The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-08
Bessener News

morning about 3 o'clock fire, thought to I the fruit store owned by Joe Plias on Nineteenth street. between Alabama and First avenues An explosion which start l led the entire neighborhood occurred in | the Plias store shortly before o'clock | this morning and an instant later flames | burst through the roof, a spectacular con | hagraton being the result. The fire de- | partment was summoned immediately but | the firemen were practically helpless, the | flames having gained such a rapid head way. The firemen were compelled to di- rect their attention to saving the adjoin- ing buildings, the Plias store being com pletely destroyed.
 | Joe Plias, the owner of the fruit store, was out of town and another Italian, whose name could not be learned, had | charge of. the store and was asleep In | the rear of the store at the time of the | explosion He barely escaped with his | life. A bag containing s270 in gold which | was left in the burning structure was afterwards found by Fireman Philip Raine and returned to the owner. A large quantity of ammunition stored in the rear of the store exploded just before the fire | department reached the scene.
 1 The explosion was terrible, causing the walls to crack and the ceilings to shatter | in the building next door, occupied by | the Walker bakery. Serious damage was | also done the stock of G. c. Smith X | Co, grocers and market men, and the stock of W. l.. Banks, next door to the bakery, was damaged by smoke. The loss will amount to 5000.
 | A careful investigation was conducted by the police, who are of the opinion that the building was set on fire. So | far no positive evidence has been gained | or any arrests made. The damaged buildings belonged to | Oddo Pasquale, who carries sl50O insur- ance in the Norwich company. All of | the merchants carried insurance. | In the city court this morning the fol- | lowing suit was filed: Celia Nelson vs. W. H, Porter for 5000 damages for all legged injuries received by being struck | by the automobile of Mir. Porter. In the police court this morning only three cases appeared before Mayor Lewis. All of the defendants were negroes. Twenty dollars | cash was netted from the $30 assessed. Six carloads of pig iron from the Rob ertstown furnace of the Tennessee com pany were shipped to Vienna, Austria. today. The pig iron will go over the Louisville and Nashville railroad to Pen- sacola, Fla, where it twill be transferred | to tbo cbi fs ha frct cl,i
 of an order of 1900 tons.
 Jonesboro camp No. 376. w. o. w., held
 a very intesting meeting tonight with
 a large number present F. R. Barnett.
 Robert McDaniel, J. N. Milan, C. l.. Car
 rel and w. NJ. Walkey had the pleasure
 of riding the mysterious goat" after
 which they became full fledged Wood
 men.
 Grady Batson, W. L.. Coston, David Full
 ton and pr. Nash of Virginia mines went
 to Talladega yesterday on the special
 train from Birmingham and were among
 the 4s who had the Shrine degree in
 Masonry conferred 6n them. They re-
 turned to Bessemer today.
 The work of laying the cement floor al
 the Bessemer fire department has been
 completed and is quite an Improvement
 on the old floor.
 | Archie Leon French. an impersonator.
 vantriloqulst and imtator. will give an | entertainment at the High school audi
 torium Friday evening for the benefit of
 the High School Improvement association. Much interest is being taken in the af-
 fair, which promises to be one that will cause much amusement An admission of
 10 cents will be charged.
 Kyle B. Price the noted prohibition orator and a candidate for congressman at large of the state of Alabama. delivered
 a splendid address at the Rebie hall to- night to a large and appreciative audi
 ence. As a speaker Mr. Rice has a state , wide reputation. In the recent prohibi- , tion campaign in this state he was par ticularly active.
 Rev. M K. Thornton. pastor of the Firsl Baptist churoh of this city, has arranged , for a Sunday school institute to be helc April IS. 19 and 2l at the local church. He !, has just received letter from H. L.
 Strickland. secretary of the Baptist Sate
 Sunday School association stating thai
 Miss Lillian Forbes, co-editor of the graded lessons. would be present on thai
 occasion to lecture on elementary work l A number of noted workers will be here } among them being L. P. Leavell of OK ford. Miss
 } The Ladies' Aid society of the Jones boro Methodist church will serve dinner