The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-31
ROAR Of FIRE
WAKES RALEIGH
Walter WooIICOtt's Bio
Store Destroyed.
$4,000 is THE LOSS
Yarbo ough House Guests Awakened
at 1890 Pack Up and Prepare TO
Leave Building, But Fire is
Stopped in the WOOL
colt Store.

grafton just after 1880 Sunday morn
ing, a large portion of Raleigh was un-
doubtedly saved by the work of the
Fire Department
Waiter Woollcott's dry goods store
on last Martin. Midway between
Fayetteville street and Wilmington
street was on fire in the back OF the
third story when at 1929 the alarm
from box % was sent in. The fire
had been discovered by Mr. Arthur
Cobb. the manager of the Marlboro
House. who seated in his office look
ing over the books Smelled some
thing burning, looked out of his back
window and saw the flames bursting
from Woollcotts store window.
This building is of three stories
adjoining the Commercial and Farm
crs' Bank building, and the back
faces on the back yard to the north
Il The Marlborough House, the corner
of the Marlborough Housce Cafe
touching the burning building. AT
once Mr. Cobb sent out a porter to
inform the police and turned on an
alarm by telephone. Next he sent
messengers throughout the hotel to
arouse the guests. fearing the spread
of the fire The smoke alarmed the
guests as they found it in the COR
ridors and all hurried to the first
floor, trunks and baggage of all kinds
being brought down and some taken
to the sidewalk. One excited travel
ing man threw his dress suit case
from a third floor window. another
man was carefully carrying around a
silk hat. while others were partially
dressing on the steps and III the lobby.
One enterprising young man appro-
priated the type writer booth as a
private dressing room.
The fire in the WOollcott building
at the back increased in fury. Smoke
was pouring from the front of the
building, while from the third story
windows at the back the flames belch-
ed out. The frame of one window
fell in, flames came from the next.
and the heavy shutter OF the third
was ringed with. fire. INSIDE through
the second story windows fire could be
seen falling and this cane to the
first floor through the elevator shaft.
The firemen first made an attempt
to get at the fire from the front of
the building. but soon found the back
was the place. A ladder was thrown
up and the hose taken up part of the
way. The water seemed slow in
coming, but at last it was on. but the
firemen had to come to the ground to
get the range of the window. A sec
ond stream was used from the top of
L
on the second story was broken in
and the fearless firemen went in to
fight the flames at close range, show
ing grit and pluck.
The work soon told and the flames
grew smaller. Suddenly the back
part of the roof fell and the flames
shot up again. More water was
poured on this and soon the flames
began to die away, the damage by fire
being confined almost wholly to the
back part of the third story, though
throughout the building there is
great damage from the water. The
stock on the first and second floors.
as far as possible, was covered and
protected, though the deluge of water
,,urked through the coverings. At
about 1870 the fire was under con-
troll.
Mr.. Walter Woollcott was not able
to go into details last night. but says
he supposes the loss by fire and
water will be about SIS, 900. The en-
tire stock and furnishings he valued
at about $4,000 and he carried
insurance on his stock Of $32, 500 with
$500 on the furnishings. The greatest
loss by fire is on the third floor, where
the wholesale department was kept
Mr. Woollcott says he had d big stock
there and that lately this had appre-
ciated some 20 per cent. in value. The
loss on the building is about 81 900
The cause of the fire is unknown. 1t
started on the third floor and there is
no stove there. Mr.. Woollcott says
that perhaps it may have come from G
flue on the second floor. the sparks
going UP the elevator to the third
floor From the outside the fire
seemed to have started from the lower
part of the third floor and to have
crept upward
There was little wind and this prob
ably saved a congested business por-
ton of the city. 1t looked at one time
as if the flames would spread, but good
work stopped this. and beyond the
great damage to the building itself,
which was lately purchased by Mr..
Job. P. Wyatt, the flames did not
spread. Mr.. Woollcott was to have
moved out in January, and last night
was getting ready to go to Salisbury
where he is to open a store, when he
was telephoned of the fire and came
at once to the place, in the changing
of clothes having left his store keys at
home A business part of the city had
a most narrow escape, and it is mat
ter of congratulation that the fire was
confined in the building where it
started.