The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-09-13
Al IilMENSE FIRE IL lAEiE-
LAND, D.
The Foret city visited by Conn,cr,-
tion Which Licks Up n Million OF DoL
la s. Worth of Property.

The Foret city visited by n Conn,crs-
tion watch Licts Up IA Million OF Col
Ia s Worth of Property.
CLEVELAND, o., Sept S.--A great con.
fagration Is raging on the flats The entire
lire department is in service and kilograms
have been sent to Akron, Youngstown,
gainesville, Erie, SanduSly and Toledo for
assistance The origin of the fire is un.
known. lncendiariSm is suspected by
some, but the most probable theory is that
sparks from tug set fire early in the
evening to pile of shayings from
which the flames spread until Perry &
Co.'S extensive lumber yard was in
a blaze. The fire continued to extend,
defying all efforts of the firemen.
About ten acres of lumber and
frame buildings were atlame at one time,
and huge clouds of smoke thickly studded
with blazing cinders, were blown by the
changing wind for miles, causing intense
excitement lest the myriads of sparks
should kindle fires in every direction and
perhaps lay waste large part of the city.
The owners of the Variety iron works
lldNl bNNu VII tllC iooN VI tCl DllCh
building for half an hour throwing water
and guarding it, in the hope that the lire
might be kept within bounds. They sue
ceeded in putting out the flames in several
places which had caught from sparks I'm
til the region of their building became red
hot they were successful in their object,
but at eight o clock the lumber in the yard
of c. q. King caught from the east end Of
the wood in Perry & Co.'S yard and
soon the 1000, 900 feet in that yard
were in a partial blaze. The heat along
that side OF Central way soon be-
came too intense for comfort, and despite
the brisk west wind which had sprung up
the flames crept up in the southerly direc-
ton, and very quickly reached the street
The Variety iron works now caught on the
roof, but these flames were Subdued after a
short fight At the same time the wooden
building, a gOod.sized shed, belonging to
Woods, Perry Il Co., west of this, had also
caught on the front side from the heat of
the burning lumber just opposite, and at
tentiOn WAS directed to that. The fire.
men We're called back to the iron works
building, and at nine o'clock both these
buildings were burning, and the fire was
under such Roadway that the engines which
could be kept in the street were unable to
cope with it, Much cause of delay was
found in the water. 1t was dirty and the
engines would get cogged. In this manner
one Of the engines which had been throw
ing stream on the southwest side of the
yard near the railroad was forced to sus-
pend work for time for repairs.
At nna o'clock the shops and buildings
from Scranton avenue to Woods, Perry IL
CO. S planning mill on Carter street were on
fire. and it looked as though nothing could
save them. One tiny spark, famed in
minute into leaping flames, undid years Of |
toll The fire started in the midst of lum-
Der and on all sides there !
was plenty of the same dry fuel.
The flames shot hundred feet |
into the air, and myriadS of sparks lowered |
and tloated amid the glare and smoke. The
awful glare penetrated to the furthermost
parts of the city, and the community turned
out almost Ell maSSe to witness the specta-
lie. They collected on the house. tops,
,hoked all the horoughfares leading to the
lats and covered the brows of the hills.
The large safe in Woods Perry 4 Co.'s
office was rolled out by the combined
strength of twenty men and taken up the
Cleveland Board of Lumber Dealers,
JctNbtn NbouS, cry ~ w. anu DUCT
3irdsall was likewise cleaned out, and by
he time the flames reached these three
,lices there was nothing Of value in them
o burn. The structures themselves were
educed to ashes in an incredibly short
pace Of time.
The area burned over covers about sixty
creS.
The revised list of the losses is as follows:
Woods Perry & Co., 100000: C. G. Ming &
'O 100000; Potter, BirdSal & Co., SlUiUDO;
arieUy Iron Works, $SJ,0U0; House David
on, $4,000; HuDpell 4 Westover $1,000, q.
:. Stanleys heirs, $4,000; railway cOlnpan-
rs, $4,000; sundry other parties lose in sums
rom 800 to 5000 making a grand aggregate
/ u round 100000.