Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1883 — FIERY RUIN. [ARTICLE]

FIERY RUIN.

A Fearful Conflagration at Lynchburg, Va., Accompanied by a Horror. A clerk In the establishment of Jones, Watts & Co., Lynchburg, the largest dealers in hardware in Virginia, was sent down cellar after some article, and lighted a piece of paper, which he thoughtlessly threw upon the floor near a barrel of oil. The liquid became icmited, and in a few minutes the whole building, an immense iron-front structure, was in flames. The fire spread with such rapidity that not a book or paper could be saved, and several of the cleric’s found it* difficult to escape from the burning building. Before any effort could be made to check the progress of the flames the building adjoining, occupied by the Virginian newspaper and the Commercial Bank, caught fire, ana was soon completely gutted. All the papers and money of the bank were saved, bat everything appertaining to the Virginian job and newspaper establishment destroyed. The fire then consumed several small buildings in the rear of the Virginian office, and found its way to the large tobacco factory of Flood & Peters. This building was very old, and burned with such ferocity that the flames extended across the street and completely destroyed two small dwell-ing-houses. The fire was got under control after raging two hours and destroying property to the amount of over $300,000. After the fire was under control, six men took a hose into the ruins of the Virginian building to play upon the burning embera They had been there but a short time when the walls were seen to tremble, and before the men could regain the street five of them were completely buried beneath the ponderous weight. The sixth man was knocked down, but escaped without serious injury. Not less than 5,000 spectators witnessed this terrible accident* The City Council held a meeting and passed a resolution of respect to the dead, and calling upon the citizens to suspend business and attend the funeral The Council also made arrangements for the erection of a monument over their graves. Business was practically suspended all day, and the city was in g.eat gloom over the tragic dfeath of the five persons.