The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-05-26
loss IS ABOUT $33,ooot

IcSS
on1v About So, 900 Covered by Insur-
once--Tke Bank and the Louisburg
Hotel Among the Buildings Destroy
ed-Fire startedin Old Frame Build
ing Used as Sample Room and Ser
wants Quarters for Hotel.
Iouisburg, n. c.. May 21.-The town is
&, sack Goth and aashes today. A whole
h,1siDess block, the pride of the place, lies
in ruins. all consumed save portions of
tri.k walls. literally burned to the ground.
All this destruction was wrought in
ne few hours between half past enc
o'clock this morning and about seven this
morning. 1t was an awful, fierce time,
and today the men are worn out from the
awful struggle with the terrible blaze, and
two. Mr.. Ford and Mr.. Camp, lie ON beds
ri pain. the former sevely blistered on
hands and face, and the latter suffering
from exhaustion. III. lii was oNSI-
come by smoke while fighting the flames,
bat recovered in a few minutes.
Not alone the men, but many ladies
too helped heroically, passing and carrying
buckets of water. The whole town was
up and out, many in their night clothes,
all lending q hand in one way or an
other; for there is no organized fire com
uany here, and the people must all fight
FIRE themselves. The men pitched in and
worked regardless of heat and danger, Of
ten exposing themselves almost reck-
leSsly.
The buildings destroyed were in the
block bounded by Nash and Main streets,
and diagonally opposite the court house,
10 the northwest. The total loss is esti-
mated approximately at between $33. 600
and 1874, 900. OF this only about $500 or
$4,000 is covered by insurance.
Eight buildings in all were burned to
the ground.
Here is a list of the individual losses,
with insurance:
HAYES & Fuller. livery stable, loss
$1,000 in building. Insurance $500.
MRS. BETTE B. HILL. sales stable,
loss SO. 800 in building. Insurance 81. 600.
PLEASANT'S DRUG STORE, damage
entirely by removal, considerable. In
surance 81 900.
G. H. COOPER, general store. About $500
damage to building and to stock by re-
moval. Insurance 5000 on stock and
building.
NJ. C.. PLEAsANTs. general store.
Damage by removal; $500 insurance.
MRS. BETTE B. HILLS STORE on
Main street. Damage about $4,000 IN
building. Insurance 81. 1000.
Ta y Ny FT-CTT 4 roc n NJ
Building total loss, with the exception Of
4 few fixtures. Damage about 81, 500. No
Insurance.
HOTEL COMPANY, $4,000 loss and
$1,000 insurance.
J. P. WINSTON'S GENERAL STORE in
hotel building. Damage to stock by re
m0val. Perhaps covered by insurance.
d. E. MILLER, jeweler, in hotel build
ing. Possibly slight damage by remova!
Of goods.
c. a. CAMP, Proprietor of Hotel. Dam
age to furniture by removal. $500. No
Insurance.
K. d. PINNELL. loss in Kitchen. about
$40, covered by insurance. Slight damage
to furniture by removal.
The fire started in the old shanty back
Of the large Louisburg Hotel. The shanty
burned like timber, and then caught tie
rear of K. P. Hills sales stable, which
was partly Of wood. Next Hayes & Full
ler's sales and livery stable caught. From
there the blaze went to the rear of the
Old frame building occupied by NJ. c.
Peasants store, and owned by Mrs. Viii
hanson, on Main street next to the Cooper
building. 1t was, of course, burned com
pletely down in next to no time. The
Cooper building escaped, owing to its fire
proof shutters on rear and side.
Now the fire was started in two direc-
IONS, the stables we're burning on Nash
street, and the Williamson house on Main
street. Then the fire caught the row OF
buildings on Main street, one after another
III RAPID succession, Mrs. Hills store, the
hahk. the hotel and the Winston hotel
dwelling. With the last it stopped, fol
inc desperate efforts and heroic work to
save the new Pernell house, recently be-
come a hotel, were rewarded with success
miraculous as il was.
HOW the fire originated is not known.
whether 1t was the work of an incendiary
vi simply a result of crelessness is being
discussed here with a great deal of IN
tercst.
Inc old frame house where the first
oIdze was discovered has been used, since
,"e building Of the big hotel. as a sample
C'A on the first floor and for servants
quarters on the second.
IL seems that Nancy Cash, a ~colored
""Ntan who had been employed as a cooh
at u4e MOTEL, had some difficulty not long
80 VIII" the present cook. who lives in
"' aefVants' quarters. Nancy Cash now
"',' on the adjoining lot, and night before
last she rocked the old house occupied by
The servants.
A. .l-
>ne was suspected by a great many
=" setting the old house on fire. the tow
I'i"ofItles this morning about clever
luck took her before Mayor Macon, who
ddA'h'hed her closely. He found no evil
nl"ee TO Justify HIM in holding the wo
'", no one appeared against her, and
= formal charge was made. She was
f. ''e matter the fire started, when The
occupants of the old house wer,
u,+"s Gown wi,l .neir clothing, goine
lars TO help get the things out.
aLLheFe IS another theory. that somt
:, were thrown out from the -
tb,t hotei near the sample room, ant
tHty might baya ,oot,oI fou