1907 - Christiansburg is Fire Swept

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Roanoke Times - June 27, 1907

CHRISTIANSBURG IS FIRE SWEPT

Town Threatened With Destruction -- Roanoke Sends Aid by Special Train

   Christiansburg is burning and Roanoke has been called on for help.
   A long-distance telephone call at 1 o'clock this morning summoned 
the Roanoke fire department to the stricken town thirty-six miles west of here.
   A second message from Christiansburg at an early hour this morning 
announced that the town was threatened with destruction by a fire 
that broke out about midnight.
   The fire started in the Chill Plow Foundry, which is located on 
Depot street, and quickly spread to Graham's lumber yard. From the 
lumber yard the flames leaped to Childress' livery stable. After 
devouring the stable, which burned like tinder, the fire was 
communicated to an office occupied by Mr. Childress and thence to 
Childress' store. Stuart's buggy repair shop was next to catch and 
this was quickly leveled to the ground. Leaving the buggy shop, the 
flames made their way to the residence of a Mr. Graham and soon that 
handsome home was in ashes.
   The loss is said to be fully $50,000 up to the hour of going to 
press and the fire is still raging in the business center.
   Christiansburg has no fire department and the citizens are 
fighting the monster with buckets with little success.
   Great excitement prevails there and the only source from which The 
Times could get information was from the central telephone station.
   As soon as the Roanoke fire department received the message from 
the burning town, all hast was made in getting the small engine and a 
dray wagon full of ladders and hose on to a flat car. The department 
thought to get away at 1:30, a half hour after the message was 
received, but it was 50 minutes before the outfit was ready to start. 
A shifter had pushed up to the loading pier opposite the general 
office building, a flat car and a passenger coach for the comfort of 
the engineers and trainmen. In a short time afterwards engine No. 428 
pulled up and stood puffing impatiently until the fire engine and 
apparatus could be securely loaded. When that was done the tremendous 
jack started out with its relief for the stricken town. Little time 
was lost in getting under way, and soon the Roanoke yards where 
cleared and the relief expedition was making full time ahead for 
Christiansburg.
   The engine was accompanied by Engineers Grubb, Waggoner, Dyer and Steves.

LATER: At 2:30 a. m. it was said that Mr. Graham's residence had been 
saved, and that it was then believed the fire was under control.
   The Roanoke firemen and equipment should reach the scene about 3 o'clock.

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- Ron Davis, Roger Link