Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-10-16
Destructive Fire Swept Hopkins
Block Sunday Morning

history of Lexington ragged TO
four hours Sunday morning last
October ID, 1907, and as a result
the entire Hopkins block of brlcl
+ buildings on Nam street opposite
the Presbyterian church, together
! with the stores and other business
enterprises which occupied the
buildings, entailing loss that il
estimated from $4,000 to $780,,
1000. The insurance on the burn.
lag buildings, stores, elc., was
S31, 500.
\ TIE fire was discovered at $50
O'Clock Sunday morning in NJ. j.
Hess jewelry store and the alarm
was at once sounded from the fire.
mems building on Main street,
only few doors above the scene
of the fire. The Lexington fire.
men responded promptly, reaching
the burning buildings only few
minutes after the alarm was given.
In a short time three streams of
water were playing upon the
flames, but on account of the
great Roadway that the fire had
gained before disco' cry, the con
fagratioD could with difficulty be
held In check. Before the firemen
arrived the flames poured out of
Mr.. Hess store front and were
leapiug to the roof. The glare
could be seen from all sections of
the town, and in a short time
hundreds of people gathered on
the streets and watched the in
satiable flames as they shot
Through the doomed buildings.
The fremen, with ladder and hose,
fought heroically, but the fire was
so hemmed In by the walls of the
burning buildings that the water
could scarcely be thrown where
most needed. The difficulty was
increased when the flames caught
in the attic and communicated
with the roof of the entire length
of buildings.
For four hours the firemen bat
tied with tire flames and finally
succeeded in extinguisking the
fire. Many narrow escapes from
injury occurred. TIE frosty morn
ing chilled the men and when
their clothing became soaked with
water their efficiency was some
what limited by reason of the
Geld. They scaled the burning
walls of the doomed buildings and
climbed to the roofs of adjoining
houses, fighting the while with
fierce determination.
The corps Of cadets were order
ed up town by Colonel Mills, and
as soon as they arrived on the
ground they were in readiness 10
render any assistance that might
be asked of them. And they did
efficient work.
Before church time Sunday
the fire had been extin-
guished, but there were smolder
ing portions that required atten'
ton all through the day and night.
Occasionally the flames would
start up again from the debris,
and water had to be thrown again
to put them out.
The destruction of the block is
nearly complete. Hess store Is
entirely destroyed, Agr or's COM
DIete wreck, Irwin q Co.'s partial
y ruined, Miley's photograph
gallery almost destroyed, and the
county News badly damaged. The
estimates of the Losses are as fol-
Ows: ;
The Hopkins block, valued at
;25, 90, with insurance of $40, 900. :
Irwin & Co., dry goods, $22,-
100 stock, about $4,000 damage, 4;
With $14,O 600 insurance. .
NJ. j. Hess. jeweller and fancy ,
.oods, $4,000 stock, with $1,000 ,
insurance. :
w. II. Agnor, general merchan- =
Use, 81, 500 stock, with 1900 in +
urance.
NJ. Miley u Son, photographers, 4
1000 stock, with $1,000 insur-
nee.
RockBridge County News. dam
ged to the extent of $1,000 or -
POO, with 81, 500 insurance. n
In the loss of Miley d. Son in -
luded the collection of plates for =
be past fitteeu years work, to- y .
ether with their outfit for color y
hose graphy. Numerous historic n
lctures Of the Lee and Washing 7
IN families and other noted pic. 7
Tres were destroyed. r
Mr.. Hopkins will rebuild, but he 9
as not yet determined what style g 9,
.ructure to erect. -
The reservoir was reduced only =;
few inches by the constant flow "
water during the fire,
he J.W, Barclay Property Sold
to ". &. Stuart VI
The j. w. Barclay property on :.