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Sunday, December 4, 2022

First Official Estimates of New Bern's Losses in Dec. 1, 1922 Fire

First Accurate Estimate Made in Loss in Fire. . . 1,000 Houses and Other Buildings Destroyed; Financial Loss Set at $2,000,000. . . More Than 3,000 Persons Homeless. . . Area of 40 Blocks, Comprising One-Fourth of City, Has Been Laid to Waste

NEW BERN, N.C., Dec. 4—(By Associated Press)—The first accurate estimates of New Bern’s loss from Friday’s fire today were available when city officials checked the number of houses destroyed and persons rendered homeless. Their report showed:

1,000 houses and other buildings destroyed;

More than 3,000 persons homeless;

An area of 40 blocks, comprising one-fourth of the city, has been laid to waste;

The total financial loss will be approximately $2,000,000.

Insurance of about one-third that amount was carried by property owners.

One case of drunkenness and the assault of a negro woman by her husband were the only cases of disorder here last night.

Adjutant General J. Van B. Metts arrived here this morning and made a general survey of the situation.

One thousand blankets, the same number of mattresses, hundreds of sweaters were received from the Naval Base at Norfolk. Donations, also, are arriving from other towns, and a place is being found for everything contributed.

Financial aid also is promised from various towns and organizations in the state, and, this, it was stated, will help materially. At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, it was estimated that $100,000 or more, will be required to place the victims of the fire on a basis from which they will be able to help themselves. Additional plans for the employment of hundreds of the negroes thrown out of jobs also were discussed. An effort will be made to have the State Highway Commission to accelerate its road building in this county, it was stated.

All of the fire victims last night were cared for, most of them sleeping in the school building.

From the front page of The Fayetteville Observer, Dec. 4, 1922.

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