The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-28
YET ANOTHER FIRE
Greensboro Has a Third
Within Two Weeks.
The Katz Building Burned in the Dark
of the Early Morning. Losses
Generally Covered by
Insurance.
Especial to News and Observer

Greensboro, n. c., Jan. 27.--For the
third time within the past two weeks,
Greensboro has been the victim of a seri-
Gus fire. The Katz building, owned by
Miss Louis Katz, of Wilmington, now in
Eimira. New York, was discovered on fire
at o'clock this morning. Flames and
smoke were pouring from the windows Of
the second floor, and the building was
doomed to destruction from the first. The
fire companies did fine work in prevent
ing the spread of the flames to adjoining
buildings in this close built up section
in the heart of the business section. The
fire did not reach the ground floor, except
in offices in the rear, and the Postal
Telegraph office. in the front corner.
which was completely Quilted. The build
ing is opposite the Guilford hotel. The
actual losses are generally covered by IN
surance.
King Brothers, who have large stock OF
cigars and tobacco. did the principal mer-
camille business in the building. They had
recently inventoried a five thousand dol
lar stock. The damage is mainly by
water The insurance is three thousand
dollars.
C. F. Thomas. who has a Job printing
office in the basement, was damaged by
water, but his loss is fully covered by
insurance. Dr. j. w. Richardson, whose
office was on the second floor, lost one
thousand dollars worth of medical works,
on which he had no insurance. He saved
his instruments. Stock in the shoe shop
of ]. NJ Saunders. and the harness shop
of B. j. Lambe in the basement, was
damaged by water. The furniture was
burned in the offices occupied by James *,
Cobb. insurance agent, and j. II. Decker
son dealer in electrical supplies, and the
manager of the International Correspond
ence school.
The chief loss was the complete wiping
out Of the furniture and Daraphernala,
consisting of pictures, billiards and pool
tables, piano, furniture, ETC., belonging to
the Merchants and Manufacturers Club.
the chief social organization of the city.
which had its home on the entire third
floor of the building. The insurance on
this property was sixteen hundred dollars,
while the value was about four thousand.
Only last week a four hundred dollar
piano had been installed by the club.
The club has for some time been consid-
ers and securing more luxurious equip
ments and while regretting its present
loss, it is felt that the fire came in g good
time in that respect, or the damage would
have been much greater. The building is
insured for four thousand dollars which will
cover the damage The walls are intact,
the northern half of the second floor not
burned and the entire first floor or the
basement being only damaged by water
Theories as to the origin of the fire are
unknown, but the generally accepted one,
is that the fire was caused by sill under;
one of the CRATES in one of the club rooms
on the south side of the third floor catch
ing fire through the hot brick under the
CRATE, the burning wood dropping to IN
fiammable material below. About two
weeks ago, fire was discovered in the
front south room of the club. and it was
found that a sill under the crate had
caught. This was in the afternoon when
the room was occupied by several mem
bers and a confiagration was averted,
without calling out the fire department.
The Insurance losses are pretty well dis
tributed through different agencies here,
in about twenty different companies. so
that the loss to any one will not be heavy.
The appraisers of the stock of Mr.. C.
Il. PuRn, the grocer. WHO was udnaSeQ
in the Bevill building fire, yesterday,
awarded him the sum of $161O the amount
of his insurance being seventeen hundred.
The stock was principally damaged by
water, and it took several days to ap-
praise the loss Mr.. Pugh estimates his
loss at one thousand dollars above the
amount he received for insurance.
The four-year-old daughter of Sheriff
j. f. Jordan was the victim of an unusual
fire this morning. She was sitting in a
chair in front of the fire at home, while
the servant was sweeping the room. Sud-
denly loud explosion was heard. the
child screamed, and it was found that a
cartridge had been swept in the fire. and
exploded. scattering fire all over the room
Sheriff Jordan rushed in, finding the bed
burning. The little girl continuing to
scream, caused an examination when il
was found that the ball from the cartridge
had struck her on the heel. making fiesf
wound more painful than serious. The
bullet had then passed through a wardrobe