Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1909-12-22
THE EMPIRE BURNS.

0,lgln Of Fire A Mystery. R. H. Pendel
Killed and Earl Keeter Seriously Injured.
A very serious and what pro.
missed, to be very disastrous fire
occurred Friday night, shortly
after 10 o'clock, when the south
end of the Empire store, on the
corner of Main aud Bank streets,
was burned. The fire was first
discovered by workmen on the
Kress building and by the crowd
which was dismissed from the
play, Alice in Wonderland, which
had been given by the children of
the graded school, and, that the
alarm was not given earlier was
fortunate. Had it been it ls
likely that panic would have
ensued in the theatre and, it is
very propable. that some of the
children and patrons would have
been seriouly injured, if not kill
ed In the, rush to get out. A
bright light was first seen in the
second story window of the EN-
plre building, near the corner,
and almost Immediately there
was an explosion which was fol-
loved by the flames boiling from
the front windows on the second
floor.
The alarm was given and the
firemen responded in a few min
utes, but not before the fire had
made such headway that it was
feared that the whole of the En-
pire block, which comprises six
store rooms beside the hotel,
would be burned. They soon had
several streams playing upon it
from the front, rear and the Bank
street side, but the pressure was
weak and very little was acc M
plished until the engine, which
had been delayed for some cause.
not known up to this time, was
gotten into action, and the arrlv-
al of the Spencer fire department,
which responded on special car
to message asking for their as.
sistance. The Spencer boys came
from Spencer and were throwing
water twenty-five minutes after
they were called and, by the
combined efforts of all the fire.
men, with the steady streams
poured upon it, the fire died down
and III short time was under
control. The flames were conf.
ed to the south erd of the build
ing over the double store room
and was kept up stairs, except in
a few places where it burned
through the floor, which we're ex-
tingushed before it could make any
headway OH the lower floor.
Before the arrival of the Spsn-
Ger firemell, or before the engine
could be gotten to work, She flames
had made such progress that it
was feared that the whole block
including the hotel would burn
and all Of the guests made prepar-
ations to move, but were spared
this necessity, fer by combined
efforts of the fremen the fire was
subdued and the guests return=d
to their rooms.
No one seems to know how
the fire originated and no one was
in the store just at the time
the flames broke out. Just how
a fire could get start on the
second story, at a point where it
would take longest to get at is
somewhat of a mystery, hence
difficult to explain.
The walls of the building do
not appear to be much damaged,
and the building is in good shape,
except on that part over the
second floor on the south end
The roof was burned off and fell
IN, but the rest of the building
was not hurt. The principal
damage on the lower floor and
in the store department was from
water and smoke, aud, until
things can be gotten in shape 1t
will! be hard to tell what the loss
is. We hear that the stock was
worth from 100000 to SIS, 600,
with insurance amounting about
$50, 900, with $4,000 to $4,000 on
7 the building.
During the fire it was necessary
to send one of the wagons to the
city hall for more hose and the
light wagon, driven by Mr.. Hess,
was sent for it. R. II. Pender
aud Earl Keeter, who are not fire.
men but who wsre helping the N,
VOLUNTEERED to go with the wagon
Their offer was accepted and the
wagon had made three trips and
in order to avoid the hose on
Fisher street, the wagon took a
AI0ne in Saw Mill at Midnight