Destructive Fires  —  1863

Another great fire occurred on the morning of the 3d of February, breaking out in the boot and shoe store of Peter Biehler on Randolph Street. It burnt all the houses on the south side of Randolph street from two doors west of the Enquirer office to the corner of Broad, and all on the east side of Broad street to and including Dr. Ware’s drug store. This included four brick buildings on Randolph Street, and five on Broad Street. The parties burnt out on Randolph street were P. Biehler, the jewelry establishments of K. Saylor and G. Jordan, the barber shop of Wm. Paine and Weems, the office of Dr. Fogle, dentist. On Broad Street, the drug stores of Messrs. Brooks & Chapman and Dr. R. A. Ware, and three dry goods stores were burnt, with a portion of the goods in each of them. Over the burnt stores on Broad street were the law offices of L. T. Downing and John Peabody, Esqs., and the offices of Dr. J. L. Cheney, and Drs. Lee & Phelps. The supply of water was very limited, and to this cause was due the wide spread destruction by the fire. Four of the buildings on Randolph Street were owned by H. H. Epping, also two on Broad Street. Dr. Ware, Mr. Downing, and Mr. Morris Kopman each owned one of the burnt buildings.

Source:  Georgia American History and Genealogy, History of Columbus Georgia, on-line