Robeson County NcArchives News.....Shoe Heel Fire 1875 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Glenn McGirt gdmcgirt@gmail.com July 9, 2014, 4:31 pm September 29, 1875 - Wilmington [NC] Morning Star 1875 Fire at Shoe Heel. Quite a destructive fire occurred at Shoe Heel, on the C. C. Railway, on Sunday morning last. It broke out in the store of Mr. W. B. Harker and was first discovered about 2 o'clock by Mr. Jackson, who lives in the adjoining dwelling. The store, including its contents, was entirely destroyed together with all the clothing of Mr. S. McGirt, who was clerk to the establishment. The flames also communicated with the dwelling occupied by Mr. Jackson, alluded to above, which was also totally consumed, though Mr. J. was fortunate enough to save all of his furniture. Both of the buildings burned were the property of Messrs. McKoy & McLean of Shoe Heel, the store being valued at about $1,800 and the dwelling at about $400 or $500, and both, we learn, were fully covered by insurance. Mr. Harker's goods, we understand, were also insured for their full value. Mr. McGirt usually slept in the store and it was at first reported that he had been consumed in the building but it happened that he left Shoe Heel about 31/2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon to visit a sick cousin and no one slept in the store that night. It is generally believed that the store was robbed and then set on fire as a pair of shoes bearing Mr. Harker's mark were found near the store after the fire. The conflagration, of course, created great excitement in the village. Additional Comments: Transcribed by Martie Groome-McGirt File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/robeson/newspapers/shoeheel581nw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ncfiles/ File size: 2.0 Kb