The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-17
Fire at MiIIer's Hotel.

Lost Wednesday afternoon March 10, ABOUT
fonr O'Clock, the fire bell, whose home Is now
ON TOD OF the opera house, observed tne enin-
ole roof of the old Miller hotel 10 De on IRE
and Immediately by It's long tongue began 10
give the alarm. The best fire company Oh
earth responded in the shortest sort OF time'
Almost in no time streams OF water were d.
rected to the spot where their concentrated
efforts would do the most good. Inc various
remarks of the fre-bell and the great volume
NJ suoke which arose from the burning rooi
drew 10 the scene from all parts Of the city a
great multitude of interested or excited peo-
nile of every line from snowy white to sooty-
some OF the prettiest samples Of the best "o-
mem that the sunlight ever fell upon were
there. Little children came, too, 10 see the
show. The pretty women were 80 mucn AZ
mtred that they more than equally dlVioee
the attention with the fire and the smoke'
the water and the steam. In rural to"ns
like this pretty women patronize all interest
ING shows. and a pyrotechDic show Is always
of interest to everybody hereaoout.
For more than an hour the deyouring ele-
ment commended with the watery element
for the mastery over the Miller hotel. For q
time II was thought that the IRE had the
best OF the fire company, but, oy the nie
company's persistent effort, 1t came on Vlcto'
r,ops. and the remains Of the hotel may ot
s,,Il seen from the street. The greater part Of
the shingles we're destroyed, and some OF the
rafters swere either burnt or badly charred.
The floors upstairs and downstairs were
saved, while the studding eff the walls Is In
tact.
Some mighty good people generally be-
come more or less excited at a country hre,
and their generous promptings are seen 10
their earnest and vigorous efforts TO saVe
property, For instance: A man knocked
on, a corner post that held up the two-storS
piazza. Another man came along Win q pol
axe and knocked down another post. 1he
third post was being vigorously attacked
with an axe, when q bystander with cooler
head and less excitement, called attention To
the fact that he was in danger OF KNOCKING
the piazza down when he would kill him.
self.
The cast iron coal CRATES we're brought oui
and carefully landed on the sidewalk. Gu
rious looking piece OF crockery "nlcp
scanned TO US like q lower vase-but which
had no flowers In Twas carefully droppeo
over the baluslers OF the piazza TO the SID.
walk. And then began the work o. taxing
out the window sash and knocking down the
doors. Some of the doors and some OF the
glass in the sash were successfully placed IN
safety, but that fate OF safety did not await
all of such articles.
One old gentleman who had seen many .
fire suggested that the chimneys and pillars
might be saved. A suggestion was also maze
TO the effect that the we'll could be saved and
retailed out for post holes for garden fences.
The stick palings on the lower floor were
saved BY knocking them over or the side
walk.
The Miller hotel has been a landmark In
this town for many years. The new part Of
1.-THE l. and the storeroom-was built before
the war, where, we believe its builder, VIM,
Hughey, retailed liquids Of a fiery nature TO
guests at his hotel. and to othere, when called
TO relieve the demands Of the situation.
The main part Of the hotel has been there for
a time to which the memory OF man runnetb
not to the contrary.
The Miller hotel has been, for a greater or q
less time, abandoned as a hotel, and more
recently rooms have been rented in 1t for va
rious purposes.
When 1t was determined TO tear down the
old court house two years ago, the county
officers were furnished quarters In this build.
ing, and 1t has been only about five months
since the offices were moved into the new
bnilding.
1t t said that rats are taught by instinct, to
leave a sinking ship. Because Of fear Of fire
there was anxiety to get the public property
out of the old hotel. The owners Of the stock
of merchandise, because OF the dread. OF fire,
moved out q short time ago. The colored
lodge moved out about a week before the fire.
When the fire broke out the building was
occupied chiefly by colored people who fur
nished meals and lodging TO customers.
Besides them, the pressing club had
quarters there. and we a heard 1t said, we
know not by whom, that the fire originated
In that quarter. !
While we have no definite Information on
subject, yet 1t m to us, that there Is a
notable fatality to houses occupied by pressing
clubs. The fire OF the Glenn-Ethel hotel, we
believe originated in the neighborhood OF the
pressing club which then had quarters in the
wooden part Of the building.
A part Of the Miller hotel had been stand
ing perhaps for seventy.f1ve or eighty years.
The regretable part Of this story i, that MIR.
Lamar Clinkscales who owns the property,
had no. insurance on It. We understand that
the timbers of the building, that were not de-
stroyed, will be used by Mr.. Clinkscales In
building tenant houses on his plantation.
And go 1t L., we shall see the last Of the old
Miller hotel in Abbeville.
At one time 1t was thought that Mr.. Rus
sells stable was in danger. The fire was close
enough to Mr.. Eakin's dwelling on the east
side of the burning building to make 1t inter-