The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1871-10-14


Cabahanoose streets, owned by Nine.
Onezime Leblanc and occupied by DR..
G.. A. Franklin. The steamer Katie
landed at the wharf just as the flames
burst forth, and an alarm was rang
with her bell, which, combined with
the ringing of the wharf bell, the
shouts of several persons who CHANGED
to be in the streets and the discharg-
ing of some pistols, served to awaken
the citizens very generally, and
soon quite crowd had gathered about
the scene of confiagration. The flames
spread rapidly from the kitchen to the
main building, which burned like tin
der, and it at once became apparent
that to eXtinguish them with the small
facilities at hand would be impossible.
The citizens, both white and colored,
set to work with a will, and in a few
moments every movable article which
the house contained was carried away
to safe distance and deposited in the
street, even the doors and windows
being lifted froEl their fastenings, and
the gallery posts and railing torn com
pletely down. IL was necessary in or
der to prevent the fire from spreading
to the adjacent houses, that a small
building which had been used by DR.,
Franklin as an office should be demol.
ished, and in allnOst as short a space
of time as it takes to write it the clap
boarding was Knocked off, the struc,
ture felled, the roof overturned bod
lily, and the debris removed beyond
reach of the flames. Blankets were
spread upon the roofs of the contigu
GUS houses and kept constantly satu-
rated with water By this means the
spread of the flames was prevented.
All that could be done to stop the pro
gress of the fire and render the de
struetion OF property as light as pos
sible was done, and considering the
want of system and lack of fire en-
CINE, our citizens deserve credit for
what was accomplished in this respect.
The Mayor and eonstables were at the
scene of action in good season, and
did much towards inaugurating some
system into the labor of saving. The
Mayor very narrowly escaped injury
from the roof of the little office hereto
fore mentioned as it was being over
turned into the street. We noticed
Messrs. Pierre Landry, Charles F.
Smith and neighbor Wilkinson fore
most among those who were working
to prevent the spread of the flames to
adjacent houses. But we forbear men
tioning names, as there were many
persons who labored heartily and I'M
tiringly who are strangers to us; we
will not do them the injustice, there
fore, to praise those we do know
without beingEable to make mention
of themselves.
The loss incurred by this fire is es-
timated at about fifteen hundred dol
lars, with no insurance. The origin of
the confiagration is unknown, but it
is thought by some to have been the
work of an ineendiary.
Every one with whom we have spo-
ken on the subject comedies with us
in the opinion that a single fire engine,
systematically worked, would have
rendered the saving of the main build
ing comparatively easy, even half an
hour after the flames were first dis
covered. Let not the lesson be lost
upon the community. Winter is now
approaching, when fires will be kept
burning in every stove and blazing
upon every hcarthstone, and of course
the dangers Of conflagration proper
tionately increased. Every property
holder in town is interested in this
and immediate steps should be
taken to establish fire company and
procure an engine. If our citizens
will not make up their minds to do
this, we hope the Council will take it
into their own hands and, if necessary,
levy tax sufficient for the purchase
of an engine. The interests of the
town demand fire organization.