The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-04-03
the new BERRY FIRE.
RESIDENCES, BUSINESS HOUSES
AND CHURCHES BURNED.

Water System Fails at Critical MO-
ment-Ihe Property Loss is Esti-
mated at From s125, 900 to $780,
600.
| Newberry, March 29.-Perhaps the
most disastrous fire that ever visited
Newberry occurred today. It was a
spectacular and desperate fire. Five
full-sized blocks of buildings were de-
stroyed and parts of other blocks
went up in smoke. Newberry has a
very good fire department and she
| prides herself on her excellent water
system, which can run on over hun
| dred pound pressure. It also has a
stand pipe that holds 100000 gallons
and offers seventy-pound pressure,
but when the crisis came today the
| water system fell down and the citi-
zens had to stand idly by and see their
homes and property consumed.
The fire started from a little stove,
that was used by Mr. B. c. Williams,
who lived over his furniture and car
rfage store The fire department
thought it. had the fire under control
when the water failed. There was no
apparent cause. The fremen were
helpless and when the flames shot
across Friend street and then worked
from house to house on the block OF
origin they were hopeless. They stood
by waiting for water and vainly
watched their houses burn, thinking
the water would soon come. but too
late.
When the water supply is available
it is all right The plan is to cut of
the standpipe pressure when the
pump is put on for fire purposes This
was done today, but suddenly the
valve broke. The pump stopped and
there was no water. It was some
time, in the excitement, before cou-
rier went across to the stand pipe to
turn ON the pressure from there.
Some say it was fifteen minutes.
Those at the fire thought it an hour
between the breakdown and the food
Of water that can come either from
the stand pipe or the pump. Super
intendent Floyd says it was not more
chan fifteen minutes, but while the
valve was being fixed the fire was
spreading. TIE valve was fixed and
the pumps soon began to work.
The total gross loss may reach
s150,000. Some suggest even $780,
900, but it is more likely to settle
| down to a gross loss of from $4,000
to s12s, 900. Of this about so to Is
| per cent is covered by insurance,
| and the net loss to the community
will be about $4,000.
OF course it could have been
worse fire from financial standpoint,
| if it had worked but little distance
further into the Court House area.
Most Of the buildings destroyed were
of wood, some of them mere shacks,
but many beautiful homes, including
| those of Col. o. L. Schumpert, DR..
Van Smith, Mr.. F. L. Long and the
Presbyterian parsonage, were de-
stroyed.
1t is somewhat difficult to give an
exact statement of the losses tonight.
| I arrived here late and, although ev-
ery one was kind in volunteering in
formation, it is hard to get complete
data, but very adequate idea of the
| losses may be derived from this lit
| tie summary:
| Stores Destroyed.
Conner & McGraw, grocers, owned
by Copeland Brothers; Paul John
stones store, owned by Copeland
Brothers; vacant store, owned by
Copeland Brothers, $4,000.
r. C. Williams, furniture, owned by
r. Herman Wright, $4,000.
Shelley & Summer, double brick
building, owned by r. c. Williams,
$4,000. Shelley & Summer carried
stock Of about $4,000.
E. C. Sonnenberg, bakery, owned
by himself, $1,000.
J. H. Mccullough, drugs, two-story
frame, owned by himself, $500.
A. C. Thomason, grocery building,
owned by M L. Can't, $4,000.
Racket store of Ray Watts, build
ing owned by G. S. Mower.
The Livingston, Lomance Compa-
ny, building owned by G. S. Mower
double store, ss2,5OO damage.
Salter art gallery, Salter art and va
riety store owned by H. E. Todd, An
derson, $4,000 1t will be noted that