Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-11-30
$500, 600 DAMAGE
IS ESTIMATE MADE
FIRE Threatened Entire Business Sac
ton For A While

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there occurred fire which came 80
near destroying the town than whea
the alarm was sounded Tuesday morn
ing about 4 o'clock, and the fire boys
found the Burkhart building, envel-
'oped IN flames. This building was
In former years the Central Hotel
he TIRE spread rapidly to the neigh
boring buildings, taking the original
Burkhart building, the wholesale de-
partment of the Johnson Hardware
Company, and the H. K Sleigh build
ing, one OF the best and most impos-
ing building in the city. Each of the
buildings burned covered their full lots
being one-hundred and seventy
ieet deep, and thus approximately
$4,000 feet ground floor space, util-
lied for sales rooms for automobiles
has been laid in ashes.
Fire Started in Garage
! According to statement made by
members of the fire department the
fire seemed to have made its start in
the garage in the rear of the Automo-
tie Sales Company's display room and
rapidly found its way to the second
floor of the building which was occu-
pied as a residence by Mr.. and Mrs.
Ponder and others.
In the sales rooms were seven Stu
debaker cars of the Thurmond Auto
Company, besides six Mormons and
several Chevrolets and number of
secondhand rebuilt cars of various
makes,
The Automotive Company carried
very large stock OF parts for their
makes of cars. besides parts for Fords
for which Mr. Burkhart form r!v was
the local agent.
Mr. Burkhart and his family lived in
the upper part OF the second build
ing, which was burned and had rented
several apartments to tenants, all of
which were well furnished, the prop
erty of Mrs. Burkhart
The large warehouse built by the
i Johnson Hardware Company for their
wholesale department and Farm I'm
plement business was filled with Farm
machinery, heavy hardware and also
some used and one new bort cars for
which the company had been agent.
Apartment House Crumbles
The H. K. Sigh building, recently
remodelled into eighteen apartments
on the second and third floor, was
reached by the flames and despite the
heroic efforts OF the fire department
to stay the flames it soon became ev-
ident that it also would be sacrificed
to the flames and only parts of the
two walls stand of its former attractive
sight. q;
lhe fire department battied with
the flames for three hours incessantIv
and had five streams playing on the
fire all of the time.
The intense heat made if dff;cuIt
to approach the buildings but when
the ire had reached the alley east of
the Sigh building and burned itself
through the timbers, its walls caved
IN and falling onto the flames, and grad
ually smothered them, probably saw
ing the city from total destruction
Wire for Assistance
Mayor Pittman, fearing that the
tire would soon be beyond control of
the limited fire force in the city, wir-
cd to Triton, Douglas, Ocilla and Cor
dele Tor assistance and had the fire
departments from our neighbor cities
enroute to Fitzgerald in a short time
Fortunately the fire was brought un-
der control before these fire fighters
could arrive, as it happened that the
ifton truck broke through bridge
and was delayed an hour and the
Della truck had trouble with ;ts no.
tor and pulled in by an automobile.
The Douglas department sent an ex-
ira supply of hose and Cordele made
an attempt to reach us, but also had
some trouble on the road However
the city is under lasting obligations
to these neighbors for their ready re-
Spouse in our time of need
Tenants Escape
Though about forty-fIve people made
their homes in the Sigh apartments
all of whom lost their entire personal
belongings and furniture. not single
casualty is reported. Tn the corner
building the firemen had their first
opportunity at real rescue work when
Mrs. Ponder and little daughter were
taken from the building with extern
sion ladders.
Other Buildings Endangered
A heavy wind from the north en-
dangered the buildings across the
street on Central avenue and practic-
ally broke every show window in the
entire new Bowen Block, Occupied by
the Fowler Drug Co., the Home Fur
niture company and the Bazaar Dry
Goods store. The Herald building
and the Turner building, occupied by