Smyrna Times

$2500 FIRE HERE DRAWS CROWD
Brick Building, Corner Mt. Vernon and Main Sts., Gutted by Flames
FIGHT FIRE FOUR HOURS

Fire of undetermined origin gutted the three-story brick building known as the old Pierce property at the corner of Mt. Vernon and Main streets at 2:30 o'clock Sunday morning, attracting a large crowd of spectators.

Officials of the Citizen's Hose Company, which responded to the alarm, estimated the damage at $2,500. Two firemen, James Turner, Jr., and Fred Slaughter, suffered severe hand cuts while fighting the flames. A passerby turned in the alarm at 2:30 and it was 6 o'clock before the fire was brought under control.

Flee in Night Clothes

The fire started in the store of Howard Pierce on the first floor, and broke through to the second floor apartment of Frank Seward. The other half of the building was occupied as a home by Mrs. Mary B. Hadley. Members of her family were forced to flee in their night clothes across the street to the home of O. J. Farlow. However, the blaze did not spread to the Hadley home, but it was damaged by smoke. The telephone dial mechanism is located near the building and in some manner it was affected by the blaze. Telephone service was not resumed until Sunday afternoon. The damaged building is owned by Horace G. Eastburn of Wilmington.