The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-05-13
4 GREAT ATLANTA FIRE.
THE LOSS is ESTIMATED AT
$1,25O,OOO.
High Wind and Light Water Pressure
Rendered the Firefighters' Work
Harder-Inman is the Largest In
diVfdual Loser.

Atlanta, May S.-Thirty-o build
ings destroyed, AZ business concerns
burned out, 1000 persons thrown out
Of employment and a financial loss
conservatively estimated tonight at
$1,250,000 are the results of a fire
which started about $3.50 o'clock this
morning and ragged for four hours in
the business district Of this city.
Tonight the fire is under control
with ruined buildings in the district
bounded by Forsyth, Nelson, Madison
and Hunter streets. Late today the
police and fire departments dyna-
mited what was left Of the ragged
walls. Tonight half of Atlanta's fire
fighting force is playing water into O.
dozen razed structures.
How the fire stated is a mystery.
1t was discovered in the building oc-
cupied by the Schlessinger-Meyer
company, bakery. From there it ran
its way in all directions until it 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 resulted
from the conflagration.
The insurance on the property de-
stroyed is placed by insurance men
at s75s,OOO.
One Nof the heaviest losers is s. M.
Inman, Of Atlanta, who owned the
entire block bounded by Forsyth,
Mitchell and Nelson streets and Madi-
son avenue, and in which were locat-
ed the Meyer company,
Branch E Of the city postofice, the
Liquid Carbonic company, a branch
of Central Trust & Banking COM
pany, and many smaller concerns.
The fire was discovered in the ele-
vator shaft of the Schlessinger build
ing and is supposed to have originated
from crossed wires running to the
motor which operated the elevator.
BY the time the firemen had arrived
the flames had broken through the
roof Of tis building and owing to a
light water pressure, 1t was impossi-
BILE to check their progress. In a
short time this structure was COM
pletely Quilted and the fire was eat
ing its way. through to Station b of
the Atlanta postofice where mails re-
ceived from the terminal station just
across the square are distributed.
The employees Of the postoface, how
ever. by quick work managed to save
all the mail and most OF the. equip
ment. Jumping across Mitchell
street, the flames made short work
Of the Terminal hotel, the Terminal
annex. Childs' cafe and hotel and
Childs' annex, at which point the
firemen, succeeded in checking the
onslaught on tn 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 branch bank Of the Central
Banking & Trust company, the Para
gon Suspender company, Moon Shoe
store and the Liquid Carbonic COM
pany. The Schlessinger building ex-
tended half a block on Nelson street
and from it the flames soon jumped
to numerous structures on Forsyth
street destroying he places occupied
by Alverson Bros. Grocery company,
the Bingers Frame Manufacturing
company, and the Walker-Cooley
Furniture company. strong west
wind famed the flames and scatter
ed burning embers over the whole
business section Of the city, threaten
ing for time to cause even greater
loss.
The firemen had many narrow es-
capes from falling walls but no in
juries Of serious nature are report
ed
The guests from the hotels and
rooming houses in the burned section
succeeded in saving most of their ef-
fects, having been warned in time to
remove their trunks, which were piled
on the plaza in front of the Ter
minal station, from which point their
owners and many early risers watched