Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-12-20
ANOTHER FIRE Ar LITTLE ROCK
The Entire Eastern Portion Of the City
at One Time Threatened-The Con-
fagratiOn Finally Checked
after Raging -Four Hours.
The Miller & PrenZel Block Entirely Con-
sumed-LOss, One Hundred and
Fifty Thousand Dollars.

LITTLE Rock, December I9.-Another
fire has just broken out at thirty minutes past
eight o'clock, on the corner of Markham and
Sherman streets, adjoining the Miller and
Pencil block, which threatens to destroy the
eastern business portion Of The city.
8:+j-No water on the fire yet, although
the fire department is out, and the streets
thronged with people. 1t is reported that
there is considerable powder in the building,
and the officers are keeping the people from
coming to the immediate vicinity.
THE UTMOST EXCITEMENT
prevails at present. The flames are confined
to the extensive house of Jones, NJ Dowell &
Co., cotton-factors and commission merchants,
in the Miller & Pencil block, three-story
brick building. The city council, which
was in session when the alarm sounded, has
just adjourned.
At the hour of $50. the Pat Cleburne, a
steam-engine, is pouring two streams in the
front door of Jones, M'Dowell & Co.'S store,
and there is possibility that the flames will
be subdued. The new Silsby steamer, pur-
chased by the citizens of Hot Springs, and
brought here for trial, is taking water at the
corner of Cumberland and Second streets.
Should the building burn,
THE loss
cannot fall short of one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars. The fire department is
doing noble work, and if the water holds out
a portion of the building may be- saved. The
report of a considerable amount of powder
in the building Is denied, and every inch Of
available ground is occupied by the workers.
At ten minutes past nine the flames burst
from the rear of the building, and the cry
went up that ''the block is doomed There
seems to be
no HOPE.
If a wind prevailed the loss would be
greater than the Metropolitan fire. The
cause is as yet unknown. About three hur-
dred men are engaged in removing the gro
ceries within reach in Miller & Pencils
wholesale grocery house. The goods in the
other side is mostly machinery and heavy
goods The work of razing the neighboring
buildings Is under way. The powder was
removed at the commencement of the fire,
yet hundreds Of people refuse to venture near:
The ground is trembling under the throes Of
the four steamers playing upon the building.
WATER GIVEN OUT.
At 9:20.-The water in the cister1Is having
given out, the steamers have gone to the river
forwater, the Silsby, IN charge of Agent Ran
dali, taken from the transfer boat, and the
city steamers from the levee. One steamer,
the Pulaski, is disabled, and is not at work.
No water is being thrown on the fire at this
moment. The second story of the building
will be thoroughly gatted, and the loss will
be from seventy to eighty thousand dollars,
if the building is not destroyed. Both firms
were partially insured.
During the time the engines moved from
the cisterns TO the river,
THE FIRE GAINED A HEADwAY
which seems impossible to check. The
buildings occupied by the following firms
will be ruined, the nearest ones being proba-
bly, crushed by the falling walls: Harrison
Reed, barber; Kaufman, toys and bakery;
Popp, butcher; S. l.. Volmer & Co., dry
goods; the last named are insured The
neighborhood known as Fighting" alley,
comprising about twenty-five wooden build
ings, occupied as saloons, ETC., on the levee
and Water street, is almost sure to burn.
q railroad man, was dangerously injured
by an axe dropped from the house. Many
thieves are being arrested.
At 10:15-The fire has been raging two
hours, and the walls of the block are falling.
Thus goes the largest wholesale houses IN Ar
kansas. The loss cannot fall short of one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. There is
no telling where the flames will be stopped.
The neat has driven the fremen from the sur
rounding buildings. Jack Curtis has been
severely wounded by q box of merchandise
dropping upon him.
and grasping this building. The steamers
are playing on aIarge wooden building on
the east side, endeavoring to prevent its
spread in that direction The general office
Of the Little Rock and Fort Smith railroad Is
in danger; it is owned by John NJ 'Dowell q
Co. and is an elegant two-story and halt
brick The third story Of the Miller d Pen
eel block was the lodge-room of all the Ma
sonic bodies of the city, and also the office OF
L. Z. Barber, secretary of the Grand Eodge.
The rooms were elegantly furnished and all
| the lodges papers, regaha, furniture, etc, was
destroyed. The rear wall of the Miller &
| Pencil block, when it falls, vii crush several
wooden buildings, which the fremen have
not time to raze. Mr.. D. L. Jones says that
IneTC Wis lLO HIt III llIS OIuCt dlld Iilt 1Ic II
! believed by many to be
WORK OF AN INCENDIARY,
intent on destroying the city. At half-pasI
eleven o'clock the fire is under control, and is
confined to the one block, although those IL
the vicinity were badly damaged by both fire
and water. The delay in moving the engines
| from the cistern to the river gave the fire q
| neadway which could not be checked. jones
. n :. r 81
! Bussey & Co., of New Orleans and Memphis