The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-18

 IS WIPED OUT Fire Destroys Bullock
 County Town. FIVE STORES ARE BURNED
Loss is Estimated at $15.000
 Partially Insured.
Flames Discovered During Early Morn Ing in An Establishment Con- ducted by John Hoagh.
 Negro Merchant.

Union sprinsg April 17--(Special.)-- The business portion of the village of Inverness. nine miles south of Union Springs, on the Control of Georgia Rail- road, in Bullock County. was wiped out by fire discovered at 2:30 o'clock this morning.
 Five stores were burned and one va cant store house-this being every bus mess house in the place. A small amount of goods were saved. but in a badly damaged condition. The loss is estimated at s15.ooo. partially covered by insurance.
 The fire was discovered in the store of John Hough. a negro. and the flames spread rapidly to the adjoining build ings. By the time the citizens of the place could be aroused and get to work the flames were beyond control. and 1t was apparent that every house in the business row was doomed The facilt- ties for fighting fire were meagre and every one turned his attention to sav- ing as much goods as possible, but with poor success. In twenty minutes from the time the fire was discovered, every building in the row was in flames and the heat was so intense as to great ly interfere with the workmen.
 About o'clock heavy rain began falling. which greatly damaged goods that had been carried out of the stores.
 Nose of the books and cash and val uable papers were saved. and things in the iron safes were found in fairly good condition after the fire. though some of them were considerably scorched.
 The home of the railway station agent. Mfr. Cosby, was destroyed. but the depot and cotton gin. near by, es- caped. The residence was owned by the railroad company and was insured. As the last store in the block was burning. the wind changed and blew the flames from the residence section. Had this not been the case, it is doubt full if single house. save the depot and cotton gin. would have been left in the village.
 The origin of the fire is not known. Some think 1t vas incendiary; others are of the opinion that 1t was due to the carelessness of a crowd of negroes who ware seen tin the store of Iahn Hough late Tuesday night. Those who were losers by tho fire and their losses. are as Allows:
 c. W. Sellers and Sons: storehouse and stock of general merchandise, loss se,ooo. Insurance $3.50o.
 W. c, Boyd. los about s1.ooo. No insurance.
 c. c. Bates. storehouse and stock. loss $2.500. No insurance.
 pr. w. A. Sellers. office and drug store stock. loss $2.5oo. Insurance s1,- 800.
 J. H. Hough lost storehouse and small stock of goods No insurance.
 A~fine plano. the property of the B. E. Forbes Piano Company of Mont gomery, was among the contents of the residence that was destroyed.
 Considerable advancing business was done at Inverness to the farmers of the surrounding country. but no more bus mess can be transacted there for some time. as insurance matters will have to be adjusted and new buildings erected.
 It looks like incendiaries are at work in this section. Only about two months ago the village of Perote. six miles southeast of Inverness, was partially destroyed by fire, and less than a year ago the town of Boswell. four miles south of Inverness had a disastrous fire destroying several stores, all occurring in the middle of the night.