After The Fire
It has been said that the fire which desolated our down town lately was a great blow to business, but though the loss was great o the persons whose buildings and goods were consumed or injured by it, yet so far as being a serious obstacle in the way of business, it would seem to be the reverse. Never before have we seen such energy displayed and never before has the future of Carrollton presented a more hopeful prospect. Workmen have been busy ever since the fire, clearing away the rubbish and saving all of value that was left, and until stopped by the rigors of approaching winter, they will be constantly employed, in building and otherwise restoring in a better and more permanent form what was so sadly destroyed. We may well venture the prediction that before this time next year, not only will the burnt district be rebuilt, and present a much better appearance that it did before the fire, but additions will be made, in the way of substantial improvements in other parts of the town.
Hamilton & Smith have dissolved partnership, and Mr. Smith will continue to dispense dry goods and groceries here, a trade in which he has met with remarkable success, all due to his energy, industry, and singular business qualifications. At present, his goods, of which a large quantity was saved, are in the bank building, and at Darling’s grain and flour depot, corner of Fifth and Main. The use of these buildings were generously tendered Mr. Smith by their respective owners, Mssrs. Howe and Darling. Thither the goods were removed after the fire, there they are being sold to all who apply, and we have noticed that Mr. Smith’s clerks are kept nearly as busy now, selling with the top of a box for a counter, as they were when the “Green Front” was in all its glory, and that was just as busy as they could be. Mr. Smith has employed a large force of workmen, and is clearing away the rubbish, preparatory to rebuilding his store, which he intends shall be bigger, better arranged, and handsomer than the old building. He expects to have it built and move into it within two months.
J. H. Grobsmeier, merchant tailor, has purchased the site of Dunagan’s dwelling, for which he paid $600, and expects to put up on it a store, the same and similar in other respects to Mr. Smith’s. The buildings will join and both will have handsome iron fronts, metal roofs and in other respects will be as near fireproof as possible. Mr. Grobsmeier expects to have his building enclosed before winter sets in.
Mr. Anderson, in conjunction with Mr. Smith is having a large frame warehouse built on the site of the old shed, which was torn down the night of the fire, between Mrs. Corn’s millinery store and Williams’s grocery.
C. D. Salyers is comfortably located, for the present, in the Webster building, corner of Third and Main. He has received a new supply of stoves and tinware, and is going on with his business as if nothing had happened. He expects to remain there during the winter, and in the spring will probably erect a new brick ship on the site of the old one.
E. W. Williams proposes to build, next spring, a large brick store room on the site of the dwelling, corner of Fourth and Main, which belonged to him, and was consumed in the flames.
These buildings will doubtless be much of an improvement on those which were destroyed, and thus, it may be that the fire, with all its evils, will finally result ion a marked improvement to that part of town; and the impetus thus given to improvement will not be apt to stop there.
Other buildings are likely to be put up and the lessons learned from the fire will be to make them as secure and nearly fire-proof as possible. Carrollton, perhaps, needed waking up, but we hope it will not be necessary to repeat the process by another such loss.
from the Carrollton Democrat, October 3, 1874