The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-11-26
Fire Fighting Force Un-
able To Cope With Sit
uation Alone-Neigh-
boring Cities Come To
the Rescue and Prevent
\ Further Spread of the
Conhagration

Augusta, Ga, Nov. 27-Nearly one
half fthe 700 block of Broad street,
in the heart of Augustus business
section, stands a mass of ruins this
morning as the result of a fire that
started at 1:45 o'clock in the John
son building, corner of Jackson and
Broad streets, and rapidly ate its way
through several buildings including
the Albion hotel and one section of
the j. B. White and Company store.
Loss to buildings and stocks is es-
timated at approximately $2,000,000
as the building loss alone will run
around a million and a half dollars.
The entire eastern side of the 200
block of Jackson street, which is a
part of the Johnson building is totally
destroyed. The following buildings
were in the path of the fire: Johnson
building, total loss; Harrison build
ing, total loss; Genesta hotel, partly
burned.
The Augusta Chronicle local morn
ing newspaper, the quarters of which
were in a part of the Harrison build
ing is also total loss.
The J. B. White and Company store,
which is in the same building as the
Albion hotel, was partly burned and
there is water damage throughout
Fire Chief Frank G. Reynolds stat
ed this morning that, in his opinion,
a second fire on the 400 block of Jack-1
son street had no connection with the
main fire, although heavy sparks fell
thick and fast in that section. This
fire, which was nearly two blocks
away, from the main fire, resulted |
in three buildings, owned by Henry |
Cumming, being entirely gutted. The !
occupants of these places were A. II. |
Mcdaniel and Thomas Motor Com
pa11y.
Origin Not Determined
The origin of the fire was not def !
nitely determined this morning. |
Two men in shoes Inning parlor
in the Harrison building Friday af-
ternoon, whose names were not
learned, stated that they smelled fire
and it is believed that the blaze was
smouldering in the Johnson building
joining at that time.
With his entire fighting force on
the scene shortly after o'clock,
Chief Reynolds realized that the fire
was beyond control and he sent out
hurried calls toSavannah, Ca, At
lanta, Macon, Columbia, S. c.;
Charleston, S. c.; Aiken, s. c., and
Waynesboro, N. c., for assistance.
Chief May and force of men from
Columbia arrived with fire truck af-
ter the fire was under control Chief
Aldrich and eleven men came here
from Macon, arriving about $3.50
O'Clock, making the run from Aiken,
distance of 23 miles in 25 minutes.
Aiken Force Aided
The gallant little ofrce from Aiken
Joined the Augusta force at time
when it appeared the entire block
was doomed and Chief Reynolds of |
Augusta stated this morning the Cen
esta hotel would probably have been
destroyed but for the assistance of
the Aiken force. The Aiken firemen
also kept the fire from spreading into
the 500 block of Broad street; the
Genesta hotel being the only building
in that block damaged to any extent
by fire.
The places of business destroyed on
Broad street were:
Liggett's Drug Store; F. E. Fer !
riss G. Co.; John j. Miller C Co.; |
Gardelle's Drug Store; Albion Hotel; |
Mems Clothing Department of j. B. |
White & Co.
A terrific explosion occurred just |
after the fire started but it has not |
been determined what caused it as
it appeared to occur on the third or
fourth floor of the Johnson building
which is occupied entirely by offices.
I Despite the early hour the city ap-
peared to have been aroused and thou
sands were gathered about the scene.