Smyrna times., 1903-11-11
MIDNIGHT FIRE REDUCES
THREE FRAME DWELLINGS
HOMES OF JOHNJ. TUCKER, MRS DICKSON
AND GEORGE E. WILEY IN ASHES
Fire Originated in Home of Mrs. Dickson and
Families Had to Rush Out in Their Night
Clothes ia Order to Save Their Lives.

OHOltly LaIter one O'Clock MOnda q
night, fire broke out in the residence
OF Mrs. Laura Dickson, near the
Smyrna Branch Railroad. west ~
Font Hill, J." Spruance City, and com.
pietely wiped out three dwellings. one
double dwelling, belonging to Mrs
Dickson and John Tucker. and the
other the Eliza Gregory property, ten
anted by George E. Wiley. The to-
tai loss to properties and houseboId
goods is estimated between So. 500 and
$4,000, divided as follows: Tuckar
$1,000, Mrs. Dickson, 1000. WilIsv
$3.50 and Gregory, 5000. Mrs. Dick.
son had an assurance of $4OO, but the
properties of Tucker and Gregory were
not they having allowed their poll
cles to expire without a renewal. No
one was seriously injured. Mrs. Dick
son mad her hands badly cut by at
tempting to force her wav ont of n
window and Mr.. Tucker was slightly
burned about the face and hands
while searching for his little ID vaor
old daughter. Mr.. Wiley succeeded
IN saving nearly all his furniture. but
IN the other cases the fire broke ont
so rapidly that the families in ordar
to save their lives had to rush ont IN
their night clothes and everything
the accumulation of several wears
went up in flames. In addition to this
the fuckers had saved $50 in money
which was burned up. John Tucker
and Mrs. Dickson had but recently re-
furnished their homes with a lot of
new furniture and were cozily fixed.
1t being the special pride of Mr..
Tucker to make a comfortable homo
for his little daughter.
Origin Of the Fire Profound Mystery.
The fire originated in the shed
kitchen of Mrs. Laura Dickson shortly
after one O'Clock, but how it occurred
is a mystery that remains to be solved
There were no stoves in use and
lamps were all out at bed time But
for the timely appearance of Mr..
Smith, a salesman, the families might
have been burned to death. Mr.
Smith had evidently come down on
the midnight train and was walking
IN from Clayton, when he discovered
the fire in the double dwelling occu-
pied by the fuckers and Mrs. Dick.
son. In the former residence were
Mr.. Tucker, his two boys and his
little daughter. Mrs. Dickson resided
all alone. Being IN the midst of a
sound sleep, Mr.. Smith had consider
able difficulty in arousing them, and
when they woke up to realization of
the awful predicament they were in,
II was a case of rush for their lives.
Mr.. Tucker was nearly suffocated and
managed to get out of his room, when
the thought struck him that his little
daughter was in danger and he rushed
back in the flames and pulled her out.
He was slightly burned about the
face and hands. The boys endeavOred ,
to arouse Mrs. Dickson, which thew :
did after much difficulty. The pump /
in the Tucker residence was broken 8
and they were unable to draw water. :
Friendly assistance soon arrived, but =
1t seemed utterly useless to work the g.
bucket brigade, and there was nothing h
to do but see the building go down in s
lanes. From the double dwelling, p
The flames spread to the Gregory prop n
erty. Mr.. and Mrs. Wiley and faml- 7
y had time to get out and save most .
)f their furniture. y
Hose Company Could Give No Assistance. il
After Mr.. Smith had aroused the CT
antilles, he rushed to Smyrna to give II
he fire alarm. The Hose Company
esponded, but the burning property
icing beyond the water plugs outside
II the town limits, they were unable al
o give assistance. The alarm called cl
large number of people out, who th
the confagration until it had al
ompletely burned the DIV ellings M
own. The fire was very brilliant and le
Illuminated the heavens for miles th
round. The wind was blowing di- Ri
ect from the southwest and but for its
his the stables and outbuildings of be
lrs. Pressly Spruance, "Font Hill," th
'Ould have suffered seriously, to say wi
othing of the properties in Spruance at
,ity. While there is much sympathy be
'r the afflicted families in their dire ws
lstress, there is nevertheless reason I'll
Dr. rejoicing that they escaped with an
heir lives. wa
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