The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-25
HEAVY LOSS FALLS
To WRIGHTSVILLE
PROPERTY WORTH 100000
is LICKED UP AT NIGHT BY DE-
VOURING FLAMES.

1t Is Relieved That An Incendiary's
Torch Started the Blaze That Wip-
ed Ont Two Banks, Five stores
and Two Omces-HOw the Loss Is
Divided-TOmpI<ins and johnson
the Heaviest LOsers-Bucket Bril-
gade Fought the Fire NObIy.
Wrightsville. Ca, Dec 24-Last
night Wrightsville suffered from the
greatest fire in its history. Two banks,
FIVE stores and two offices burned out
and the entire stock of goods was de-
stroyed. The total loss is about $780,
900 with probably $4,000 insurance on
the property destroyed. The origin OF
the fire is unknown, but it is thought
to have been incendiary. Following are
some of the severest losses: Tompkins
e. Johnson, general stores, $65, 900, stock
insured for $25,oO0; Johnson Banking
| Company, building and fixtures, $4,000;
w. H. II. Stewart, furniture. $1,000;
]. T. Chambers, groceries, $500; DIR.
S. M. Johnson, physician, 800; ]. L.
Kent, attorney, $4OO.
The insurance companies which
will lose by reason of the fire are
the Liverpool, London and Globe,
F'iremancs Fund. Royal Insurance
Company, British and American,
Home of New York, and Hartford
Fire.
VIII Rebuild at once.
The Bank of Wrightsville will re-
build at once and the Johnson Bank
ing Company. has temporarily opened
UP in the building lately occupied by
the Citizens Bank.
Yesterday was a busy one In
Wrightsville. The rush incident to
Christmas shopping had reached it's
hight A leading merchant said to his
chief clerk at the hour of closing: "To-
day has been a great day; our sales
almost double those of yesterday, as
large as yesterdays trade was. Have
the force on hand early tomorrow
morning. for it will be a greater day
than even to-day"
Christmas Eve morning, to which
that merchant and every other citizen
of Wrightsville. looked forward with
such hope and pleasure, dawned. but
to exhibit in all its completeness the
results of the disastrous fire: and TO
displace the natural Christmas pleas
ure Of the people with gloom because
of the great loss to the city and its
people
Hen-d n Heavy Explosion.
The city clock tolled the hour Of
midnight, and almost simultaneously
was heard the sound of a heavy ex-
ploslon. People rushed to the street
and to windows. heard the fall Of a
large part Of the front wall Of the large
and newly completed two-story build
ing of Tompkins & Johnson, saw the
flames almost instantly mount upward,
and thus began, from a universally
thought incendiary origin, the four
hours conGagration which destroyed
100000 worth OF property, including
banks. stores and offices, with immense
stocks OF merchandise.
II was only by the most heroic ef-
forts that the loss was prevented from
| Dtllk TWICE. great 1Ah iAaiAAiiAb
the largest block Of new buildings In
town, with cotton and warehouse. Fall
ing walls crushed through adjacent
I roofs and buildings. endangering lives
| and property. but the bucket brigade
yentuYed anywhere and everywhere,
/ aud with the assistance Of o favora-
| bic wiDd, prevented the spread OF the
/ nfe over n wider area.
stocks Suffered by Transfer.
Many others suffered severely by
Transferring their stocks OF merchan-
disc during the progress Of the con.
nagrnflOn. or BY removing 20 the
street Among those suffering loss IN
fhif wise are; The -Four seasons de-
parfnsnf store; ,. y. Renff0e. gro
corlea .. A. Wilson, dry goods and
groceries. and T.. J. watts. barber
The falling ~ walls cauHed consider
able damaHa tO fhe cotton warehouse
owned by J. ". ifndef. and - fhe ney
store iuni nearing completion. Wfich
Dunee a sapdsfr intended ~ occupy
Jan. a.
a sn probaDiy b. 500 og ubfss