Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-11-26
Most Disastrous Fire In Long
Time Breaks Out In Rich
mond Early Friday
Morning


Der of years broke out in the lum
Der yard and mill Of the RichmonC
Lumber Company about three
O'Clock Friday morning, destroy
ing about six business houses,
with loss that will run considera-
bly, over 100000 Preliminary
estimates of the losses sustained
by the victims of the blaze are as
follows:
Richmond Lumber Company,
owned by Charles and Louis So
per, mill and almost all of the
lumber yard destroyed; loss esti-
mated about $4,000, with no in
surance.
b. L. Belue, ladies' ready to
year and dry goods, stock badly
damaged. Building occupied by
Mr.. Belue at the corner of Main
and Collins streets own>G by the
Messrs. Soper, gutted, and practi-
cally a complete loss. Mr.. Belue
is reported to had about $1,000 in
surance on his stock of goods.
Kentucky Creameries' cream
buying station; loss estimated at
$1,000; building owned by Messrs.
Soper; complete loss.
The Army Store, complete loss
stock had been invoiced for sale
the day previous at $500; build
ing owned by Messrs. SOper.
Pleas b. Parke. cleaning and
pressing establishment; loss esti-
mated at $1,000; many customers
lose wearing apparel which was
in the establishment at the time
Building owned by Messrs. Soper
Green's Piano Store, owned by
Chester Green; building owned by
Messrs. Soper. Mr.. and Mrs.
Green made their home in the ap-
artment in rear of this store, and
their loss in pianos, furniture, etc,
Is estimated at $1,000.
Office of Dr. Gholston, colored
physician; loss to him about $500
building owned by Mrs. Mary !
Powell; almost a complete loss
about $1,000; no insurance.
There was no insurance on any
of the property Of Messrs. Soper,
as the rate was almost prohibitive
it is said, because OF the proximity |
of the lumber yard and mill.
No one knows how the fire
started. George G.. Gentry was
standing with Fireman Nose Mel
son at the fire department about !
three o'clock, having been called
by the Louisville Police Depart |
ment, to be told of the recovery /
of his stolen automobile, when
they happened to notice the
flames bursting from the lumber
yard above the neighboring build
ings. Mr.. Nelson turned on the
fire siren, and called out the rest |
of the department as quickly as
possible.
The blaze had evidently been
smouldering inside the walls for
some time, though Mr.. Gentry did
not notice anything amiss as he
came to town from the residenc
of Mr.. Sim Turpin. with whom he
had spent the night. Firemen say
they believe that the blaze was
started under the mill part of the
plant, and that the entire inside
had caught thoroughly before the
blaze ate through the roof and
burst out of all bounds.
By the time the fire laddies got
to work, and they came at oacc,
the entire mill and much of the
lumber was ablaze. 1t was seen
that nothing could be done to-
ward saving the mill. and efforts
were directed toward preventing
the spread Of the voracious flames
further than possible.
The small one-story frame
storerooms in which the other es-
tablishments were with exception
of the Belue storeroom, were
soon ablaze, and abutting the mill
and lumber yard so closely were
soon leveled to the ground.
Three hose were quickly at
work. A great crowd had assem-
bled and willing workers carried
out the major portion of the stock
of the B. E. Belue Company.
dresses, coats, ETC.,
were piled on the sidewalk in the
hurry to get them out. One line
of hosemen endeavored to stop
the fire on the west and did sue |
ceed in checking it at the office of
DIR. Gholston. Another hose~fine
attacked the lumber in the rear of
the mill yard, and saved large
part of the rough lumber stored
there, and prevented spread to- ;
ward the residences on the Sum- t