The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-05-18
WHOLE CITY
ALARMED BY FIRE
Broke Out In Business Center.
Flames Ragged Flercely.
FIRE FIGHTERS PREVENTED DISASTER
Confined TO Small Area - Bell & Bro.
T. II. Harris. Boston Variety Store
Heaviest Losers Etc, Etc.

Heaviest Losers Etc, Etc.
81 Miss Amelia Woods was sit
ting at her desk In DR. j. Garnett
Kings office Tuesday about Ais
! p. m. when her attention was at
e tracted by the kicking of horse in
81 stable just back OF r. H. Harris
! store bordering on the alley. Then
: she saw flames shoot up about ten
feet high and a horse emerging from
: the burning building.
The Alarm.
Miss Woods phoned to central
aud Mr. Geo. ID. Rowe. who was
near the telephone office. gave the
alarm
BY that time black volumes OF
smoke filled the air and enyeloped
the surrounding houses. No wind
was blowing. but there had been no
rain for several weeks and the roofs
OF the houses were as dry as tim
der
Fire Depm tmcnt.
|, The fire department FASTENED to
!, the scene aud three sets of hose wera
! quickly attached to the fire plugs.
, one at the National Bank corner.
anOther at Johnston & Parsons
corner and still another al corner
of Main and George streets.
3. The flames from the stable leap
ed over the roof Of W. A. Bell
Bro. furniture store and the fire
crept between the roof and ceiling
on the second story
Il looked like the Bell store could
not be. saved and fears were enter
tanned for the Boston Variety store.
Kishpaughs and b. Goldsmith a
Sons stores. adjoining on the
north side and r. II. Harris. Jas. T.
Layton a Sons and G. W. Jones
stores on the south side. The two
latter caught several times. but were
saved by buckets and a garden hose
which was carried to the roof OF
Jones store
Residences ON Fire.
4 slight breeze sprung up and
sparks started small flames on the
shingle roofs OF the residences OF
Mrs. Charles Wallace and Mrs NJ /
/ l.. Chesley more than block away. /
/ These were quickly extinguished but /
not without much excitement
Threw Water IN Roofs.
On the roofs of the Goldsmith. G /
r. Undertake. Hirsh 4 Son
and other buildings the employers
and clerks were on roofs with small .
sprinklers. buckets OF water. hose,
etc
ST. Georges Church.
The trees In rear OF ST. Georges
church were badly burned. and II II
had not been for the new tin roof
lately put on the church that build
ing would have caught on fire and
might have been burned.
The Fire Fighters.
Three heavy streams Of water
were poured into the Bell building
II was a stubborn fight The flames
continued to creep under the roof
and the firemen worked liked heroes
As the water from the hose which
was carried into Bells store struck
the burning roof and splashed
against the tin and fell back scalding
not. Mr. Preston Harris got the
benefit OF some OF this water and
IN with the smoke caused him TO
fall unconscious tie was picked up
and brought out. attended by DR..
Scott. revived and later sent home.
Finally Under Control.
After two hours hard work what
looked like a most serious cOnfla-
grafton was subdued and the fire
confined to Harris stable. Bells
roof and the roof Of the Boston Va
ricty Store.
The Spe, tators.
More than two thousand people
were spectators and there was great
excitement BY some It was feared
the whole block would burn.
Layton & Son moved their stock
to Falk's old stand on the next
block, Dr. King packed his instru-
ments and mOvables. Boston Variety
store and T. II. Harris locked their
doors.
Mr.. +. c. Bell completely cOllaps-
"a from the excitement. heat and
water and was taken home in a car
rage.
The Damage.
The damage to Bell q Bros. stock
will amount 10 several thousand dol
ars. The roof OF the building was
badly damaged. No fire reached the
itock. but it was soaked with water.
The Boston Variety stock was in
ured by water to the amount OF
81 10 afa a
IF Harris was not insured and the
lorse badly singed.
Splendid Work.
The fire department is deserving
II the highest praise and there was
a good supply OF water. Three big
,treams that would have Knocked
nan down and splinter window sash"
played upon the flames until they
we're extinguished. The firemen
worked like Trojans. and when In
lividuals we're overcome by smoke
hey would go off for a few minutes
md return to their task. They were
sslsted by scores of young men VINO
yorked like veterans.
Insured.
Every merchant, except perhaps
,eu & Bro. was fully insured
The insurance on Bell building
md stock is divided as follows chr
.hcster&Co., $4,000 building. $1,000
IN stock: f. d. Cole. $4,000 build
ng. $500 stock; John F. Gouldman'
Cr $1,000 stock; Bolts & Co, 81.
900 stock; J. w. Allison, Jr., $2'OOO
,tock. Total. $1,000 building So
900 stock. -,
If Is expected a new roof VIII
o nut on the Bell building In a
ew days and business will be re-
umed. -,
Boston Variety Store has with
lotts & Co: Stock. S5,4S5; Smith
swift. $4,000, and j. w. Allison,
r.. $4,000. The building Is owned
Mrs. w. L. Watson, insured by
,otts & Co. for $4,000.
j T. Layton & Son has on stock
With Bolts & Co. $4,000; Chiches-
r. G. Co. $4,000; Smith & Swift
$1,000.
TIL Harris has Insurance on stock
,uilding s4,85S with Bolts e. Co.
Mr. Harris lost a large lot of wood
md a new buggy No insurance on
ither.
Telephones Burned Out.
tublob ruOQ