The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-08
Scranton avenue to Woods. Perry g Co IS plan
ing mill, on Carter street. were on fire, and it
looked as though nothing could save them.

looked as tEough nothing could save them.
PRACTICALLY UNDER CONTROL.
At l o'clock the fre seems to be practically
under control. Relief engines have arrived
from Akron and Erie, and Others are expected.
the entire militia of the city has been ordered
to be in readiness. if necessary, to do police
duty, but troops have not yet been ordered out.
At 1850, when the fire was approaching Pot
ter, Burdsail & Cos Offices, it was decided to
move out John Mcbride and his wife lived in
the upper rooms, and Mr.. Mcbride was so ill that
ne was unable to move Police officers and other
willing hands carried Mr. Mcbride outside, and
he was removed across the railroad to place of
safety Wagons were brought up and the house
hold goods taken to friend house hear by
"A large safe in Woods, Perry & Cos. Office
was rolled out by the combined strength Of
twenty men, with many crowbars, and tn at
heavy piece of furniture was soon rolled up.
on the sidewalk. The office of the
Cleveland Board of Lumber Dealers,
between Woods, Perry 6 Co.'S, and Potter &
Blrdsalls, was likewise cleaned out, and by the
time the flames reached these three offices there
was nothing of value in them to burn, and the
structures themselves reduced to ashes in an in
credibly short time.
The aggregate loss is estimated at from So, 600,
600 to 81, 100000 It is impossible to give indi-
vidual figures tonight Woods, Perry & Co.
had no insurance. Their policies lately ran out.
King g Co. had $4,000, and Potter, Birdsall &
Co. $4,000.
No serious accidents have yet been reported.
how 1T LOOKED TO THE FIRE REPORTER.
The tiny spark was famed in minute into a
leaping fame, which undid years of toll, care,
and capital judiciously applied The fire started
in the midst of lumber, and on all sides
was plenty Of the same dry fuel A little
center of flame, boiling like witch's caldron,
leaped yards through the air and, clasping in its
eager arms everything that came within their
reach, shouted, hissed and reveled. while high
piles of lumber, strong houses and thick walls
of brick were crushed and crumbled into ashes.
The flames shot hundred feet into the air, and
myFiads of sparks lowered and foated amid
The awful glare penetrated TO the furthermost
turned out almost en- masse to witness
the awful spectacle They collected on house
tops, choked all the thoroughfares leading to the
fats, and covered the brows Of the hills like
swarming bees. In the very heart Of
the conhagration were the men whose
property was burning up, the toll
ing fremen. the policemen, and large
number of adventurous loafers. All but the lat
ter fought the fire with courage and determine
ton, but the immense furnace roared and hissed
complacently, mockine them, and, reaching out
gradually but surely, sucking into its
vortex everything possible to reach.
The sparks puffed up like chaff from a tanning
machine, and fell in shower of fiery rain.
Some were not sparks. but great brands Of ter
Tible heat, bearing the fire slowly up, like toy
balloons, the wind carrying them miles away. I