The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-12-23
BIG FIRE At GEORGETOWN,
$4,000 LOSS INCLUDES HOME OF
MAYOR AND THREE OTHERS.
Low Water Pressure Prevents Work
OF Eircmcn Being Effcctivc-Efrc
Chief Resigns.

Georgetown, Dec. 17.-Between 4.3O
and o'clock this morning half
block in the heart Of the residence
section of this city, between Queen
and Cannon streets, was burned.
The residences destroyed were those
Of w. H. Andrews, mayor of tho CITY
and general manager Of the George
town & Western railroad; A. p. Web
bcr. local chief clerk for the Balti-
more e. Carolina Steamship company;
M. p. Moorer, NJ. D., surgeon of the
marine hospital service, and Miss Min
ME Daggett.
The loss will approximate $4,000
partly covered by insurance
The fire originated in the home of
Mayor Andrews, in the rear portion
Of the building. Just what caused it
is not known. 1t was discovered by
Miss Daggett, who lived next door.
The response of the fire depart
ment, under command of Chief Wal
ter II. Mcdonald. was prompt. The
blaze had not had much headway
when the firemen arrived, coupled on
their hose and opened the hydrants.
But, according to Chief Mcdonald,
there was no water pressure. Nor was
there, he says, any pressure from the
city mains at any time during the
burning, which rapidly became fierce
and at one time seemed to threaten
the whole eastern end Of the city. The
Waterworks are owned and operated
by private corporation, the Black
River Water company.
At noon a special meeting Of city
council was held in the city hall for
the purporse of inaugurating an inves-
tigation into the lack of water pres
sure. The meeting was adjourned for
two days without taking action. 1t
was stated to council that the emer-
gency pumps at the power house had
been started promptly, but that a
main had burst. A similar eXplana-
ton was given at the time Of the Win
yah Lumber company fire, when the
pressure failed.
Fire Chief Mcdonald has rendered
his resignation to the mayor, giving as
his reason that it is useless for him to
bring the department up to a high
state of efficiency only to find it an
emergecy that there is no water with
which to fight fire.
The fire started in Mr.. Andrews
home, and spread from his home to
that Of Miss Daggett on the right and
that Of Mr.. Webber on the left, then
spreading from Mr.. Webber's to DR.
Moorers.
Mr.. Andrews loss will amount to
$4,000 or more, the house and every
thing it in being destroyed. Miss
Daggett saved most of her effects and
her loss will be only about $50. Her
home was owned by Joseph Schenl
and was valued at $4,000.
Mr.. Webber lost all his property
amounting to about $4,000, as did DR.
Moorer, whose loss will be about the
same.
After DR.. Moorer's home was all but
destroyed the steam fire engine was
in commission, as was the fire fighting
apparatus Of the tug E. T. Williams.
These checked the flames, though
there were several small fires in the
vicinity engendered from falling
sparks.
| The explosion of hot water boiler
and several hundred cartridges in the
home Of Mr.. MoOrer added to the
spectacular element, the effect Of the
boiler explosion, in particular, being
to hurl a column Of brands and sparks
q hundred feet high. the detonation
shaking the entire section.