The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1910-08-07
FIR: DESTROYED
4 FULL BLOCKS
SEVENTEEN HOUSES, THREE
STORES AND ONE CHURCH
WE'RE DESTROYED.
Fcor Water Pressure Handicapped
Firemen and For an Hour Tdey
Were Helpless to Fight the Rapid
ly Spreading Flames.

Brunswick was visited last night
by the most serious fire in recent
years, sweeping, as it did. four ell
tire blocks OF smal, residences, iG-
Guiding three grocery stores and ons
colored church.
The alarm was sounded shortly a
ter 10 O'clock and the department
made a quick response. The fire,
However, had gained a good headway
and When Chief Taylor and his meA
arrived one house had been practj
cals destroyed. a store was turninS
while an adjoining house had ignirea
and vas enyelOped in flames.
lie fire originated in a small
d7 cling next to the store OF G. d.
Hi On Albany street, just four doors
+ N the corner Of L. In a very feW
minutes the store had also ignitel
and rom there the flames spread
with great rapidity to the adjoining
houses, all small negro homes. IN
less than a half hour a half dozen
OF more houses were on fire and ii
was realized that the fire was going
to be a serious one.
After sweeping everything in the
book north Of the house where the
f.5 originated on Albany street 70
the corner OF L. the flames sweut
across L street and destroyed two
entire blocks Between l. and N. and
q one time threatened TWO ether
blocks The large negro church at
tie corner of L ard Amherst, was
the srst place to catch after the fire
crossed the street. It burned like
wild ire and a neat little dwelling
just in the rear of it, occupied by
white people was soon on fire. From
this the flames swept on up the
stee-, destroying in all six more
houses in the same block. all occa-
pied by negroes.
From there the flames lashed
across Amherst street and several
small shanties on the opposite side
were soon ablaze. The fire then
licked through the entire block and
was only stopped by the railroad
tracks and the fact that no other
houses were in catching distance.
Poor Water Supply.
W. could have checked this fire
before three buildings were destroy
ed" said Chief Taylor to News re-
porter early this morning after the
fire vas under control For an hour
after the department reached the
scene of the confagration We Wee
absolutely helpless to check the
flames on account of the Inadequate
water pressure l at once Ordered'I
out t1e fire engine, and not until it
arrived, got up steam and started to
pump did we have any water with
which to fight. By this time the
flames. assisted by a stiff wind. had
leap4d from house TO house and when /
we id get water it was impossible |
to check the flames before great dam
age had resulted.
Loss VIII Be Heavy.
IT vas impossible last night to even |
estimate the amount OF loss. The |
seventeen houses destroyed cost be-
tween $400 and $500 each, while the |
three stores were better buildings. |
The retty little residence in the rear
Of he negro church cost probably |
$1,000 while one or two of the nous |
es destroyed were owned by the cc
eupants and were very neat little !
residences. 1t could not be learned |
who owned most of the houses, IS
there appeared to be different Owa-
er to almost every one of the build
ings. Two of the grocery stores de-
stroyed carried fairly large stocks
and little was saved.
Tt was after midnight before the
fire was under control, bu- as soon
as the fire engine got to work, giving
the iremen water, they did excellent
work. JUS what caused the poor
water pressure is not known, 6ur
Chief Taylor is Of the opinion that
there is something wrong with the /
mains in the vicinity and he so nei-
fled the water company some time
ago
II IS understood that large num-
bef Of the destroyed buildings were
insured. Some Of the occupants lost
practically all Of their house hold |
goods. while others. seeing how r2p.