The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-12-22

than flood ther00m at long range. AT ~
O'clock it was thought the progress Of
the flames was checked. and that the
third and fourth stories would be
saved, at least. But the fire was
stealing its way up and up, until sud
den voluminous flames burst from the
third and fourth story windows, both
front aud rear, and one Of the most
terribly grand and destructive confa-
graliJns ensued that we have ever seen
in the CITY. The flames rushed with
earful vo'enee from the upper win
dow and stretched across the open
space between the buruing building
and the eleg mt building of Mr.. Han
niug's, occupied by Mark & Hepning,
as if they wou d involve that building
also in destruction. The FIRE crept
through the wall and ran along the
extra joists that joined the two
buildings together. and the large
wooden sign on the top of Mark &
Henniug's store at the rear was
ignited, but persons mounting to the
roof, threw it down The roof OF the
|. building began to give way. and the
flames bursting through mounted
high over the city, lighting it up
with a terrible glare. Ali the sur
rounding buildings we're covered with
men, soaking the roofs to prevent
ignition from the shower Of sparks
and einders that filled the whole at
mosphere. At eleven o'clock, the
side wall, from the front about
half way back, swung out and
fell with a fearful crash into
the open space towards Heu-
ning's, but doing no damage to the
latter. AS the upper timbers, all
ablaze, fell in. the madness of the
flames Increased and the conhagra-
ton become more grandly and sub
timely terrible. Half an hour after
the balance Of the side wall, as far
down as to the top of the second
story, swung out and fell into the ad-
| joining cellar, and before II O'Clock
the proud fabric was mass OF un-
slightly ruins.
During the progress of the fire the
cartridges in the store could be heard
bursting. as if firing a feu de joie.
Thousands of people, men women and
children, crowded the streats and
roofs of buildings in the vicinity. to
watch the terrible destruction. Mil
er s. Gardner, two or three doors be-
low, removed their entire stock of dry
| goods, while Gilbert & Baker felt full
confidence of salty, and allowed their
stock to remain.
Floods of water were poured intc
the burning buildinz, but without ap.
parent effect, and the a6joining and
surrounding buildings were saved BY
great exertions on the part of the cit
izeus and firemen.
The bulldog belonged to Mr.. Cy-
pran Preston, and was valued proba
bly, at $4,000, and Insured, we ar,
told, fer $4,000. Sundry rumor:
were circulating respecting the value
of Sonntag Il Company stock, ant
the insurance on the same, but IL
the confusion it was impossible
to obtain reliable facts. 1t was alto
gether the most destructive singl,
fire that ever occurred in our city.
LaTEe.-At l o'clock the fire wa
burning ia the ruins with great vic
Ience, but no danger was apprehendet
of its spreading. The iron doors a
the rear of the bulldog were red he
from the fervent heat. add thesk
above was lurid with the blaze.
The fire is supposed to have orig
mated from the front stove, shor
distance from the front door, as, afte
the alarm was given and the bacl
doors we're opened, there was no fir
at the rear of the room. From I'll
underwriters We obtain the following
facts relative to the Insurance.:
The obuilding was insured in tn
Evansville Insurance Company 70
Sl3 00J; valued at $4,000.
Ga the stock, which was estimated
at from s65, 900 to $4,000. there wer
the following risks:
Home Of New York, $4,000; In
surance Company of North America
Philadelphia. $4,000; Cleveland
s5.O00-all represented by Archer
Co.; Putnam, $1,000; Security, 1850
Yonkers, "a 900; Hartford. So. 600
City Fire of Hartford. 81 500 al
represented by G. K. Drew; 4Etus
$1,000 represented by Nexsen
! Bixby. Total on stock, $4,000.
Gumberts, Feldman g. Co., as We
as Miller, removed their stocks {
goods from Gilbert's block. The dam
ages on removal would be light. On
Of the engines, at l o'clock this morn
: ing, had been placed at the river, an
u was throwing steady stream on th
ruins.
Z Gilbert's store was on FIRE time {
5 two, but the FIRE was extinguishe
without damage. The front and re.
= walls of Sonntag's building were sti
standing at half-past one o'clock tn
re morning.