BIG BLAZE AT GAINESVILLE, GA

Four Hundred Bales of Cotton and a Warehouse

DESTROYED BY THE FLAMES

Fire Discovered at Four O’Clock Yesterday Morning.

LOSS $15,000; INSURANCE $10,000

Cotton Burned Slowly All During Yesterday – Origin of the Fire Not Known – The List of the Principal Losers.

Gainesville, Ga., January 3 – (Special) – Gainesville had a very disastrous fire early this morning which destroyed about 400 bales of cotton and the warehouse in which it was stored It is not known how the fire originated but some think a spark from a railroad engine fell on the building or cotton and slowly burned until the flames burst out at 4 o’clock this morning, when the fire alarm was sounded and the department responded The loss amounts to about $15,000, with insurance of about $10,000

The warehouse was situated on the line of track of the Gainesville Jefferson and Southern railroad, and the last train over the road before the fire passed at 8 45 o’clock last night It may be that a spark from the engine fell on the cotton which burned slowly, or that some one had been smoking about the warehouse the day previous

When the firemen arrived the entire building was in flames and nothing could be done but save adjoining property by preventing the flames from spreading

All day today the cotton has been slowly burning and a force of men have been at work trying to put out the fire.

Among the principal losers are P N Parker, J. R Brantly and M R Hancock

Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta GA 4 Jan 1900
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Transcribed by Jenni Lanham. Thank you, Jenni!