The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-10-21
FIRE.!
About S5O,Oo0 DESTROYED.

I
Manning has again been visited b,
| fire, and in our helpless condition there
was nothing to do but let the fire have
its way. On last Thursday morning Al
4:20, Policemen Higgins and Thame:
discovered a flame of fire shooting oui
from the skylight on the top Of .]enkln'
sons department stores. an immediate
alarm was sounded, and the people re-
Sponded. The writer reached the
scene at 4:35, and flames were then
shooting high out of the sky!lght, but
no fire could be seen on the lower moor
which convinces us that the tire orlgl'
mated in the gallery OF the store. ihere
is absolutely no way of ascertalnloS
how the fire originated except that II
was purely accidental. as no hre mad
been left in the store, not even the
electric Lights were on. they having
been eXtinguished over two hours be-
fore.
Bv the hardest kind of work & part
of the new two story portion was saved,
and much of the credit for this is at
tributed to the herculean efforts OF
Messrs. F. p. Erwin and j. 5. Preavltt.
These men worked like Trojans at a
very great risk to themselves and kept
the flames from spreading. The work
of saving stock was confined 10 the fur
niture and millinery departments, and
nothing was saved from the other por-
tions OF the stores. At one time 1t was
thought the Manning Grocery could be
saved, but the hope was fruitless. Ihls
store caught in the rear and was con-
sumed with the other including the en-
tire stock, and from falling wall the
drug store of Mr.. l. NJ. Loryea was Sc
verely damaged. and its contents were
also damaged from rain which TELL the
next night.
Mr.. Jenkinson at the time OF the fire:
was ip Sumter at the bedside OF his dy-
ing wife. Fortunately there was no
wind. which aided materially in keep
inc the fire confined. Had there been
any wind the coohagration *ould hay
been much greater, with 4 strong pro
babilitv of the entire block being de-
s,roved. Mr.. Jenkinson carried stock
of about $40. ZOO which was insured for
S222. 800. His loss outside OF what was
saved will far exceed his insurance.
The Buildings belonged to Rev. S. y.
Nettles who carried insurance on all OF
the buildings amounting to 1000. Ihe
Manning Grocery was insured for $4,000
and the stock amounted to about $4,000.
Both Mr.. Jenkinson and the Manning
Grocery are very heavy losers, and Mr..
Nettles' loss will amount to about $1,000.
The Loryea drug stores loss is covered
" insurance.
When the grocery caught the danger
of the fires spreading was so imminent
that 3. \. Johnson had his stock re-
moved to the court house square, and
bv this removal considerable damage
was done to the stock which is also COW
cred bv insurance. This corner has oeen
burnt several times, and this IS the
second fire for Jenkinson, the first tlre
originated in the adjoining building,
and each time nothing could be done to
save the property, on account OF lack
of means to fight the fire. This fire IS
al extremely sad one to Mr.. Jenklnson.
He had builded high hopes upon having
one of the finest mercantile estaollsh.
ments in this part OF the State, and had
lust completed magnificent depart
ment store. a credit to his ambition. and
to the town. and while his heart and
mind was being severely tried by attilc-
ton. looking every moment for the last
breath of his loved one. the chasvenlng
rod was applied to his affliction to add
more and more to his distress, but not
withstanding his trying ordeal. enough
to crush the spirit Of any ordinary man
Jenkinson bows to the will OF God and
has again buckled on the armor OF ener-
ev and will, as soon as possible get back
into business, using what remains OF ms
buildings with stock of goods already
ordered for immediate shipment to sup
ply the demands of his immense patron
age. The Manning Grocery VIII also.
as soon as they can perfect arrange
ments get back into business and IN
about two weeks they will be ready 10
serve their trade.
Last Monday morning the insurance
adiusters were here and adjusted the
losses. When Jenkinson's safe was
opened it was gratifying to find ms
books and papers intact. Rev. 5. =.
Nettles will begin at once to rebuild,
and he will have the work pushed as
rapidly as possible.