The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-08-16
.GRAHAM'S STABLES BURNED.
BIGGEST FIRE THAT HAS VISIT.
ED SUMTER SINCE HOTEL
JACKSON WAS BURNED.
Area of More Than Half Acre Burn
ell ont in Less Than HOur-OtIicc
furniture and Stock SaVcd-Eight
Buildings Destroyed at Loss of
Several Thousand Dollars.

In one Of the fastest and biggest
fires which has visited Sumter in
several months, the stables belong
ing TO Mr.. w. Nj. Graham and six
small houses We're destroyed and an
area of more than half an acre was
devasted.
The total loss is estimated at be-
tween $4,000 and 5000, with in
surance covering the greater part
of the loss. The parties to lose in
the fire We're Mr.. w. NJ. Graham, who
lost the part Of his stables on
the north side Of Hampton avenue
with portion of his stock Of vehi-
cles and farming implements, and
he Sumter Commercial! Real Estate
Company, most of the stock of which
Is owned by Mr.. Thomas Wilson
The negro tenants OF the buildings
who were conducting restaurants and
repair shops. saved most of their
property "a few Of the articles Of
furniture being broken in the re-
moval from the houses.
The fire started shortly after half
past nine o'clock at about the GEN.
trail part Of the Graham stable build
ing. AS the building was extreme
ly dry it spread rapidly in every di-
rection and soon a nearby barn con-
tanning hay. the whole building and
harness repair shop next to the
front Of the stables were on fire.
From here the fire spread to a vacant
warehouse and to the other negro
restaurants. About this time the fire
was at its height and 1t looked as il
II would go right on to Main street
on the one side and to the Epper-
son houses on the other side. A
strong fight was put up by the fire.
men. however, and it was prevented
from spreading farther. The fire
spread so rapidly that it was not
IL
started that all of the buildings
which caught were on fire. The per-
sons who were engaged in taking
the articles out Of the stables hardly
had time to make more than two or
three trips before the fire was upon
them ana they were forced to leave
OF their work HAD il not been that
the Office was in the part OF the build
irg farthest away from where the
fire originated it would have been
impossible to have saved the fur
niture that was removed. The negro
restaurant keepers We're still far
ther away and they had to hurry to
get their things out before the fire
ran them off.
The hose wagon and steamer were
extremely slow in getting to the fie.
This was due to the fact that the
regular engineer left town last night
for trip off and the hose wagon had
been placed in front Of the steamer
for use in case Of a small fire. When
the alarm was turned in and it be-
came known where the fire was. the
horses. which had already been hitch
ed to the hose wagon, We're unhitch-
ed and hitched to the steamer which
mad to go all the way round to CAL
houn street, the driver being under
the impression that the fire was in
the Epperson tenement houses, and
the blocked condition Of the street
being the cause Of this. AS it was
the first nozzle was hitehed to the
hydrant in front of the Jail and serv-
ed good purpose in keeping the fire
from spreading in that direction to
the Epperson houses, Epperson build
ing and Booth Hardy Live Stock
company stables, where if it had
ever gotten a hold it could not have
been extinguished until all Of the
buildings had been burned or gutted.
hS II was Niit iOSt WAS connected
just in time to prevent these build
ings from catching. After this a man
had to be sent to hunt UP Capt. p.
Il. Finn to run the steamer so that
additional water power could be OBJ
tanned. While he was being hunted
up three more streams of water were
turned on and the fire was prevented
from spreading further to the other
buildings.
Those who We're burned out were:
j. l.. Fogy. repair shop; Julia Mar
tin and Dave Sanders. restaurant and
shoe shop; Lucy Ann Thomas, restau-
rant; Ross Thompson and Louisa
Dow. store and restaurant; vacant
warehouse formerly occupied by