Garner & Hinson Store Burned Thursday Night, Dec. 30, 1920

Night Officer Hamer on Thursday night of last week got a whiff of smoke about 12:30 as he was passing the court house. He investigated and found that the rear of the Garner & Hinson store was on fire. He gave the alarm and after the usual delay incident to poor equipment and still poorer water pressure, a line of hose was put in play. The flames were kept to the one-story building, but the $20,000 stock of men’s and boys’ clothing, etc., was badly damaged by fire, smoke and water. Mr. Kenny Garner and several others left the store the night of the fire at 11:15; there was no fire in the stove, and so he is at a loss to account for the blaze. It seemed to start in the northeast corner, at the rear. A hole two yards square was burned in the floor, and a small hole in the ceiling. The flames licked the shelves of shoes, clothing, shirts, etc., without burning up the shelves themselves. Many people turned out for this fire as the store is in the center of the business part of town. Adjoining on the west side is the post office, and on the east is Lowry’s grocery store, with The Post-Dispatch office next to Lowry’s. It was feared lest the flames should gain such headway as to endanger the adjacent buildings, and the handsome court house building 50 feed distant across the street. The building is owned by W.B. Cole, who, it is understood, has about $2,000 insurance on it. The stock is owned by Kenny Garner and Minor Hinson, and was valued at about $20,000. They had $16,000 insurance on it. The “salvage” man from the insurance companies came here Wednesday to see what he could do with the stock, and the adjuster came last night. (From the front page of the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Dec. 30, 1920)