Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1908-05-14
ATLANTA SUFFERS.
FIRE CAUSES BIG LOSS IN RUsI.
NESS DISTRICT.
HiEB Wind and Light Water Pressure
Rendered the Fireflghters' Work

| hNfuer.
One million and quarter is the
loss conservativeiy estimated Friday
on fire which started at $3.50 O'Clock
Friday morning and which swept two
blocks of Atlanta business property.
Friday night the fire was under
control with ruined buildings in the
district bounded by Forsyth, Nelson,
Madison and Hunter streets. Late
Friday the police and fire departments
dynamited what was left Of the rag
ged walls. Friday night half of the
fire fighting force of Atlanta was
playing water into dozen razed
structures
How the fire started is mystery.
1t was discovered in the building oc-
cupied by the Schessinger Meyer COM
pany, bakery. From there IL ran its
way in all directions until 1t struck
the Terminal hotel. one of the largest
in the city. and gutted that. During
the early morning hours every one in
the Terminal hotel and in numerous
other smaller hotels in the district
had warning. There was no loss of
life and no serious injuries from the
confiagraion.
lie insurance on the property de-
stroyed is placed by insurance men
at S750.O00. One of the heaviest
losers in S. NJ. Inman of Atlanta. who
owned the entire block bounded by
Forsyth. Mitchell and .,elson streets
and Madison avenue. and i'm which
were located the Schessinger-M Meyer
office, the Liquid Carbonic company.
a branch OF Central Trust & Banking
company and many smaller concerns
The fire was discovered in the ele-
vator shaft OF the Schlessinger build
ing and is supposd to have originated
from crossed wires running to the
motor which operated the elevator.
BY the time the firemen had arrived
the flames mad broken through the
roof OF this building and owing 10
light water pressure. It was impossible
TO check their progress. IN short
time this structure was completely
gutted and the fire was eating its
way through the Station b of the
Atlanta postoffice where mails re-
ceived from the terminal station just
across the square are distributed.
The employers of the postoffice.
however, by quick work managed to
save all the mail and most OF the
equipment
Jumping across Mitchell street, the
flames made short work of the Ter
minal hotel, the Terminal annex.
Childs' annex, at which point the
flremen succeeded in checking the
onslaught on the north side of Nit
chell street. On the south side. how
ever. the flames continued to sweep
everything in their path until Forsyth
street was reached, cutting the build
ings occupied by McClure's Ten Cent
store, the brach bank of the Central
Banking and Trust company. the Par
agon Srspender company. Moon Shoe
store and the Liquid Carbonic com
pany.
The Schlessinger building extended
half block on Nelson street and
from il the flames soon jumped tc
numerous structures on Forsyth street
and destroying the places occupied by
Alverson Bros. Grocery company. the
Bingers Frame Manufacturing com
pany, and he Walker Cooley Furni-
ture company. A strong west wind
tanned the flames and scattered burn
ing embers over the whole business
sction Of the city. threatening for o
time to cause even greater loss.
he firemen had many narrow es-
apes from falling walls. but no in.
iuries OF a serious nature are report
ID
The guests from the hotels and
coming houses in the burned section
succeeding in saving most OF theil
effects having been warned in time
20 remove their trunks. which were
1iled on the plaza IN front of the Ter
ninal station, from which point theil
owners and many early risers watch
ed the progress of the fire.