The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-01-26
ATHENS MERCHANTS WILL REBUILD
ESTABLISHMENTS DESTROYED DURING
FIRE WHICH SWEPT CITY YESTERDAY
Victims Are Unable to State Ex-
act Losses But Estimate
Is Two Millions
WILL RESUME BUSINESS
Heaviest Losers Announce That
They Will Resume Busi-
ness at Once.
(Ry Associated Press

ATHENS, Ca. Jan. 25.-Plans for
rebuilding the stores and offices
swept away today in Athens $4,000
900 fire were being made by business
men late today while smoke and
steam still partly obscured the gaunt
skeletons of brick and iron that We're
left of some of the city's largest es-
adjustments.
The fire, beginning at midnight,
ragged for hours before it was brought
under control and destroyed a block
and a half with heavy damage in ad-
joining blocks
It's origin remained as great a mys-
terry tonight as when it broke out
The first blaze was seen issuing
from the Max Joseph building, ac-
cording to Police Chief Henry Bues,
who agreed with most officials in the
belief, that the fire originated in the
rear of this building. Explosions
believed to be from gasoline drums in
the headquarters of the Denny Motor
company in the building, bulged the
walls and hurled flames in all direc-
tions. The fire came within a block
of the historic buildings of the Uni
versity of Georgia but none of them
was damaged.
AtIantans Gave Aid
The block destroyed was bounded
by Jackson, Clayton, Wall and Broad
streets, with heavy damage on two
sides of this square and loss to prac-
tically every store on the other two
sides. Falling walls added to the dan
ger of fire fighters but the only in
jury recorded was that to Fire Chief
George w. McDorman. Sd, who fell
from a ladder. He was taken to a
hospital with severe cuts and bruises
on his face and head but was said to
be resting easier tonight.
Fire apparatus and Is firemen,
headed by Chief w. B. Cody, were
rushed from Atlanta on a special train
and the Atlantans spent the day N
pouring water on the ruins and push
ing down dangerous walls.
Mayor Andrew c. Edwin and Hugh
Rowe, newspaper publisher and for
mer mayor. in agreeing on an esti-
mate of $2,000,0o0 damage, both told
of plans of Athens business men af-
fected to rebuild. NJ. G. Michael of
Michea1 Brothers, whose large whole
sale and retail dry goods establish :
ment was destroyed, announced that
his firm opened negotiations with ar
chitects today for rebuilding the five
story structure that housed their
wholesale department and the three
story building adjoining where they
did a retail business.
Business at Once.
Mr.. Michael also said that tempo
rary quarters would be rented and
business resumed as soon as possible
This company was the heaviest loser
and, while members Of the firm hesi-
tated to name their loss, they said
they had a large stock of spring goods
on hand Other Athens business men
estimated the Michael firms loss, in
cluding the buildings, at well toward
S1,00O,000. Other heavy losers, ac-
cording to today's unofficial estimates
by Athens men, We're Sol j. Boley. dry
goods, $4,000; Denny Motor company,
s50.0o0 D. Lund, dry goods, $1,000;
and numbers of others, ranging In
amounts from a few thousand to fif-
teen or twenty thousand. The losses
generally were fairly well paid by in
surance but the larger losers said
they Were in no position to give the
exact amount of protection they had.