Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-08-05

EXPLOSIONOF
PAINTS ORIGIN
COSTLY FIRE
Spectacular Blaze Arouses City
At An Early Hour Saturday,
New So, 500 Organ Burned

The First Methodist church of
Americus, situated at the junction OF
Lee and Church streets, was prae-
tically destroyed by fire early Sat
urady morning. The loss is esti-
mated between $4,000 and $6O, 200.
The loss is partly covered by S24,-
500 insurance. The new organ vai-
ued at $500 was destroyed.
1t was the most spectacular fire
in the history of the city, and only
the fact that no wind was in eyl>
dence saved the city from disas-
trous conflagration that might have
swept the entire residential section
adjacent to the church property. ~.
hard work on the part of the fire.
men confined the fire to the church
and saved the parsonage, although
there was time when it appeared
that despite their best efforts. the
men were about to lose The fight to
save the residence.
WorNmen, who have heen bgs7 for
weeks, renovating the structure,
which was oetagonal III shape and
topped with mammoth dome, We're
preparing to put the finishing toucii-
es to the work and open the church
to the public. Friday they began
the work of installing the church or
gan, new instrument, costing $8,-
500.
They closed the building at 8
o'clock and later in the evening Rev.
Mr.. Fisher, pastor of the church.
inspected it and found that every
thing was all right.
At about 2:15 city negro, who
stopped at the fire box opposite the
church, to fill the water tank, was
startled by an explosion and in an
other instant he saw the rear of the
church wrapped in flames.
Dog Gives the Alarm.
He turned in an alarm from box
Is and when the department. got to
the scene a few minutes later the
entire church was enveloped in
flames that were rapidly mounting
to the dome and there was little like
llHOOu LHdI tlS UulluAtS SOAiA ~
saved.
At about the time the, time. the me-
gro discovered the fire, a little dog,
the property of Miss Emma Love
Fisher, daughter of the pastor, who
was asleep in a room i'll the par
sonage facing the church, gave the
alarm to his mistress. She was
awakened by his whining and found
her room reflecting the terrific glare
from the flames within a few yards
of her window.
The minister and his family were
aroused by the young woman and
went to the home of friends close
/ by.
Within fifteen minutes of the
time the first alarm was sounded the
dome had fallen into the building
and it was seen that the entire
structure was doomed.
Firemen Save Parsonage.
The firemen then turned their at
tention to the parsonage and played
| streams of water over the building
constantly At this time the heat
was SO great that plants on porches.
across the street from the tire, were
withered by it and people we're nn-
| able to get within a block of tlls
| structure owing to the heat and
| sparks. During the height of the
! fire several firemen We're in danger
from falling walls but they escaped
injuries.
| Hundreds of citizens, attracted by
| the flames, came to the scene and
stood ready to assist in removing the
| furniture and other aticles from the
minister's home if it became neces-
| sary.
Explosion Causes Fire.
The fire started in the rear of the
| church and at point near where
| the paints and oils used in work on
the building were stored. 1t is the
opinion of Chief Macarthur that
! Spontaneous combustion caused an
explosion which started the fire.
Immediately following the explos-
ion the entire church was wrapped
in cloud of flame and smoke and
1iaHiCo lSdpCQ Ht5u lllGU lIic al mdh-
ing the scene about the church, for
blocks, as light as day Adjacent
property was in danger for some time
from the clouds of sparks that went
sailing overhead. The home of Mrs.
J. N. Scarborough, which is across
the street from the church, was blis-
tered and scorched by the heat.
A summary of the fire shows that
the loss will run to about 100000,
and that part of this is covered BY
insurance, in the amount of $24,
500: The new organ was being M
stalled at cost of 500 This was
destroyed, but was covered by $1,000
insurance. The church building was
practically gutted, leaving only two
of the brick walls intact. The rear
wall and two of the side walls show
cracks and have been severely
strained.
All of the records of the chruch
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