The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-10-07
Scenes and Incidents of the Affair

esteruhy 3 Chlhmlly ny Hiu "e9 ~ '"i
The most destructive catastrophe that has
ever visited this or probable any city IN
the state Ina short two hours, or IN less
time, that portion OF the Dusi- !
ness part OF the city when
some OF its most important
commercial interests was laid in ruin and |
ashes alter coniiagralion whose furious
force was only equalled by the vigorous
skill with which It was successfully com
batted The damage, AS at present esli'
mated Is $500 600. The first tidings OF the
imDending calamity came with the alarm
sounded at 1890 o'clock in the morning,
AID indicating danger in the
Immediate vicinity OF the
Texas a. Paci depot, district containing
vast stores OF cotton, grain and other great
stables held Tor shipment or IN process Ol
transportation. Fire IN that locality every
one knew, meant severe commercial lOss,
and the heavy rumb ing OF the steamers
Ia.hipp 10 the scene OF threatened danger
was accompanied by the rush OF many
!eet. ns c,dzens Of all classes ana
callnss dropped the business Of the mo-
ment and hastened 40 the danger spot,
n,,rr IA, hear A strong baud 10 avert the
disaster. The tire, however, had made lear
| ml headway. 1t had broken out ln the en-
zinc room Of the city elevator, on faclhC
! avenue, tbs engine room being located
lin a twostory hrit~ structure,
/ forming tine lower aud cas- ein wing o,
| The loity main building, In the second
! .tory otihe engine room was the apparatus
used lorhusking corn, together with great
/ nile of husks used Tor feeding the engine,
| and dry ng finder The lanes ran through
| These like lightning, and wnen the hremen
| and citizens arrived on the spot the sifuC-
turo was in a light blaze,
while The nanes had already
| been communicated to the elevator tower
aud were rapidly eating their way INTO IT,
! Hhe fires great headway, however was NOT
the only obstacle 20 checking tue conuabra-
lion. Several freight trains on the Texas "
p,cifc track barred the way TO the use OF
Ihe hose. Several OF the cars took lire The
crowd running about the burning
elevator became frantic with the delay
in making any effort 10 stay the Tue OF
Threatened ruin. Finally an engine backed
down the track and drew the cars from IN
FROM of the burning. The iiremen then
uuickly drew up the hose, aud the steamers
which had been stationed at the corner OF
Austin and Elm streets aud AZ the corner
of Pacific avenue and Lamar, Wtrt
put to high pressure speed anu hutieu
deluges OF water upon the plhI'hB oleNavo,
me Etpn hose also poured IN heaNN Nol
umes from the lire-plugs. Owing 10 tht
intense heat, however, II was cihcu't IL
throw water ON the flames. Even had u
) bren possible, It seems hardly probable
, u,v" ~, L,,iIiinr cnuld have been saved
q from total loss. ,.
+ IInto this timc-when the fire had beer
raging Tor perhaps twenty OF thirty mlhule
I The ipht breeze that was blowing can't
o from tho north, and dld not tail d~ecUl
], ult', , 'uo V ,pc rr,vd collected un every
r. "" i'ti, rinr,' where thry could witness
b, Nv" srr,, without being scorcned
i'' p. CIV "rhp cot
u ,",a'", 49,. -,,.l, tbr ,,i,ur.u Thtt.i
r WIZ ~. ,,,,' T,r wind hll shifted o.
