Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-05-11
In the Flames.
MONTREAL, April %.


In the Flames.
MONTREAL, April %
An awfully disastrous fire occurred
here this morning in the building of the
Oil Cabinet Company, in st. Urbain
street. Ten persons were killed and
many more were seriously injured. The
building was five stories high, of wood,
and fiimsily constructed. At five o'clock
the fire was discovered, and an alarm
quickly brought the firemen to the place.
The flames at first we're confined to the
upper story of the building, being
checked by the flow of water from thir-
teen nozzles; but soon they broke forth
again from the windows. The fremen
were working in various parts of the
building, as well as outside. The fire
descended to the lower stories with ex-
traordinary rapidity. Shortly before six
o'clock the men in the second story were
called from their post, and no sooner had
they descended from the windows than
the flames belched forth spitefully, as if
to overtake them. Reckless in their en-
deavors, they raised ladder, and three of
them assembled with hose The water
that they poured into the lower stories
seemed for the time to obtain the mas
terry; but suddenly the wind changed,
and the flames eDvcloped the whole
street. The wind instantly veered again,
and the firemcn who had ascended were
found at the foot of the ladder terribly
burned. The heat in st. Urbain street
was so terrible that the shingle roofs,
doors, and window. frames ignited; but
they were prevented getting ablaze by
the firemen, who had their wits about
them. They set about protecting a lum-
Der yard that has its entrance in Craig
street. 1t was closely watched, and it
may be said to have almost miraculously
escaped; likewise Charbonneau's saw
mills, which adjoined the blazing pile
At about six o'clock the wind assisted
the flames more effectually than before.
1t raised clouds of red-hot splinters, and
deposited them on the roofs of the ada
cent dwellings in Vitre street. The Oc-
cupants of the rickety-built tenements
became alarmed, and moved their goods
in remarkably short time. The
heat from the works set fire to the dwell
ings adjacent; but continuous pouring
of water soon put that out. The fire in
the upper fat did not abate in fury,
however, and the basement became
ablaze, and the roof, which fell in by
sections, increased the fuel that fed the
flames. After the whole of the roof had
fallen, the upper portion of the walls
bulged outward, and it was apparent to
all the spectators that the walls were
sure to fall, and that nothing could save
the buildings adjacent Common wooden
shanties) or the tiremen close by Chief
Patton, who had sent his men into an
alley, was awake to this fact, and ran to
call them out.
Reddy, Nolan and Holtby, of /, were
on the roof of Beauchamp's store direct.
ing stream on the houses in Vitre
street. The Chief had barely got the
words out of his mouth calling them
away, when the rear wall fell, and buried
them. He received injuries from which
it is doubtful whether he will recover
The cry instantly went up that the men
were buried Jack Rockingham, of 8,
entered the alley with two others, to en-
deavOr to rescue the buried men. Holt
by had by this time wriggled out of the
ruins, but the other two were buried al
most up to their necks. They were pow
erless, but conscious, and were roasted
alive. Rockingham and his companions
we're utterly powerless to save them
Chief Patton's son rescued his father,
with the assistance of Mr.. Charles Garth.
Rockingham went out for help, which
he soon obtained. Even with the addi-
tional aid the two buried firemen could
not be extricated.
Rockingham went out for more assist
ance. He had barely emerged from the
alley when the other portion of the wall
fell, and covered all who stood in reach.
Intense excitement ensued. Firemen ran
frantically about looking for comrades.
Work was at once commenced amid the
scorching debris. 1t was found that the
falling wall had raZed to the ground the
rear portion of the undertaker's store,
and there in the ruins lay the bodies.
Within foot of the surface was discov-
cred a heap of them, some lifeless, some
in the throes of death and others barely
conscious, The manned were carried as
tenderly as, under the excitement of the
occasion, could be expected, to an ambu-
lance, and taken to hospital. The dead
were put in the cotfins that were close at
hand, ana taken away.
The following is list of casualties:
, HtIlSd-T. Higgins, Richard Sholes,
Michael Barry, Vim. Perry, firemen.
George Lynch, foreman of Water Works
Department, and the following citizens;
Alderic Beauchamp, jeweler; Antoine
Saunders, stonecutter; Edward Hamell,
coachman, and Joseph Parker, machinist.
WoHAd6d Chief Patton, seriously
bruised and burned; Nolan Guardian,
legs fractured; John Livingston, legs
fractured, one having since been ampu-
tated; Ben Harrison, back injured; Chas.
Reddy, head bruised; VIM. Ferguson,
leg broken; Charles Bueis, badly injured;
Alfred HOltby, severely bruised; Israel
Bishop, leg broken; Edward Stollery.
leg broken-all firemen.
Besides these are many citizens Sc
verely but not dangerously injured. The
loss of property will amount to $40, 900.
Suspicious are entertained that the fire
was of incendiary origin, The building
was occupied by the Novelty Company
and Spencers shoe-furnishing factory
Insured.
MONTREAL, May l.
nathan victiu, of tho fro oou,ed Ia,