1907 - Christiansburg is Fire Swept

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Tue Jun 26 22:55:03 EDT 2007


Roanoke Times - June 27, 1907

CHRISTIANSBURG IS FIRE SWEPT

Town Threatened With Destruction -- Roanoke Sends Aid by Special Train

Christiansburg is burning and Roanoke has been called on for help.
A long-distance telephone call at 1 o'clock this morning summoned
the Roanoke fire department to the stricken town thirty-six miles west of here.
A second message from Christiansburg at an early hour this morning
announced that the town was threatened with destruction by a fire
that broke out about midnight.
The fire started in the Chill Plow Foundry, which is located on
Depot street, and quickly spread to Graham's lumber yard. From the
lumber yard the flames leaped to Childress' livery stable. After
devouring the stable, which burned like tinder, the fire was
communicated to an office occupied by Mr. Childress and thence to
Childress' store. Stuart's buggy repair shop was next to catch and
this was quickly leveled to the ground. Leaving the buggy shop, the
flames made their way to the residence of a Mr. Graham and soon that
handsome home was in ashes.
The loss is said to be fully $50,000 up to the hour of going to
press and the fire is still raging in the business center.
Christiansburg has no fire department and the citizens are
fighting the monster with buckets with little success.
Great excitement prevails there and the only source from which The
Times could get information was from the central telephone station.
As soon as the Roanoke fire department received the message from
the burning town, all hast was made in getting the small engine and a
dray wagon full of ladders and hose on to a flat car. The department
thought to get away at 1:30, a half hour after the message was
received, but it was 50 minutes before the outfit was ready to start.
A shifter had pushed up to the loading pier opposite the general
office building, a flat car and a passenger coach for the comfort of
the engineers and trainmen. In a short time afterwards engine No. 428
pulled up and stood puffing impatiently until the fire engine and
apparatus could be securely loaded. When that was done the tremendous
jack started out with its relief for the stricken town. Little time
was lost in getting under way, and soon the Roanoke yards where
cleared and the relief expedition was making full time ahead for
Christiansburg.
The engine was accompanied by Engineers Grubb, Waggoner, Dyer and Steves.

LATER: At 2:30 a. m. it was said that Mr. Graham's residence had been
saved, and that it was then believed the fire was under control.
The Roanoke firemen and equipment should reach the scene about 3 o'clock.

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- Ron Davis, Roger Link





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