Burlington Business District Destroyed by Fire, Dec. 17, 1918

From the Wilson Daily Times, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1918

Big Fire in Burlington

Starts in Furniture Store and Under Control at 11 o’clock. . . Motor Truck Which Starts to the Aid of The Burlington Firemen Turns Over at Elon College. . . Greensboro Sends Aid on Train. . . 50,000 Gallon Reserve Soon Used Up

Burlington, N.C., Dec. 17—Fire here today destroyed the greater part of the business district of this city and at 11 o’clock the flames had wrecked the buildings occupied by the Smith Furniture Company and spread to the Burlington Hardware Company, the McClelland five and ten cent stores and spread on both sides of the street. The fire at that hour was under control on the west side of the block to which it was unopposed by water since the reservoir of 50,000 gallons had been exhausted on which the city depended for fire fighting.

An appeal was sent to Greensboro for help and a detachment from the Greensboro company is on its way here. A motor truck which started from Greensboro under its own power overturned at Elon College.