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THOUSAND VISIT RUINS ON SUNDAY
Many From Out of Town Come to See Fire's Effects
NO DEFINITE PLANS YET
Believe That Bigger Buildings Will Replace All Those Destroyed
RALEIGH's fire-swept district was visited by thousands of people Sunday, a steady throng moving up and down west Martin street all day, viewing in awe the destruction that was wrought. A fire line was established, the crowds being kept back on the sidewalk. All Sunday shifts of firemen kept a steady stream of water on the smouldering ruins, which all Saturday night cast a deep red glow to the skies. On Sunday the last of the remaining walls were pulled down by the firemen, the front wall of the News and Observer with its entrance columns of granite standing like a monument to the destruction that had been wrought, being the last to go. The leaning walls greatly endangered the traffic on west Martin street and for this reason they had to be torn down.
Many From Out of Town
Automobile parties from every part of the country came to RALEIGH Sunday and viewed the ruins. There were newspaper men and printers from nearby towns who came not only to offer their sympathies but their services as well. Monday morning found the smouldering mass still smoking with the ruins already beginning to be cleared. Men are digging in the ruins attempting to bring out articles that may be recovered from the wreckage. Many safes are in the ruins and attempts are being made to get these out. It seems that even before the ruins are cold rebuilding will begin. Buildings larger than those will rise from the ruins.
There seems to be a large quantity of books and papers still intact in the ruins of the Uzzell building. Workmen are busy removing the debris in an effort to ascertain the value of those papers.
The origin of the fire has not yet been determined, but an investigation is to be started to try to determine the cause of the catastrophe.
It developed Sunday after the excitement of the fire had died away that four instead of two firemen had been injured. Paul Scott and Earnest Bridgers, though injured, worked all of Saturday. They received injuries about the body. Bridgers was bruised about the knees and legs but was not confined to his bed. Scott is confined to his room, having been injured about the knees when a nozzle hurled him to the ground. Firemen Lloyd and Peebles, who came through the top of the Crystal Theatre were doing well Monday. Peebles was at the scene of the fire on Sunday and seemed fully recovered though quite sore from having been hit by falling brick. Lloyd is still confined to the hospital but his condition is not serious.
The Uzzell Company will not give out any statement as to its future plans until the safe, which contains all the records of the company is recovered from the ruins. For the present the company has established offices in the Capital Club building. Mr. Marion Cobb said that the exact loss of the Crystal Theatre and Wake Shoe Store and the damage of several other small buildings in the rear could not yet be told, but that it would range somewhere around $20,l000 or $25,000. Mr. Cobb could give nothing definite, but said that he thought that the two structures would be rebuilt at once.
The business of J. L. O'Quinn will be opened today at 119 West Martin street. Mr. O'Quinn said that his uptown business was s total loss, but that he was not daunted by the loss and would open at once.
It is rumored that the management of the Crystal Theatre is already making plans to start anew and to pen with a larger picture house and better equipped than before. Nothing definite could be had as to the Wake Shoe Company, but it is also rumored that this store is to open on a larger scale as soon as possible.
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LOCAL ITEMS
Several years ago a book about the fishes of North Carolina was issued, rich with illustrations in color. One of the birds of the state was ready for issue, but the type and the finely prepared plates were all destroyed by the fire which swept Uzzell's printing office. Bird lovers have lost much by this disaster. Mr. Herbert Brimley had prepared this book, which had been expected to appear some months ago.
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Fireman Lloyd of No. 2 Company, who is in Rex Hospital, is rapidly recovering from his dangerous fall during Sunday's fire. He fell about 20 feet, and his escape from serious injury or even death was remarkable. The heat did more damage than the fall, however. He will be up in a few days. A member of THE TIMES paid him a special visit. Fireman Scott, of No. 1 Company, fell at the same time, but after a little treatment at Rex, hurried back to his company and worked the remainder of the day. That night his knee swelled and he spent Sunday in his bed at the fire house.
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During the fire Saturday morning the fire department pumped 400,000 gallons of water on the burning buildings, not including that pumped on the ruins later in the day.
Copyright 2023 by Michael J. Legeros