The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-12
THE FIRE LAST NIGHT.
CONSIDER nLE COMM EMF ON THE WAY
THE ALARM WAS SENT IN AND
TURNED our.
six Thousand Dollars worth nj Property
| Destroyed ana Three Men Injured.

Destroyed ana Three Men Injured.
At about twenty-five minutes TO O'Clock
last evening fire, caused by the explosion d
gasoline oil lamp. broke out In the three
story brick building No. Front street. The
property, Of which Avendano Bros. are the
agents. was occupied az lodging and barrel
house by o. Boutte. This building was dam.
aged TO the amount of $4,000. Insured In the
Sun Insurance Company. Boutte's stock was
damaged to the amount Of $500.
| The flames then communicated to the ad
| Joining three story brick building, owned by
Mr.. Lavillebeuve and occupied as lodging
and barrel house by James Walsh, and the
roof was damaged 10 the amount Of $3.50
The damage 10 Mr.. Walshs stock Ia estimated
at $3.50.
The man who was fixing the lamp that ex-
ploded had his hands severely burned by the
oil. One Of Bouttes dodgers jumped out OF
one of the windows to the ground, In order 20
save bis life, and severely spralned his ankle
The barkeeper was also slightly injured about
the hips, while trying TO escape from the
burning building
The fire gained considerable Roadway, owing
TO the fact that the alarm was not sounded
for fully twenty-five minutes after the fire
broke out. Capt. Zach Bachemin states that
Officer Cooper sent in an alarm three consec-
utive times from box 14i, but the operator ut
the hall failed TO sound the alarm on the bells.
Sergeant Rowley, commanding the Harbor
Station, states that from his station he saw q
fire In the third precinct, In the direction of
Crossman and Levee streets, and not hearing
| any bells, he ordered his operator Mr.. Schu-
fDacher, to call the u. A. officers tmeaning the
fire alarm Office and notify them that there
was fire In the above locality. He then ran
TO the fire. On his return to the station Oper-
ator Schumacher had been relieved by Oper-
ator Crowley, who reported TO him that Mr..
schumacher said that he could not get the
alarm TO the +. A. Office, owing to the fact
that some operator had the line and declined
to give way 10 his call for fire.
While the above alarm was going over the
police wires. Corporal Dryer OF the Harbor
station was turning the crank Of box ~ In
hopes OF getting 1t responded to at the City
Hall. but his call was not answered.
policeman on Canal street, seeing the
large reflection and hearing no bells. ran TO
box 81, corner OF Camp and Canal streets,
aud sounded the alarm from that boz, and
the bells, IN response struck the alarm.
Chief OConnor stated that the alarm struck
81 properly.
Capt. Gfandjean. of the Babcock. and Fore.
man Benners, Of Louisiana Hose, say that
the alarm struck Off as follows. 81, /, 81, l,
81. Capt. Grandjean further stated that he
had to stop his engine in the street to wait
for the second round Of the bells 30 as TO tell
where the fire was.
Chief OConnor also stated that Mr.. Dryer
did not turn In an alarm OF fire to the hall,
but stated to him that he only turned the
crank Of the box three times when he heard
the bells and then stopped turning.
Chief BOylan says that his operators on the
police wires would not dare TO break In on
the line while fire call was going over them,
and that he does not believe that he has an
operator malicious enough to do any such
thing that the fault lies with the operator
at the City Hall. and the best proof It is that
he failed To answer the alarm sent him from
boxes Nos. 70 and AL
Mr. Jas. O'Connor, the operator at the fire
fire alarm Office, stated that he heard f. A.
called from the HarbOr and the call Of fire
once; at the same time his register com
menced to work and broke. This, he says.
was caused by boxes t41 and 81 being turned
In at the same time, they being on Che same
circuit, The man at box 141 stopped, and It
was then he caught the alarm from box 81
and turned 1t In, and the bells rang off all
right