The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-10-11

Freight Train Caught on Fire But
Flames We're EItinguished.
The big plant or the Hannah Rox
SHOOK Company. and eight or ten
small one-story Franc dwellings, oc-
cupied by negroes. hll situated in the
northeastern section OF the city verc
totally consumed ty hre early yester-
day afternoon, and the fact that the
names did not spread further among
the settlement OF small houses was due
TO the valiant fight or the FIRE depart
ment, although the men worked under
great handicap. on account of the dis
tant location OF the nearest fire plug.
The flames started in the dust room
AT the box shook factory shortly be-
fore > O'Clock and the meployes thcr.
made a hard effort. with the facilities
al their command to ut the fire out.
but without success In the mean
time, about 2:05 telephoncaIarm sur,.
moned part of the fire apparatus and
five minutes later a general alarm was
sent in. The deartmcnt reSondcd
promptly. but when il arrived on the
scene. the large building, formerly
used as a tobacco warehouse was
mass Of flames, the dressed and pre-
rared lumber furnishing fine fuel fo-
the devastating fire
There was some delay in getting
water the nearest fire hyilrants being
situated at Eighth and Biaden and
Eighth and Red Cross streets. The
task before tho firemen was Her
culean one and they entered into the
fight with fierce determination and they
checked the flames before half the
houses. in block that appeared doom
ed. had been destroyed. The Worth
Cotton Seed Oil mill. situated close to
the Hannah factory was in great dan
ger and it was only by the hardest
work that the fire was prevented from
spreading in that direction
The confiaEration. which attracted
hundreds of people from the city. was
finally got under control about four
o'clock. but even at an early hour this
morning the great stacks OF lumber
and other material is still burning and
a corps Of frcmcn is kept on the
scene.
The loss of the Hannah factory was
a complete one, there having not been
time to save anything in thcbui ldln-.
The houses across the street were also
totally demolished. \ large number
of loaded freight cars were standing
on the A. c. l. tracks. which pass near
the factory, and several Of thes" cars
caught fire. but the flames were exiting
uished and the ears removed before
any very serious damage was don"
In pushing the cotton loaded
cars away from the fire. a dozen or
more freight empties were showed or
the tracks near the bridge, crossing
over Smiths creek, and they lay piled
on top Of one another at that place.
But the loss thereiscomp arativels NAL
But the loss there is comparatively
small compared with what would have
been the loss If the cotton cars had
been destroyed.
The Hannah Box Shook Company oc-
cupied a large part OF the block sur
rounded by Ninth, Tenth, Hanover and
Brunswick streets, and the houses that
were destroyed were located across
Ninth street, between Hanover and
Brunswick.
All the people living in that entire
block, which appeared To be doomed.
began moving their household goods
into the street early in the afternoon
and the adjoining thoroughfares were
packed with articles OF household
goods
Hundreds Of chickens and dozens or
pigs were moving in indescribable con-
fusion. while their owners were trying
to carroll them into places OF safety.
One old negro man, Ben Keel, Il Is
said had 800 in money burned uP IN
one OF the houses.
At this time. with fire department
officials still on tn" scene. II Is not
possible 10 give list OF the houses
destroyed or the amount Of damage
done Il is thought that seven one
story frame dwellings were completely
burned and that two others were part
L. consumed The total loss will prob
ably amount To nearly 100000.
II the prOhibitionists do not get
Ashevillethis time the Legislature Will