The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-25
FLARE At THE NECK
The Loss About Eight
Thousand Dollars.
As the Outcome Will be Beautifca
tion of that Part of Scotland
Neck People Take it
PhilOsophicaIlY.
Especial to News and observer,


Scotland Neck, n. c., March "a
At the very uncanny hour of one
o'clock yesterday morning, the peo-
pie of Scotland Neck were aroused by
the alarm of fire. The fire was on
the west side of Main street just in
front of the postoffice. Save one mar
row alley there was q block of shabby
wooden buildings along Main street
extending from the corner of Main aud
Tenth streets two hundred feet south.
About the centre of this block of little
wooden buildings the fire broke out
and had gained good Roadway when
first discovered. Soon a great crowd
of people were on the scene but il
was at once evident that every build
ing i'm the section of buildings named
must go down, and in one hour they
We're all in ruins The buildings be-
ing old they burned rapidly. Heroic
| work was done, and despite the fact
that the town has no organized fire
company the fire was kept from
spreading away from the sorry build
ings.
At one time it seemed almost
! certain that the fire would spread and
burn across the block west to Church
street. Two metal stables belonging
to Biggs and Johnson We're the means
of stopping the advance of the fire
though one of these buildings went
down under the blast of the flames.
The persons burned out We're:
Biggs & Johnson. office and stable;
| loss about So, with no insurance
Wilson Allsbrook, store, but all
goods saved.
A. C. Peterson, stock of goods,
worth $1,500; with no insurance.
j e. Lewis, building occupied by
IDrf o o.
j. D. Hill, colored, beef market,
store and stock lost: no insurance
3. Il. Joyner, shoe shop and clothes
| lost, with nc insurance.
Albert Hill, fcOlored, restaurant,
everything lost, and no insurance.
l.. r. Carter, small building lost with
no insurance.
| The building occupied by J. d. Hill
and Albert Hill belonged to Mrs l.. r.
Cherry and j. w. Madry.
The estimated loss was about IS. 900
with only $500 insurance
Had the fire not been stayed by the
metal stables of Biggs q Johnson the
law office of w. A. Dunn would GER
tainly have been burned, together with
the dwelling of W. III. Josey and per-
haps the dwelling of G. Hoffin and
the Methodist church.
For a quarter of a century the
cept the building of Biggs & John
son, have been a blot on the beauty
of the town and menace to it's safety,
and many times has it been predicted
that they would be the cause of a
| great fire some day. With a high
wind there is no telling where the fire
would have stopped
Notwithstanding several lost heavily
| by the fire, it has been said many
times already that it has improved the
appearance of that part of the town.
| BY the laws of the town no wooden
building can be erected within two
hundred feet Of Main street, so what
ever buildings may be erected i'm the
| burnt district will be great improve
ment over those that were burned.
Already preparations are being made
TO secure contracts for new build
| ings.
1t was general remark after the
fire that the colored people did work
worthy of special praise. All day yes
terday goods We're being moved to new
| places of business by those who were
burned out, and soon they will be at
their accustomed work again.