The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-05-05
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
A R PORTION OF
OSHKOSH, IN ASHES.
NEARLY ALL THE BUSINESS
HOUSES BURNED.
HUNDREDS or FAMILIES RENDERED
HOMELESS.
Oshkosh, WIS, April 2S-lO a.
M.-A fire broke out this afternoon
in Morgan & Bros saw mill, burn
ing that and a dozen other saw aud
single mills on Sawdust avenue,
apd millions Of lumber and hundreds
of houses. All the printing Offices
Harding's Opera House, aud the
Beckwith and Adams hotels. Inc
burnt district is one and q half miles
long anI half Il mile wide. Three
lives are reported lost. llundreds OF
families are homeless. Nearly all OF
the business houses are burned, ID
Guiding banks. There is not a dry
goods store standing on the aorth side
now. 1t is almost impossible to give
the loss tonight. The city Is 10 the
hands Of a mob, and extra police are
on duty.
PARTICULARS OK WEDNESDAY CON
FLAGRATIoN.
CHICAGO, April 29.-The following
facts in regard to the FIRE at Oshkosh,
Yesterday afternoon are learned from
specials to the morning papers. The
fire commenced at the corner Of Pine
and Marion streets, and spread east
and northeast though Hancock, Pearl,
Warren and High streets, destroying
the depots of the St. Paul Railroad,
aud proceeding to Main street, where
the principal business houses are To-
Gated, and extending on the north
line of the above limits southeasterly
across Fifth, Wangoo and other
street, the south lice being the river,
with the exception Of a block or two
about the foot of Main street.
THE ORIGIN OF TIE FIRE.
The building in which it originated
was the saw mill of Morgan &
Brothers on the north side of the
river. 1t was as dry as finder, and
filed with the most combustible ma
terial. The beat was so intense hat
the fremen were unable to approach
sufici emily near to render any SER
vice. The ~neigbhOring lumber piles
fell an easy prey to the flames, and
millions of feet Of seasoned lumber
were Immediately developed. A
dozen other saw and single mills
and lumber piles yielded to the Jury
of the flames. 4 brisk wind famed
the flames, which were wbetted by
the small frame houses Of the mill
employees. Few Of the families
saved any Of their effects.
The fremen for a time fought
bravely in the face of the terrible
odds to stay the progress of the fire
but were driven back step By step.
One after another the business build
ings on Main street were licked up
by the insatiate fire, and crumbled
into masses of sbapeless ruins. From
Algoua to Ceape street were located
all the principal dry goods stores,
banks, hotels and newspaper Offices.
Ali of them vent down before the
resistless hurricane. Merchants had
time to save but little, for their ia
cilities for the transportation Ofgoods
to a place of safety were limited. A
few succeeded in carrying a few
loads of their most valuable wares
away from the tracks of the FIRE, but
by far the greater number lost their
all. The Beckwith House and the
Adams HOUSE,, Two hotels Of large
capacity, finely furnished With all
modern improvements, were destroy
ed in almost a ~twinkling. Nothing
worth mentioning was saved. The
loss on the former will be about $40,
600, and on the latter $50, 600.
The newspaper and telegraph
Offices shared the fate Of the s%urroun-
ding buildings. The Northeastern
office, owned by Allen & Hicks, was
probably the most valuable. The
Northeastern is a tdaily paper, and
fitted up with all the facilities for its
publication, and for the execution of
job printing. Nothing was saved.
The loss will be about $4,000 The
Times, a sprightly weekly, published
by d. W. Fernandes, had also al the
conveniences of a first class office.
The loss will reach about $40, 000.
Three men were reported killed by
the falling walls, bat their names
could not be sseeFtaiqed in The con-
fusion. Rumors of further loss of
life We're also prevalent, but were
not authenticated up to a late hour
last night.
Over two hundred residences,
large and small, were burned. Over
one hundred stores, hotels, banks,
the Opera House, a valuable struct-
gre. costing nearly one hundred
thousand dollars, and the finest in
Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee-all
these wore destroyed.
The loss is yariogsly estimated.
The most moderate estimate is $780,
900 and The highest 81, 900, 600. The
city is in the utmost confusion. Hun
dreds Of families are homeless, wo-
men and children lying about the
streets or roaming around in search
of shelter. The heavens were lit
with q lurid glare of fire, which up to
a late hour last night was burning
ferccly.
Gangs Of desperadoes we're prowl-
ing about, stealing plumber, They
succeeded in inspiring the greatest
terror. Citizens organized for mutn-
al protection. Tine police were
powerless to suppress them or to
quiet the fears Of outrage. The
flames at last began to yield to the
persistent Efforts Of the fremen and
citizens.
Revolving Murder in Detroit
DETROIT April 29-One of the