses caused
by the fire are as follows:
The Viaduct restaurant, $4,000; the
stock and fixtures of Hammack's phar
macy, $4,000; the stock and fixtures
of Jacobs pharmacy, $45, 900; the
stock and fixtures of the Hub haber
dashery, $25000; the furniture stock
of Shook & Austin, $4,000; the stock
and fixtures of the Guarantee cloth
ing store, $40 80; the stock and fix
lures Of Hollis saloon, 500 1000, the
stock and fixtures Of Daniel Bros. hab
adashery, $4,000; plate glass windows.
doors, cornices and facings of entire
north side of Peters Office building.
$4,000; Westview Floral company.
$500; Hughes e McClelland's haber.
dashery $1,000; Union Pacific railroad
Office, 5000; Eiseman g. We'll, clothiers.
81 600.
The loss on the buildings burned is
estimated as follows:
The Norcross building was built at
a cost Of 100000; the Williams house.
with Jacobs three stores, $24, 900; the
new stores on the viaduct occupied by
Hollis's bar, Viaduct restaurant, Shook
G. Austin, the Hub and the Guarantee
clothing store, $4,000.
Or. |. N. Rice Dead.