Thursday, November 10, Early Afternoon

Hose-reel Cart and Horse of African American Company, New Hanover County Public Library

On orders of Fire Chief Charles Schibben, W.T. Savage stopped the all-black fire crews here until the building burned beyond repair. Then, the crew was allowed to douse the flames. At the sound of the fire bells, women and children fled from the African-American and mixed-race neighborhoods to Pine Forest cemetery and other outlying areas for safety.

African-American employees heard the bells as far away as the Sprunt Cotton Compress. (WRRR 127-129)