The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-09-10

gained ont the firemen the sparks being
carried over their heads by the wind, which
had begun to rise, and would set fire to a
small spot in the center of pile of lumber
Because Of the height and the herceness OF
the flame nothing could be done until the
a stream would be directed that
way. The lanes, or alleys, were
so narrow that il was impossible
to get stream to play on any but the
edges of the different sections of the lumber.
The spot where the fire started was built
of green lumber, and put in from the Michi.
gan pine woods and though it wouldn't be
expected to burn well, the heat was so
intense that the element continued beyond
the power of the department to control.
By s o'clock it was in alleys 3 and 4, and as
the area OF burning wood became larger the
men were forced to spread out, and less ef-
fectIve work could be done. At this time
some fremen were in alleys almost CON-
pletely surrounded by fire, and to keep them
from burning the stream of water was di-
rected against them. Nearly every man was
thus wet down, and only thus could they
secure comfort.
at $50 o'clock Carter street became i'm
passable. The heat prevented any one from
going by the buildings, and only in some
places could the fremen stand. The owner
Of the Variety Iron Works had been on the
roof of their large brick building for half
hour past, throwing water and guarding it,
in hopes that the fire might
be kept in bounds, and they
escape without loss. They succeeded in
putting out the flames in several places
which had caught from sparks, until the
region of their building became red-hot, and
they were successful in their object; but at
5 o'clock the lumber in the yard of G. G.
King caught fire from the east end of the
Woods, Perry & Co. yard, and soon
the 100000 feet in that yard
were in a partial blaze. The heat along
that side of the central way soon became too
intense for comfort and despite the brisk
west wind which had sprung up the flames
crept uD in a sOutnerly direction and very
quickly reached the street. The Vanity Iron
Works cOught on the roof, and these flames
were suhdued after short fight at the same
time the wooden building OF good sized
she'd, belonging to Woods Perry & Co., west
Of this shed, also caught on the front side
from the heat Of the burning lumber just
opposite, and attention was directed to
that. Then the tiremen were called to the
iron works building, and at 9 O'Clock both
these buildings were burning, and the fire
was under such headway that
engines which could be kept IN
street were unable to cone with it. Much
cause for delay was found in the water. 1t
was dirty and the engines would get clogged.
In this manner one of the engines, which
had been throwing q stream on the south
west side of the yard, near the railroad, was
forced 10 suspend work for time, for re.
pairs.
At 1 o'clock the fire seems practically
under control. Relief engines arrived from
Akron and Erie, and others are expected.
The entire militia of the city is ordered 10 be
in readiness, if necessary, to do police duty,
but have not yet been ordered out. No
serious accidents are yet reported. The loss
will aggregate from S2OO0,0O0 to s., 10000