The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-10-08

LII LuO AOc&A toSNA ~
It was only by exceptionally good
work that the store OF Mr.: Il. q: FOLK
which adjoins those of Col. Jno. +:
Folk, was saved, but his stock OF
merchandise was badly damaged by
moving and water.
Several times it appeared that the
store of C. r. Brabham's Sons, which
is South of the burned buildings,
would be destroyed, but just at the
most critical period, by hard work,
the situation was relieved. When 1t
was thought that this store would be
burned a large amount of the stock
was carried out and as result the
Messrs. Brabham have goods that are
considerably damaged by moving and
water.
Perhaps the heaviest loser is Mr..
w. G. Hoffman, who had only lately
installed one of the handsomest soda
fountains in the State, and besides
there were numerous handsome and
expensive fixtures in Mr.. HOFFMAN S
store.
He owned and operated complete
electric lighting plant which he had
installed before the system which is
now operated by the town was In
stalled. His store was almost total
loss.
We give below list of the losers
with their estimates of their losses:
w. G. Hoffman, loss about $4,000
with insurance of s4,500; Armstrong
Johnson -Brabham Co., loss about S.
900, insurance $500; Jas. Mitchell,
stock valued at 81 900, total loss with
insurance of $500; J. A. Hunter, loss
about $4,000, insurance $6,5O0; j..
F.. Folk, loss on building $11 500, in
surance $500; S. G. Mayfeld, law
office, loss from $4,000 to 5000, in
surance $400; DR.. o. D. Faust, den
tist, loss about $500, no insurance;
E. Dickinson, loss about $500, fully
covered by insurance; H. c. Folk,
stock damaged by moving and water,
$4,000, fully covered; C. R. Brab-
hams Sons, damage by moving and
water, about $1,000, fully covered by
insurance.
This one of the very greatest fires
the town has ever experienced. The
flames were discovered in Mr.. Nit
chell's store about six o'clock Tues
day morning, and rapidly spread to
the opera house upstairs. The wind
was blowing South, however, and it
seemed as if the fire would come on
down street as we'll. Fortunately it
changed in time, although merchants
for many doors down had begun to
pack up their goods preparatory to
moving.
The buildings destroyed were the
brick store and town hall owned by
the town and three stores and opera
house of Col. Jno. F. Folk, all two
story structures. Upstairs in the
town hall was used as lodge room
for the Masons and Knights of Py-
thias, but much of the regalia of
these lodges was saved. The Knights
had insurance of $500, which it is
thought will cover the loss. We have
not heard the amount of insurance
carried by the Masonic lodge, but it
is no doubt sufficient to cover their
loss.
Some goods were saved from Hun
ter's hardware store under the town
hall, but Mr.. Mitchell saved nothing;
Armstrong-Jo Johnson-Brabham Co. next
door saved very little, and w. G. Hoff-
man, in the next store North and the
last to burn, saved some goods and
fixtures, including his electric piano.
H. c. Folks store next door was
not burned, but he moved all his
stock out and it was certainly badly
damaged. All day he and his clerks
have been moving back in and trying
to get straight. His store caught
several times, but was put out, but
the building is damaged considerably,
and the South wall, next to the burn
ed buildings, may have to be torn
down.
Upstairs in the opera house build
ing was the law Office of Hon. S. G..
Mayfield and the dental office of DR..
o. D. Faust. Mayfield saved nothing,
losing his complete law library, many
valuable books and papers being de-
stroXed, which cannot be replaced.
Part of his library had been handed
down by his uncle with the additions
he had made during his many years
of practice. DR.. Faust saved moth
ing but his dental chair.
The buildings will be rebuilt at
once. Col. Folk has already gone to
work making preparations to rebuild,
and city council will rebuild the town
hall at once. Handsomer buildings
will be erected, and steps will be
taken at once to put in the long de-
layed water works. City council and
a member of the board of public
works had conference Tuesday
night in regard to the matter.
Mr.. Mayfield has his office upstairs
in the court house for the present,
but none of the others burned out
have arranged for quarters yet.
There are no empty stores in town.
and it seems as if four merchants Of
the town will be out of business until
Storoc ran he h11i1t