The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-03-12
BIG FIRE DESTROYS
STORES AT SALUDA
ORIGINATED IN BUILDING OC.
CUPIED BY SMITH BROS.
Amount of Insurance Carried on the
Various Buildings and Stocks
Was About S44,7OO.
News and Courier.

News and Courier
Saluda, March 10.-The greatest ant
most destructive fire that has eve:
visited Saluda took place this morning,
between midnight and o'clock, wl1en
the store of Smith Bros, Pitts DruG
company and the barber sihop of P. F.
Feagle were completely destroyed b..
flames. Shortly after midnight thu
alarm was sounded. Already Smitl.
Bros. handsome, store was mass OF
flames. C. P. Smith, tae manager o!
this store, was sleeping in the build
ing, and barely had time to make Isis
escape, leaving by a ladder from &
window in the rear Immediately the
walls gave in and the flames extended
to the store of tie Pitts Drug com
pany and Feagle's barber shop. There
was time to save very little from the
drug store and the barber shop, and
nothing at all was removed from tie
Smith building. For a time it looked
impossible to save Glenns and Adams
stables and Crawford Bros store, but
due to the fact that there was practi
cally no wind, and VITA the aid of q
volunteer bucket brigade, the flames
were prevented from spreading and
kept confined to this one .group of
buildings.
THE fire originated in Smith Bros,
store, tie cause being unknown. This.
was one of the most up-to-date estab-
lishments of its kind in this section.
The two stores were fl ty feet wide and
one hundred and fifty feet in length.
The stock consisted of large line q
clothing, dry goods, furniture, rugs
and an undertaking business also OPP
Grated. Visitors in Saluda often re-
marked upon the enterprise of a firm
that could build up such a business.
Only last year $4,000 in improve
ments were added to t building,
eight thousand of modern fixtures were
installed, all of the fixtures being OF
mahogany A beautiful plate glass
front was installed also a plate glass
side entrance. A conservative esttnat@
f e stock will place it at 100000
or $50, 600. This, in addition to the
bui' ding and fixtures, will make the
total loss about $5C,oOO,- with about
$4,000. insurance
The building was cwaed by D. N.
Smith, of St. Matt ews, and Mrs. J.
N. Smith, of thise place The business
belongs to D. n. and c. D. Smith.
Pitts Drug Company.
TIE Pitts Drug company was like
wise modern store. Last year beau
tiful new fixtures were added and
handsome plate glass front put in.
This was owned by DR.. J. W. Pitts and
was valued at about $500, with $500
insurance. The drug business was
owned and operated by DR.. Frank Kel-
lers. The stock was valued at about
$4,000, wit. $4,000 Insurance. Some OF
the showcase containing jewelry were
saved
p. F. Feagle's loss was about $1,000,
with $1,000 insurance. His was two
story building, with handsome fixtures.
He { ad a most modernly equipped bar
Der shop.
J. C. Holstein, who conducted
small stock of fruit and produce in a
tent next to the Pitts Drug company,
saved his tent and his stock. TIE
plate glass windows at Crawford
Bros side windows were broken and
all long distance telephone connec-
tions were destroyed. The cables rau
close to Smith Bros store. When
seen today none Of the men whose
businesses were destroyed had thought
Of plans for TIE future, except Mr..
Feagle, who announced that he would
begin rebuilding at once. 1t is thought
that the men who, through business
ability and determination, made that
part o. tie town that is now in ruins
what it was will again show their
faith in the town by causing new and
greater buildings to arise from the
ashes of the old