Heard County GaArchives News.....Roundabout In Georgia October 21, 1879
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Linda Blum-Barton http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000645 March 10, 2006, 2:04 am

The Weekly Constitution October 21, 1879
Franklin News:  Last Saturday night about twelve o'clock the citizens our our 
town were aroused from sleep by the cries of "fire!" on the street, and on 
looking out it was discovered that the alarm was too late, for the flames were 
bursting through the roof of the store-house occupied by Colonel J. B. Beall, 
and in which he had about ???? worth of dry goods and family groceries.  Our 
citizens, in a few minutes after the alarm was given, came running from every 
direction to the scene of destruction.  They were too late to save any of 
Colonel Beall's goods.  The old store-house adjoining the house occupied by 
Colonel Beall had been standing about forty years and was owned by Mrs. Mozley 
and Mr. H. B. Lane, owners of the house occupied by Colonel B.; also contained 
a large stock of goods owned by Mr. J. T. Armstrong.  Seeing that there was no 
chance to sae this house, the door was broken open by the first parties who 
reached the place, and the goods were saved except about $300 worth.  There was 
but little time to work and everybody, both white and black, worked as we never 
before saw men work.  When the fire first originated a gentle breeze was 
blowing from the southwest, which greatly endangered the News office and the 
old hotel occupied by Mr. Kidd; but fortunately, by the time the corner house 
was fully on fire the current changed, and a stiff breeze came from the 
northwest, and by good management and rapid work these two houses were saved, 
and no further damage was done in this direction.  ??????????? out  the 
printing press, and type???? , the press was broken and the type???? pied and a 
good many lost.  Mr.  ????? Harris's shoe shop was in a bedroom of the house in 
which the fire originated.  He lost all his shoe tools and a fine Howe sewing 
machine worth $90.  Two bales of cotton belonging to Mr. Armstrong were burned 
in the shoe shop.  Just below were two storehouses, one vacant and owned by 
Daniel & Son.  The other contained Dr. J. W. Daniel's drugs besides a quantity 
of wheat, cotton seed, seed cotton, etc.  The doctor lost between 800 and 1,000 
pounds of seed cotton, about 200 bushels cotton seed, 25 or 30 bushels wheat, 
and nearly all his drugs.  Esquire Loftis's office was in the upper story.  He 
managed to save his library, but lost all of his papers.  He stayed in his 
office as long as he could, throwing books out at a window, and then walked out 
on top of the shed room and jumped off to the ground a distance of ten or 
twelve feet.  The root was nearly ready to fall in when he left his office.  It 
is impossible to make a correct estimate of the loss, but it is thought that 
$6,000 will cover it, everything included.  Doubtless Mr. Armstrong lost a good 
many articles that he will not miss in some time.  The goods he saved were 
nearly all, more orless, injured.  Some think Colonel Beall's store was robbed 
and then fired, while others think that rats did the mischief by moving 
matches, which, we think, is the most reasonable conclusion.  An old colored 
woman passed by the store about a half hour before the alarm of fire was given, 
and there was nothing wrong then.  Dr. John Daniel was about the first to 
discover the fire and he says it caught in the upper story.  The houses were 
all of them old, except the one occupied by Colonel Beall, which was 
comparatively new.  It had a large store room, two shed rooms and a large and 
commodious hall overhead.  The county safe was in this building and contained 
about $140 county funds and the books, vouchers, etc. of the county treasury. 
The safe was fireproof, and everything was preserved except a five dollar bill 
and a one dollar bill, which were badly scorched.  

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