40 .I.' 49,, ,,t famed tI, flames to
." .,I ,,.. ,.fB ,p Mn, frar. almost hUu
,t .,,.,aI th5u.auu htns. IL. uuf
''.',, ,,...,,,, te,,.r. Including the vrs'pr
,,,t,,n accounted ly s..acr, Davis IS Co
100 a.. N.wH f.un iup
.r W' ~ U.. tUr lowe
r," mai. elevator bu.luu
P''. .'..,.l lotto tbr ,uel which utguuIu
..',., ..'.,.,,.. b,urIrI by IA ligh htic
.U ,.'T t,,,,u.' .l.ft vg. mAdu tu rtt tU
.t,.,, ,,,, N.uiuugpd uf the heavy bale
w su'l,', ',. ,,,, tumb,iug each 9th,
'E 'u WV ,i,,,r "0,.ri.t, '..tII.,m out. In
Nc wv '., W., ,.p,..t p "A twink lu
Nv .I mil soay over tht yard, uu
y, ,H" wcrkers. who were % muluiud
y, ,nrn,J their attention to sayiu
, ,N,''v ,I .,,,,, rniIrt put into the a,
Nc tuv 1871, il, I'm. they vrfp Irr'
se lu,',,'e ~
" M, ,,,r,,,,n WA now at its heigh
NJ M 49, i,,b worked toward the con
10 iuo "',,', ,i,,I.t, .rd nll Efforts were no
NJ b,vss ~ A., ',,,r,, int buildinr toreth
nv ,t,n ~ yslnabie machinery and tha cotiC
pc WV" w. ~, rIstf,rm ami
ny W. i,,,,,od,sts vicinity. The gre
NE wv S,ss mass OF ham
'vt ,',,',sd viii, a black cloud OF smoke IN Il
.vnn ',,,hyr -, whirn Wa A vast ball OF lurid Il
IL sv.h ,,,,'n. ,,,, ,r,at {,ts of crimson Il
ny Mu ,, hnmnSeS inward and downward
id Us " uo"',, ,,,,,s to drstrnv ali AT one L
OF ssou',"N MI corrn,atrd iron plates whi
zen ,NuuP' ,,yrh oT inc buildi
me voNV''" ,,n,N,,,, "a the earl
iao MY ~" Shich rsnnined tadiat
Tue NV 49,, n,ti,b was intense. and viii
sly ,uu nSa' VIZ" ,oysrb the cotton ward NJ
iih ,suiV" S,,,,s NJ, lamar and Collin sire,
net .uy uuuu'" ..c w., NJ, bsat WAS simt
'Sl auu l. va Nv ~, Jsn,t nt the railfo
,nn ", ,r,ar ,trrrt and Pacific ayrn
u q v1oes,us ~ ~, j., J.,,..', and ynur,
ON 49, w", vc,c constantly enrar
Lo ul,u I. - 81 tho Js,
= o sNu'eNuk ~" VJ,,n, hui',
uld Nuu u."' ,o. ,,,,it walt an .ar
lish WIN Na'vl, Ny , wv, 1910" and f,r sS
~ a'vnVi,' ulpV,', wv ,S,,,,, ,hc ,t,onnl bo
tied ume " .uus,W n, ',.', W., ,st .,no,n vn,
and auu o,n'' pS," ,,, Wv a,J vail wcrc q
uld ~ rrN',, .,,,,.H aNt wcr. cniv saved
VI s,n'''l Mich srnrcbcnsion was n
,me ,H's ineaNs, Mu'u e nn.Vs ~, ihc ' n1
by Wu oy ovNup"u's w V' '' ,,,,er ,,n. nv,
ds. lue y, E.m s,'' Nv, H,ic,niss Natef
tied us,u on iv ~, ,u',i W. L,iJ,n,,, otbs
Il II vohNVS'u Iu'n ,tIi ~, p.c,Bc sye,
aud ,el allu u'u'l uu,U'ii"es ,.s ~ Nul,n,,
G. livery vuv eVv"SV 80, 80 ,is, Z,
,aAe h N.Y., ~ Sn's Nv, ~ r a. M"
hvN'uS wv kovv1 ~, w '' ~, ,,eo,,ic or
lion lnESs' lnv b.va Nv. W w. - ,hst
OF cue avenue suu n,su s',vSr ,,r ,ron,
100. Nonuk V.y,aJ ,,.., w., Was M sstin,
Tor uS,," W. ,,,,ic,, T., ,t,e ,hol,sal, Arm,
o. we 1Sss wy Mn W. Wv meS''1 MA b,s
she uul." s'IvU' ~ .StWc5 s,ysrsl A,
9oMvNv,s e' o'O ~, :, ,..,'srsIl, Ii,bt
nrer Wv ~ ,,s f,u, ,SSo hnnrs n
L y