Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-01-07
A FIRE BUG
Destroys Lives and Property.
Two Flrsmsn Killed, and Another
Severely Hurt.
A Disastrous Blaze Last Night.
Insurance, $4,000.

ten o'clock. 1t broke out in the real
of 3S7 Main street, and is supposed tC
have been fired by design. The
premises were occupied by NJ. Hen
ochsberg as as a picture and frame
store, and for some time past he has
advertised that his stock was offered
at cost to close business. The flames
spread quickly, bursting through the
back door, and within ten minutes
enveloping the entire building
an old structure two storie:
in height and very frail. With
in a short time after the flames broke
out the fire department had theil
engines at work, but the fire had
gained too much Roadway to be sup
pressed, and a general wreck Of the
premises resulted. During the pro-
gress Of the confagration the
front wall tumbled outward, the
brick spreading all over the pave.
ment and burying three men
beneath the runis. One, a young man
named Peter Meath, and a member Of
No. 2 fire engine on Main street, was
killed outright, his head being com
pletely crushed and lattened by the
falling walls. He was taken from the
ruins shortly after the wall fell, but
was found to be quite dead upon being
reached. The remains were conveyed
to his house No. 1876 DeSoto after an
inquest had been held, and will be
inferred tomorrow by his brother
firemen and friends. Mr.. Meath was
"A years ofage,and a cleveryoung man,
a son of Mr.. p. G. Meath, and reared
in this city. He had been a fireman
for more than a year past. The other
fireman killed also belonged to No. 2
company, and his name was Edward
Leonard, a brick mason by trade,
but for the past year or so a fire.
man. He leaves a wife and
two children in very destitute
condition. They reside on st. Martin
street, near Huling, and their distress
atthe unexpected loss of the head of
the household can be better
imagined than described. Mr..
Leonard died about three o'clock this
morning, his skull having been frac-
tured and other serious injuries sus-
tanned. A man named Pat Mccarthy,
also a fireman of No. 2, was also
rescued from beneath the ruins, but
his injuries are not dangerous, though
he is badly hurt, mainly in the lower
limbs. No bones were fractured,
however, and he is in a fair way to
recover. Mr.. Mccarthy has a wife and
five children, and has been a fireman
for ten pears past.
THE LOSSES.
The building in which the fire oc-
Cured and those adjoining belonged
to the estate of the late j. r. Leath
and they were o fsmall valne. Iusur-
ance to the value of $4,000 is known to
have covered them, of this $4,000 was
in the Bluff City, of Memphis; 1890
in the Home, Of New York, and 1890
in the Imperial, of London, the two
latter being in Darlington Mason's
agencies. The house, No. 3S3 Main
street, was occupied by Louis LANCE
as a corsetfactory and the loss is given
$4,000; insured for $1,000 in the
Queens, of London. House No. 1856,
occupied by L. Rescher as a jewelry
stand, was not insured. Loss stated
to be about $1,000. House No. S87,
where the fire originated, was occu-
pied by. NJ. Henochsberg.
The loss is claimed to be
near $4,000. Insurance $4,000; d.
vided $4,000 in the Queens of London
and $1,000 in the Mississippi Valley of
Memphis. Total insurance, as far as
heard, $4,000, of which $4,000 is in
local companies.
During all of this forenoon a throng
of people gathered about the ruins Of
the fire, drawn there by a strange
infatuatiou, or through curiosity to
view the spot where a disaster so ap-
palling and unexpected had occurred.
The sudden hurting into eternity of
TIVE valuable lives and the serious in
iuries sustained by a third person, all
firemen, calls for a searching investi-
CATION into the cause Of the fire, and
dire vengeance should be visited upon
the miscreant who started the blaze,
provided he can be discovered.
The buildings were valued at about
$1,000 or $500 each. They belong to
the grand children of the late j. Il.
Leath and Mr.. John II, Lenow is the
agent.
The fireman, Il. Leonard. was a ma
tive of Toronto, Canada, where he has
relatives now living. His funeral will
take place tomorrow. Mr.. Leonard
and Mr.. Meath were among the most
valuable men on the force.