Fauquier County Virginia USGenWeb Archives News.....A DISASTROUS FIRE,
PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, HAS A $500,000 CONFLAGRATION November 14, 1889
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Phyllis Thompson http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00011.html#0002524 August
20, 2005, 4:07 pm

The Georgia Enterprise November 14, 1889
     Petersburg, Va., sustained the heaviest loss by fire on Thursday it has 
experienced since the war. Flames were discovered by policeman about 3 o’clock 
in the morning, in the rear of the store of A. ROSENSTOCK & Co., or GEORGE H. 
DAVIS & Co. Owing to the density of the smoke, the officer could not tell in 
which it originated. Soon flames burst out of ROSENSTOCK’S front door and 
spread themselves with frightful rapidity. The whole fire department responded, 
but were unable to make much headway. The buildings in which the fire started 
were located in what is known as the “Iron Front” block, and consisted of five 
stores, each five stories high, and was the handsomest in the city. The block 
was soon a mass of flames which communicated to buildings before they were 
stopped. The stores burned on the east side and swept across the street, 
consuming sixteen places of business before they were stopped. The stores 
burned on the east side of the street are: J. H. ROBERT, furniture dealer; S. 
S. BRUDGERS, general commission merchant; A. ROSENSTOCK & CO., dry goods and 
fancy goods; W. T. PLUMMER & CO., wholesale and retail hardware groceries; 
EPPES HARGRAVE, grocer; G. W. BROOKS, stoves and tinware. On the west side of 
the street the buildings burned are those of P. H. STEWARD & CO., carriage and 
harness makers; WESTERN UNION telegraph office; ODD FELLOWS’ hall; store of A. 
J. CLEMENTS,  boots and shoes and leather dealer; law office of W. L. & T. G. 
WATKINS and Mayor CHARLES F. COLLIER; auction house of P. I. SEABURY and office 
of WM. R. NICHOLS, coal dealer. Total loss is estimated at $500,000 and 
insurance is estimated at $350,000. An unfortunate occurrence was the killing 
of Lieutenant GEORGE CRICHTON, of the police force, by falling walls.


Additional Comments:
The Georgia Enterprise was published in Newton County Georgia up to 1905.

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