The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-21


no danger that IL would pass westward Al
Ter that Two engines covered the entire fiehi
from Polk street south on Clark avenue bx
twelfth street 10 Wabash avenue where the
engagement was growing hotter and hotter
every moment. When the southern and
western ends of the fire had been made Sc
cure the northern and eastern lines of
attack were reinforced and the enemy
confined into narrower and narrower quart
ers On Hanson street the fiend was forced
to give up Fourth avenue and Third rvenue
AT Eanburen street. The monster wss
driven out OF State, the st. James being the
last building TO succumb. When the fire
reached that point the interest i'm its progress
became intense. 1t was moving along both
sides of State, between Harrison and Van
Buren,. On the west side stood a row of
four and nve story marble fronts On the east
vas the ST. James. Beyond the St. James,
northward, was an open space several
hundred feet square. There was a good
nope that if
STAND WAS MADE
At this hotel the flames would be prevented
rom crossing the open space on the west
side. If there was no such barrier, il was
certain that the whole row would go, and
then, crossing Van Buren, street, make its
way to the Palmer House. Opposite the st.
James stood four-stOry marble front. COW
ering about four numbers. These were di
vided from the building south by a single
lot % feet wide. A mere bagstelle, said
every body. and nobody anticipated
hat that little open space would
check the flames. But it did. Fortunately
a splendid fire-proof wall had been reared at
the south. Madly the flames beat against
it and went clear over the building setting
fire to the ST. James, nut this wall stood the
test grandiy, and though there was fire at
the south and fire at the east. and not pail
of water thrown upon it, the building stands
there at this writing, savior of untold mill
lions. IL was the citadel of the conhagra-
ton. It's surrender would have given the
whole city over to the ravaging enemy
lnstinctively every one in sight of the scene
appreciated the Importance of the position
and when the building to the south Iumbled
together with athundering crash, thereafter
harmless, shout from $4,000 throats rose
high above the roar OF the confiagration-it
was the moment of moments dur
ing the progress of the fire, and fifty was
it commemorated. While this building
stood the brunt and onslaught of what might
be called overwhelming odds. a four story
brick, apparently out OF all danger on the
corner of Wabash avenue and Van Buren,
street took fire from the st. James hotel
An upper window had been lett OPEN A
curtain was set on fire by a stray spark. and
in moment the whole interior, already
filled with hot air, was a sheet of flames As
the flames shot forth cry of anguish was
wrung from the spectators, for il seemed
inevitable that now two more squares must
fall sacrifice But fortunately the flames
were confined to that and the adjoining
building, and the northern limit was reached
Having hitherto Stunned Michigan avenue il
now turned venomously upon it, making its
way along Congress street, and consumed
the Oceanic building, the structure thai
once did duty as the fremont, and one Oh
two others, and then was
FINALLY AND EFFECTUALY A sQUELCHED
in time to save those noble structures, the
Madison and Gardner houses and the Expo
sition building. The wooden cupols of the
German Evangelical church. on the corner
Of Polk and Third avenue, was set on fire by
sparks and the church almost destroyed be
| tore the flames reached the wooden build
ings Immediately south of it, At thi,
point an effort was made Il
blow up some of the building
under the direction of Mark Sheridan, Col
LippincotG and Captain A. McCloud A ke,
| OF powder was placed in No % Polk street,
two story frame building. The destruction
OF the building was complete. Powder wa
was next placed in the frame building OF
| thu southwest corner of Polk street and
Third avenue. By this time, however, tn
flames were so close that before the plac
| could be cleared out, they had crossed tin
street and broken out north of Polk st rect
Several attempts we're afterwards made Il
blow up buildings on State between Poll
and Van Buren,. notably at the st. james
Hotel, but nothing effectual was accomp
lished. 1t was impossible to obtain powde
in sufficient Quantities to accomplish tn
/ work.
INSURANCE
The Evening Post and Mail furnishes tn
following partial list of insurance: The Con
tinental, Brewers and Matters Exchange
Merchants and Peoples companies, hat
ricks 10 the amount of Sis, 225 of which tn
loss will not exceed so per cent. The Cha,
of Newport, Kentucky, loses s. 900; tn
Orient of Hartford, Lancaster ana Coz
necticut companies lose between forty AM
! fifty thousand; the Franklin OF Boston, IS.
500; Allemania of Pittsburg, Marine anC
Fire of Millville, N. j., Trade of Camden, n
j., lose $4,000; the Phenix of Brooklyn
| New Hampshire of Manchester and tn
Mississippi Valley companies, lose S2O,O 900
the Atlantic and Pacific company of Chicago
is one of the heaviest losers, their policies il
the burnt distict agggregating $4,000; tn
Michigan Estate, SIS 900; the QIeen OF Liver
pool and Commerce of Albany. $50, 600; Me
chanics and Traders of New York so 600
Union of Philadelphia aud Narragansett O
Providence, $4,000; Underwriters of New
York, Magra of New York. Firemens O
Ddfou, " OoIWeon StU,OO anu c0UOOU; tn
Gibsrslter of Philadelphia, 81 500; Farmer
of York, Penn. Sl2 600; Geo. f. Farmer
agencV loses, $4,000 on Aikens Theater
the Pennsylvania American Fire Associa
ton and the Reading Company, $50 600; tn
st. Paul Company, 200; the Fire of Cleve
land, $4,000; the Actual of Hartford, $50 ,0OC
the Home of Columbus, o., Manufacturers
Fire, Marine OF Boston, Hoffman of New
York. London Assurance Corporation, $50.
600: Williamsburg City Peoples and Ben
Franklin's Companies, $4,000; Commercis
Union of London Adriatic New York, Sho
} q Leather and Prescott, of Boston. Fireman
fund of New York, sl5O,OO0; Phoenix c
Hartford, $4,000; Imperial of London
American Central of st. Louis, Standard c
New York, st. Joseph of st. Joseph Mo
Scotch Commercial of Glasgow, Lamar {
New York and Manufacturers of Newark
sS5 600; Commerce of st. Louis, German c
Freeport, Ills, $4,000; Citizens. Prankli