Durham Building Housing Hurst-Bell Co., Lawrence Mill Co. Destroyed by Fire, March 24, 1926

Durham Building Destroyed by Fire. . . Was Occupied by Hurst-Bell Co. and Lawrence Mill Company. . . Damage $75,000 to $100,000

Durham, March 22—Fire, which broke out about 6 o’clock Saturday afternoon while the streets were filled with late afternoon shoppers and others, completely gutted the three-story building situated on East Peabody Street owed and occupied by Messrs. E.H. and M.V. Lawrence as a grain mill. The wholesale grocery concern of the Hurst-Bell Company occupied a large part of the first floor. Firemen had great difficulty in subduing the flames which spread with great rapidity throughout the building. Practically all the fire-fighting apparatus available in the city was called out by the three alarms.

Yesterday and this morning the owners were busy moving what stock could be salvaged from the ruins. Firemen had remained on duty to prevent a fresh outbreak of the flames. Total damages are estimated to amount to between $75,000 and $100,000. The amount of insurance carried was unobtainable last night, but it was stated that about one-half of the loss was covered.

From the front page of The Roxboro Courier, Wednesday evening, March 24, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073208/1926-03-24/ed-1/seq-1/