Smyrna times., 1921-01-05
GEORGETOWN SWEPT BY FIRE
n BUILDINGS ARE BURNED
DAMAGES ESTIMATED AT $4,000
BELIEVED WORK OF FIREBUGS
But for Fortunate Change in Directi IN
of Wind, Entire Town Would Have z
Been Reduced-NO One Injured

Fire, believed to be the result of the
work of firebugs, destroyed the prin-
cipal business section of Georgetown
early Sunday morning, entailing a
property loss estimated to be between
seventy-five and eighty-five thousand
dollars. In addition to almost all of
the large business houses, many dwell
ings were gutted and are now lying in
ruins. No injuries or deaths were re-
ported. A sudden change of the wind,
shortly after the fire started, probably
saved the whole town. When it start |
ed, the wind was blowing the flames |
into the residential section and al
ready had caused several houses to !
catch fire. The sudden change blew
the flames toward a section known as
Kimmeytown. Several frame dwell
ings there caught fire but were extin-
guished by the owners, who formed a
bucket brigade. A total of fourteen
buildings, all but one of which We're
frame, were completely destroyed and
two were damaged. They were: Three
stores and double dwelling, owned .y
the Misses Ennis; the Opera House,
| owned by Thorough, Hood and Hill
yard; the Masonic Tempe; dwellins;
and dry goods store, owned by Leon.
ard Warrington; jewelry store of Mel
son Forney; confectionery store, of
Harry Hart; gorcery store of Ameri-
can Stores Company; automobile ac-
cessory store, of Norman Purnell, and
the dwellings, of Percy Marshall and
Ralph Blizzard. Ryons Theatre and
the home of H. c. Stewart were Sc
evrely damaged. Z
Fire Discovered at 4.2O in Morning
The fire was discovered about 420
a. m. by some colored men, riding by
in truck, and H. c. Stewart, who ha9
been awakened by the cracking of the
wood. The colored men and Mr..
Stewart did their best to send in an
alarm to nearby towns but did not
succeed in getting in touch with any
until nearly five o'clock. The local
fire company had difficulty in getting
its apparatus working. A motor driv-
en- vehicle, now used by the company
was just purchased and when it arriv-
ed at the scene of the fire, the mer
found some of the apparatus missing
| A wrench could not be found to turr
: the faucet, causing a delay of about
ten minutes. Trouble with the pump
ing system next hindered their worl
I 4 of lo1f
: work that a stream was finally put. CT
5 the blaze. The fire is believed to hav,
{ started in the Hart building. 1t is no
known whether it originated on tn,
first or second floor. A confectiona~
e shop is on the first floor and the Sc:
: ond is vacant. Some people are of tn
d opinion that defective wiring system
il caused the fire. This cannot be trac
e ed because the building, wires and al
: most all that was in it were destroye
: Suspect Firebug of Perpetrating Dee
: While the origin of the fire is MOI
d or less mysterious, the opinion toda
> among the larger class of the popula
tion tends to place the blame on inccI
diaries. Notwithstanding the faC
b there is no apparent evidence as W
of firebug's work, the police, of til
town are attempting to fathom I'll
> cause for the blame. Where the fiji
is believed to have originated is hea
a of ruins. At three different time
d during the blaze the lumber yard {
" the Georgetown Lumber Compan
al was in flames. The employee of tt
D. company and residents of the tow
!. succeeded in hating it, however by Il
tt use of buckets, which had been place
n around the sheds. Slight damage We
as done to several residences by fyin
IN sparks. The fremen covered many
TX the surrounding buildings with wat'
IS. and the sparks which were carried
IS the strong wind were quickly exit
IN guished. Firemen from the towns
Z. Milford, Laurel. Milton and Lew
d went tc the aid of the Georgetov
" company. The work of the Milfo
Tn men was particularly conspicuous. III
OF men saved considerable personal pro
IL erty by entering the burning ouildin
sir and carrying it out, even while {
ry roofs and walls of the building we
falling. The Milford company cove
nd ed the distance between the two tow
We sixteen miles, in about twenty mi
ne utes. Almost all of the loss was, CO
cred by insurance, it was stated. The
is but little probability the destroy
nbs section will be rebuilt soon because
high prices prevailing in the town
ach this time.
rell