The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-10-09
.B4MBURG HARD ffniT
VISITED TUESDAY MORNING By
SERIOUS FIRE:

Prompt and Energetic Work on the
Part of Citizens Prevented Spread
of the slames..
Our neighbor Bamberg was Wis
tied about half-past five O'Clock
Tuesday morning by a very disas-
trous fire. entailing a loss of about
$4,000 or more. OF this amount
about one-half' is covered by insur-
ance. The following particulars OF
the fire was furnished by the Bam-
berg correspondent of The State:
The fire was discovered in the
grocery store of Mr.. j. A. Mitchell,
but there are different reports as
to whether it originated in that place
or in the opera house above. Some
say that the fire began underneath
the stage Of the opera house and
others that it+began in the store be-
meath. There are some who think
that the work was that of incen-
diaries, as. Mr.. Mitchell's front door
was found: unfastened. Whether this
was. doEe by some one trying to
fight the flames or whether it was
broken open by an incendiary is
question, but the fact that there is
night watchman on the streets at
all hours of the night makes it ap-
pear that the door was opened after
the fire was discovered.
But for prompt and energetic work
on the part Of the citizens the flames
would have no doubt spread its path
of destruction much further down
the business section of the town. As
it was, it completely destroyed the
buildings occupied by W.: G. Hoff-
man, Armstrong-Johnson Co., ]. A.
Mitchell, j. A. Hunter and Fl. Dick
inson, as we'll damaging the large
mercantile establishment of H. c.
Folk and C. R. Brabham's Sons. The
opera house above the stores of
Messrs. Hoffman. Armstrong-John-
son-Brabham Co. and Mitchell was
destroyed. In this same block were
the law offices of Hon. S. G. May
field and his very complete library
was a entire loss. Dr.. o. d. Faust's
dental office was destroyed and his
fixtures were all lost without any in
surance The building owned by the
town was occupied by the hardware
concern of IA. Hunter, and the up
per story, was used as lodge by
the knights Of Pythias and Masons.
The property of these two orders
was practically all saved. The dam
age to goods of the stocks of H. c:
Folk, G. R. Brabham's Sons and Mrs.
x. l.. Shuck & Co. will -be consider
able, both from removal and to some
extent from water.
The losses and insurance are as
follows:
Onera house fixtures, owned by ].
F. Folk, valued at S1,400; insurance
of $500.
Building owned by J. F. Folk and
occupied by merchants on first floor;
valued AT S10,500; insurance of
S6,5OO.
Law Office and library of S. G.
Mayfeld; valued at $4,000, with no
insurance.
Johnson-Brabham Co.
stock of general merchandise; valued
at $4,000; insurance $4,000.
w. G. Hoffman, fancy groceries
and ice cream parlor; valued at
$4,000: insurance of $500.
Building owned by town; valued at
$4,000; insurance $4,000.
Dental parlor. DR.. U. D. Faust:
valued at $500: total loss.
j. A. Mitchell, fancy groceries;
stock valued at $500; insurance
$500.
J. A. Hunter, hardware; stock
valued at $500; insurance $1,000.
H. Dickinson fruit store; covered
by insurance.
Store Of II. C. Folk; damaged
about $1,000. ;.
Before the fire had finished burn
ing today, Col. John F. Folk had
made arrangements with construc-
tor to replace the burned building.
Mr.. Folk owned the block which was
burned, with the exception Of the
city hall. and he says that he will
replace the old building with hand
some structure. The burned huild-
ing was handsome one, but the
new will be much prettier in every
respect. The town will erect a
handsome city hall to replace the
-arned one, which was not in keep
ing with the town.
Mayor G. F. Hair said today that
he favored putting up an attractive
building, making the first floor a
store as before, the second fitted up
for offices and the third to he used
for the lodges. The wall belonging
to :.1r. Fl. C. Folk and which was
in direct contact with the flames
will probably be changed in some
way, Mr.. Folk fears that it is warped
from the heat.