The Daily Phoenix

Disastrous Fire on Edisto Island. The store and gin-house of Mr. John Wright, situated on Edisto Island, about one mile from the Edisto wharf, were destroyed by fire, at 1 o'clock, on last Wednesday. The fire originated in the moting room, and was caused by an attempt to light a pipe made by a colored woman employed therein. The progress of the flames was so rapid that the gin house hands barely escaped with their lives. Several were severely burned. One colored woman had every particle of clothing burnt off of her, and her condition was such that she died yesterday. The gin house contained ten McCarthy gins, a corn mill and bolting machine, grain fans, elevators and other machinery, as well as about twenty-four bales of sea island cotton and 2,000 bushels of sea island cotton seed, all of which were completely destroyed. The engine house and engine attached to the gin house were also destroyed. The store contained a large stock of dry goods, groceries, etc., all of which, excepting about $150 worth of dry goods, were lost. There was no insurance. The loss is estimated at between $35,000 and $40,000. Of the cotton destroyed, about eighteen bales were the individual property of Mr. Wright. The remaining six bales were owned by Major Carl Berlin, Messrs. G. L. Marsteller, A. Berg, S. L. Baynard and a colored man named James Hutchinson. Of these, Major Berlin is the heaviest loser. Mr. Wright is at present in New York. The store and gin house were under the management of Mr. G. Stevens, who has had charge of them for the past four years.

Charleston News.