The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-07-15


get into play, and an artilleryman dashed
through the flames at at the risk of his life
and rescued a number of horses out of Il {
| stables attached to the malt stores
Among the buildings which the fire fasteu.
ed upon with greatest tenacity was a large
tannery in Mill street. which, though the
contents were less infammable, was re.
duced to ruin in few hours
A public house at tie corner of Ardee
and Chamber streets, belonging to a man
named fitzsimnons, was swept away at an
early period, and the owner, who is an in
/ valid, was rescued With some difficulty.
/ A new wing of the Cocmbe Lying in Hos
pl;al. which Is in course of erection by Sir
/ Artlu Guinness, had a narrow escap~, as
the flames caught the scaf'olding in front,
but it was promptly removed and the danger
ayerted. A number of purcheons of
whisky were got out of the stores at the
fire and piled up in Cork street, where the
soldiers had 70 guard them with fixed bayo
| nets to keep away the mob.
The people could not at first understand
why the fire brigade did not use their en-
gines, and seemed disposed to resent their
apparently culpable naction, bat ,hc exrlo-
slCus IN the sewers when the burning liquid
ran into them and reached the accumulated
gases showed by terrible evidence the pru-
denee Of adopting another remedy, With
the willing help Of the military and citizens
the pavement was torn UP and an embank-
ment was formed and covered it'll manure
and mud brought from the Corporation
depot in Clanbrased street, and by this
means the fire was isolated and its progress
evidently checked.
After the liquid was burnt out the en-
gines were brought into play upon the
smculdering embers, and are still actively
engaged. The fire is still burning under
ground, but it is hoped that all serious dan
gel ispast.
1t Is impossible yet to form q correct es-
innate Of tie amoant Of damage done, but
the destruction Of property has been cnor-
mous. There are tbirty.seven houses in
Chamber street, Ardee street, and Mill
street, reduced to ruins. The bonded stores
and, it is believed, the tannery, are covered
to scme extent by insurance, but the occu-
pied dwellings, in which the families Of
many decent artisans and workman, who
are new homeless, lived, were uninsured
The value Of the contents Of the bonded
stores was f54, 900 and it is probable that
the whole loss will amount to over GlO0,-
600.
e The Gre was still snorldering u day,ana
jets of flame shot up ftfully, but were
promptly subcued by the engines. Crowds
of people visited the ruins, which in some
respects resembled the Scene of a recent
bCmbardment from the rubbish of fallen and
shattered houses, ,charred timber, fragments
OF furniture, and property Of various kinds
lying in heaps, or strewn about in wild dis.
order, with here and there deep yawning
chasms of exploded sewers. Great misery
has been caused to the poor people who IN
habited the rooms of houses let in tene
ments in Grdee street, Chamber street,
Malt street, and Cork street, many of whom
were left absolutely homeless. Others had
their rooms and furniture SO drenchcd and
damaged that they could not stay in them
They found kindly sympathy and shelter
from others Of their own class who had es-
caped from the effects of the confagrasion
and numbers who had rever spoken to each
other before interchanged tokens Of friend
ship and affection in presence of a common
danger.
Irrespective OF the larger buildings de.
stroyed, over twenty of the tenement houses
have been reduced to ruins. 1t was deplor-
able to see the agony of those who separa
ted from relatives in their hurried flight,
were in suspense as to their fate. No case
Of any loss Of life from the fire itself is re
ported, though many persons could not
escape from the band Of fire which encircled
their dwelling in front, and had to make
their way out through the rear. Two corn
pOrters, however, named IIealy and Nc
Nulty, aged respectively % aud 80, have
died in the hospital from the effects
of drinking the whisky which foKed iu the
streets They were both found in lane
OF Cork street on the night of the fire, lying
iusensible, with their boots off, which they
had evidently used to collect the liquor.
There are seventeen other persons in the
Meath Hospital who are suffering from the
same cause, and it is feared that other
deaths will follow. 1t is now ascertained
that the fire originated in the bonded stores
of Mr. Lawrence Malone, in which there
were 5000 barrels of whisky and other
spirituous liquor.
Only sixty-one casks were rescued at an
early period. Reeds malt-house was not
so valuable nor SO much insured as was at
first reported. The brigade, under Capt.
Ingram, were on the spot about fifteen
minutes after notice was received; but the
FIRE had then got the upper hand, and until
| o'clock a. m. they could only use the
engines to saturate the houses in the neigh
borhorhood and make them less liable to
take fire. About 200 men of the Second
Regiment were promptly sent from Rich
mond Barracks. There were also present
sc soldiers of the Fiftieth Regiment, and
200 police-eonstables. No accidents oc-
| CURED in connection with tie FIRE, and
there was no breach of the peace or attempt
at the Coombe to seize some barrels Of
whisky.
The large force of military and police,
with the cooperation OF many respectable
citizens, efficiently preserved order. A