The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-01-09
0UAET0R MILLION
LOST BY FIRE
BLAZE SWEEPS COLUMBIA WHOLE.
SALE DISTRICT.
Plant of Gibbes Machinery Company,
Where Fire Originated, De-
strOyed.

Columbia, Jan. 5.-The worst frt
since Sherman burned Columbia wa:
experienced here this morning, wher
flames destroyed practically an entire
block in the wholesale district and in
Aicted a loss estimated at not ever
s250,0OO. For a time the whole Sec
tion was threatened. For over three
hours the fremen made desperate Ell
forts to check the raging flames, bu1
this was not accomplished until the
greater part of the buildings in the
block had been consumed.
A steady wind from the west, blow
ing low on the ground, sent the flames
and sparks in every direction and tor
2 time overcame the desperate at
tempts the fire fighters were making
to confne the confagration. The
steady gale from the west carried the
sparks in every direction and many
tenant houses and stables, as we'll as
warehouses and lesser buildings, in
the rear of the wholesale district,
we're ignited and some of them were
burned.
Started In Basement.
The fire originated in the basement
of the Gibbes Machinery company, just
under the Office room, and had gained
considerable headway when discover
ed, in the main building of the Gibbes
Machinery company, which was two
stories in height and faced on West
Gervais street. Just in the rear was
located a large warehouse, where the
automobiles were housed. This was
soon consumed and nineteen automo-
biles were lost in the fire, four only
being saved. The helpers and mechan-
icians worked hard to save the ma
chimes, but the rapidity with which the
blaze spread prevented them from
getting but four Of them to safety.
Armour Building Destroyed.
Adjoining the Gibbes Machinery
company was a small brick structure
of the Armour Packing company, and
for a time it was thought this would
be saved. The flames leaped over it
and caught the two-story building of
the Southern States Supply company
and soon it fell with a crash along
side. But surrounded as it was by
FIRE, the Armour building could not
survive and the flames presently en-
veloped it, leaving only some gaunt
brick walls and a heap of smoking
ruins. The roof of the Dupre building
was. considerably damaged, the win
dows and doors burned, and the
building flooded with water, it stand
ing eight inches deep in the cellar.
But here the ferocity of the flames
was checked ard the building was saw
ed, although considerably damaged by
the combined attacks of fire and wat
er. This building is owned by Mr.. J.
E., Young, who runs wholesale bust
ness just across the street.
Damaged by Water,
It was impossible to estimate the
damage to the stock of goods of Mr..
DuPre, and he himself was absent in
Chicago. In this same building was
the wholesale firm of T. B. Roach Pro-
vision company, and their stock. was
considerably damaged by water. Both
of these concerns are capitalized at
$4,000 and carry a big lire of goods.
4 stable in the rear of the building
was burned.
The next building was occupied by
the E. A. Beall & Co., but the flames
did not damage them to any extent. A
stable in the rear of the store was
burned, and Mr.. Beall estimated that
$1,000 would cover his loss. The drug
store of DR.. F. S. Earle is on the
corner in this same building, but the
flames did not reach him. However,
he suffered damage from water and
from moving his goods. Just in the
rear of the drug store is the place Of
Swift & Co., but they escaped with
slight damage, resulting from water.
In the rear of these burned and
damaged buildings are the Columbia
Stock Yards, but they were not dam
aged to any great extent. Several
smaller tenant houses and outbuild-
ings in this immediate vicinity caught