The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1916-03-30
OUTSIDE AID
NOT NEEDED.
BRAVE AUGUSTA DECLARES SHE
CAN PROVIDE FOR VICTIMS
OF THE DREADFUL FIRE.

OF THE DREADFUL FIRE.
Augusta, Ga, March 24:- Though
many tenders of financial aid from
outside points have been received by
the authorities here,it was the sense
of the meeting of citizensand central
relief committee held here this morn
ing that, as far as possible, Augusta
would take care of her owndestitute
families. The fund which was start
ed at a meeting held yesterday morn
ing has already grown considerably,
and the relief committee has already
begun the work of looking after the
needs of those who were penniless
and without clothing save what they
had on when the fire occurred.
Augusta is greatly indebted to the
outside cities that sent aid in the
way of fire equipment. The Colum-
bia department, so far as the appar-
atus was concerned, was Of little use
on account of the fact that the hose
would not fit the fire plugs here.
The firemen, however, did valuable
service.
The city, through its business men,
is determined that a bigger, better
and more beautiful Augusta shall
rise from the mass of smouldering
ruins which now marks the path of
the disastrous fire of Wednesday
night. The area from Green street
to the river front has been left with
only partly standing walls and CHM
neys to mark the spots where for
merly stood handsome and imposing
residences and business structures.
In addition to these buildings, which
included number of the largest in
the city, something like 100000 bales
of cotton were burned, and the con-
tents of a great number of the build
ings went up in smoke. Many of
those who stood and watched the fire
in the business section later hurried
on to their homes to find them all
ablaze. They were forced to work
hurriedly to save change of cloth
ing and little household furniture.
The streets were convertedinto little
camps, where those who had lost
their homes and possessions jealously
guarded what little was left them in
the way of worldly belongings.
While the rich of the city were
hard hit by the flames. the poor and
the negroes are in destitute condi-
ton and it will be among these that
the relief committee will have most
of it's work to do.
Wednesday night was one of horror
and destruction. The fire, famed by
a fifty-mile gale, devoured all in its
path. The property loss will amount
high into the millions, and it will be
some time before the city will again
sec all of the burned district rebuilt.
The business men, however, are de-
termined to rebuild their city, and
many of them have already under
consideration plans for modern struc-
lures to rise where their burned
buildings once stood.
The fire attracted hundreds of
people from all parts of Georgia and
South Carolina. They came on the
trains and in automobiles to view
the scene of the ruins. They drove
through the section of the city where
lay the smouldering ruins of forty
city blocks. The fire lasted from
about 6 o'clock in the evening until
shortly afterS o'clock in the morn
ing.
Three companies of militia were
ordered out to prevent looting and
did good work.
The chimneys left standing and
the tottering walls in many sections