The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-28

Awful COnnagrattOn at EImifa, new
YOrk-One-third the Business Section
OF the Town Destroyed - Saloons,
Hotels, and Buildings Burnt-Loss Half
n MiIliOn-The Insurances, the Scenes,
the Incidents, Etc.
The city of Elmira, N. Y, was terribly DESC
lated by fire on Sunday r1orning, the 23d inst.
AT O'Clock in the morni G of that day flames
were seen issuing from th cellar Of drug store
on the east side of Lake 8 'eet, between Carroll
and Walter streets. The arm was ineffective.
Many minutes elapsed before the citizens realized
the TACT that the alarm really meant ire, and IN
the meantime the store underneath which the
fire started was enveloped in flames.
The building was OF WOOD. 1t burnt with
fearful rapidity. Not for more than half an
hour after its commencement did the engines
reach the scene. Soon after they got well to
work some chemicals and liquors stored IN the
drug shop exploded with tremendous violence,
blowing out the entire front OF that and adjOin-
ing buildings on either side, and rolling billows
| of flame out in the air, the intense heat of
which compelled, tiremen and citizens to take
new stations farther off. The force of the eX-
plosion carried the flames across the street, and
set hre to st. Anthon's Hotel and Turner Hall.
| Down both sides of Lake street the conhagra-
building in its fiery path. Built almost
| solely of wood, they were defenceless
AGAINST the flames; besides which the sup
/ ply of water proved miserably insufficient,
] inc NdlSI OOlupdulS UCiuB lLSell COu-
! sumcd, and the key to the main trunk of the
principal reservoir being lost in the ruins. The
stoppage of the flames was finally effected not
| by human labor, but by the TACT that reaching
| with Concert Hall, a large vacant lot they
could 60 no further and they were checked
from want of ammunition on which to seize.
| For over six hours the dreadful scourge ragged
| with ungoyernable fury.
House after house went down. The whole
city was in the streets, working with the energy
that only common calamity can inspire; but
| their labors were useless owing to the detee-
! ton OF the supply OF water, and nothing they
! could do stopped the course of the conhagra-
| tion. Fortunately no lives were lost during all
the dreadful hours, and considerable movable
! property was saved, though more was lost.
The buildings destroyed are:-The old Post
Office building including four offices, five stores,
one market, and the dwelling of Rev. c. T. Kel-
loeg rector OF Grace Church. The st. Nicholas
buildings including four offices, and three
stores; the Brcwlddie building, including one
large store and one dwelling; two wooden build
ings and tin shop; the Cowen building, large
drug and medical establishment; the Pattison
building, including three buildings (foUr stores,
two offices, and one Turner's HalD; Dunn's
block, four stores, two offices, three family
dwellings,; Conceft Hall, including one hotel
one large Assembly Hall, one store and several
offices; Mechanics Hall building comprising
three stores and four offices; Bolts Place, large
eating saloon; Bundy's block, tobacco ware
house, Bieelow's boot and shoe factory, and ad
Joining sheds, in all comprising The whole o
Lake street, between Water and Carroll, with
the exception of two small tenements.
THE ASSURANCES.
A total of assurances o. S277, 800, leaves out O
the estimated loss of $500,0O0 a remainder o
1922, $50 TO be borne by the sufferers The in
su1ances are distributed as follows among thu
companles:-
Albany City, S23OO Home, New York, s3l, 800
Arctic New York, Sl4, 800; Springfield, $4,000
Northwestern, $4,000; North American, New
York, $1l. .sOO National, $4,000; Hartford
$l3. 500; Fulton, $7450; Niagara 500; Lafayette
Greenwich, $4,000; Columbia, $40, 500; Lenox
$11, 900; Commerce, $4,000; Western, $1,000
Phoenix, $4,000; Security, $500; Phoenix, o
Hartford, $3400; Actual, $500; Manhattan
$4,000; City, $1,000; Metropolitan, $4,000; Allan