The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-25
The Fire on Camp Street.


About two O'Clock, yesterday morning, the fir
bells sounded the alarm for this, fifth, district
The streets at the time were deserted, but no
many moments elapsed before they re.echoed viii
the rattling OF the fire engines, trucks and host
carts Fastening toward Camp street, opposite
Natchez Alley. where already, in the upper por
tion of building No. IS, occupied by ex.Mayor E
Heath as an upholstery and hou se.furnishing es
tablishment, blaze could be seen. The chiel
engineer of the department, Mr.. O'Conner, wa.
almost Immediately on the ground. and arranged
his forces with admirable system to fight the de-
vouriDg element.
The hose was led in over the Academy premi
ses from st. Charles street, and opened its torrent
upon the rear of the burning building. From the
Commercial alley side two more nozzles were
directed at the flames, while from Montgomery's
Auction Mart, (Armory Hall,) on Camp street,
three more threw their streams right into the
fire. Nevertheless the iamss had got well under
teadway, and in spite of the fremen's efforts
totally destroyed the building and its contents,
valued at s25 900, with the exception of about
sl00 worth Of goods dragged out and saved.
This loss was partially covered by an insurance of
SIS, 600 in the Crescent and Merchants Compa.
MES. The front and side wall of the house remain
standing, but the roof and floors have fallen in,
making the place ruin.
Next door was the stationery store of Mr.. John
W. Madden, No. rs Camp street, whose fine stock,
valued, ct prime cost, at $50 600, was thoroughly
saturated with water. Mr.. Madden was insured
for $4,000 in the Crescent Insurance Company
The job printing office of Messrs Graham & Co.
on the second floor, and the book. .bindery of Mr.
Mayeur, on the upper floor, sustained injury from
the same cause. In the former much valuable
manuscript copy, only 10 be replaced, if at all, by
great labor, was lost many cases of type were
destroyed, and the presses damaged. The loss
was here but partially covered by sn insurance
of $4,000.
The flames next attacked the upper portion of
the grocery building of Messrs. 1. G. Berry Co.,
No. IL, but were eXtinguisbed before they had
progressed further than TO the fourth and third
floors, which were occupied as Offices and by the
artificial leg depot Of Dr.. Bly,. The valuable
stock of Messrs. Berry & Co. was badly damaged
by the falling water, eniailing loss of about
3,000, covered by insurance in the Sun aud Pei.
lean companies to the amount of $4,000. The
building itself, which belongs to Mr.. Jas. Cullis,
Of New York, was insured fully.
As is evident, the adjoining buildings were In
serious peril. Armory Hall on The one side the
Academy of Music in the rear, and the back por
items Of the buildings On Commercial Alley were
all more or less imperileG, and it is said that only
projecting wall in the rear of the burning houses
protected the Academy of Music from destruction.
Manager Bidwell trotted out his own steam Ere
engine (not the one that does duty in New Or
lesns by Gsslight," but genuine "masheen,'D
and did good service, throwing stream it is said
two minutes after the alarm was given. Armory
Hall was badly scofched. while the Green Room
building on Commerc al Alley was only saved-its
Proprietor, Mr.. Charley Miltimore, says-by the
indefatigsble exertions of the fremen, who took
the hose Of Columbia No. 5 to bis roof
Altogether the fire was the most disastrous for
long tine reported in New Orleans, and caused
destruction of property estimated at 500, 900.