The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-27
BOOTH STORE
 WAS BURNED Fire on Commerce Street
 This Morning. ESTIMATED LOSS $30,000 Entire Wholesale Block Was Threatened by Flames. Building Gutted by Water and Stock of Goods, Including whiskey,
 Groceries and Notions, was
 Practically Ruined.
ESTIMATED LOSS $30.000

Commerce Street was gutted by ire at an early hour this morning, and the stock of goods of J. c. Booth. who occupied the entire building. was de- stroyed completely.
 The loss is roughly estimated at ESQ., 900. and is partially insured.
 The building was owned by John F. Gay and was located in what was known as The Wholesale Block" built in 1882 by Figh and Williams.
 Mir. Booth conducted a wholesale and retail merchandise business. in- cluding whiskies. and his stock con- sisted of groceries. dry goods, novel; ties. cigars. wines and liquors.
 In the cellar. barrels of whiskey were stored. The second, or ground floor. was used as the retail depart ment. including the saloon. Here also was located barber shop.
 The third floor contained whiskies. wines and cigars in packages and the top floor was filled with novelties and dry goods.
 The building extended back to an alley a distance of fully 200 feet. This alley runs through the block on Com merce Street from Bibb to Tallapoosa Street and the Wholesale Block" ex- tends to the rear of the property oc- cupied by the Cudahy Packing Com pany, across the alley.
 The rear end of The Wholesale Block" is sheer four stories high, the basement opening even with the sur face of the ground
 Originated on Top Floor.
 The fire originated on the top floor of the building. It was discovered by Patrolman Dukes at ? o'clock as he stood at the corner of Commerce and Taliapoosa Streets. He ran to Blob and Commerce where he pulled the box. The fire department responded promptly. all of the companies an- swering the down town alarm.
 high wind was blowing from the south across the block and 1t early ap- peared that hard work was before the firemen. Soon after the firemen reached the scene the windows of the fourth floor burst open and a long. fiery sheet of flame shot almost across the street.
 When streams of water had been turned on the front of the building Fire Chief Browder directed squad of men to the alley in its rear.
 Big Block in Danger.
 Here the flames were burning even fercer than at the other end of the building and predictions were free in the great crowd that had assembled that the whole block would be fire swept.
 Great clouds of smoke and crack ling sparks were borne by the wind across the tops of adjacent buildings on the north. These are Mir. Katz at 127 Commerce Street the Mercantile Paper Company at 129 Commerce Street, the Montgomery Candy Company at 131 Commerce Street and the handsome Ni- crosi building at the corner of Com merce and Tallapoosa Streets.
 The third and fourth floors of two or more of these buildings are used as apartment houses and early after the fire was discovered the occupants were aroused and made preparations to va cate.
 By intelligent and well directed ef- forts the department had the fire un- der control at o'clock and it had been confined to the building occupied by MT. Booth.
 Ground Floor Not Reached.
 The flames did not reach the ground floor but the Stock of goods on this floor was ruined by the great volume of water poured into the building.
 Police Captain w. H. Taylor, who was early at the scene of the fire, dis patched patrolman immediately to the residence of Mr. Booth at the corner of Hanrick and Martha Streets, and MT. Booth came down town before the fire was under control.
 To a representative of The Advertiser MT. Booth said:
 My loss will easily reach $12.000. 4 have some insurance but l cannot tell how much. It Is on various goods in the store. I think I have as much at $6.OO0 insurance. I am quite sure my loss will be twice that amount.
 Booths Second Fire.
 Tt Is hard for a man to see the re- suit of his hard work go up in smoke this way. Some time ago I stood right here and saw my business burn, just like this"
 Two years ago MT. Booths place of business at 109 Commerce Street was destroyed by fire.
 Standing for some time watching the work of the firemen. Mir. Booth said:
 These boys are doing fine work. I used to be a fireman, and I know"
 Asked If he had any idea how the fire originated MT. Booth said he did not"
 We had some fireworks in the store,' he said but none of them was on that floor and every piece of them was sold before Christmas. There was no in material on the floor where the fire originated.
 It is understood that MT. Gay, owner of the building had his property fully covered by insurance.