The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1884-10-02
CONfLAGRATl0N.
METHODIST CHURCH BURNED.
The Commercial Hoiel aud Two Cottages
n~rsirovri-A Lady irlurrd Hoard
90, ~ ing rersunhl .fr'is
Iust-IimVe IIremtn

At $3.50 o'clock yesterday morning the
/ donigens az tho business centre Of the
city were rudely aroused from their
sluuuors by the loud ringing Of the ire
alarm bell at the downtown station
Tho great glare that liz up the heavens,
and the %numberloss pistol shots fired,
told where the conilngrati0n was raging,
which proypd 10 be tho Commercial ho
lei, situated ON the north side of Elm
street, lust east of sycamore street,
Tho East Dallas and downtown IRE
| departments turned out IN good llllo,
| but by tho timo they raised steam iho
building, two-story frame, ana Tahcr-
nnclo Methodist Episcopal church north,
"A handsome brick structure that Joined
il en- the west, were developed In ilames
and both buildings were beyond 70,
demption. Tho heat WAS Intense ana
tho heavens were filled with vast
clouds of smoke and myriads oi
burning cindors, many OF which were
carried by the heated current I the
southwestern Confines oil lhe city,
threatening destruction 10 prop
erty IN thtlr COURSE NV
flames spread rapidly. and a. one
story frame cottage ON tho east adjacent
| 10 the hotel, the property OF Mrs. NJ. 81
Turner, caught lire, and before the
flames could DO eXtinguishcd, the build,
Ing was so badly burned
as to 10 worthless. The three.Story
stone building of Judge Norton
located west of the Tabernacle ana used
! for Federal court purposes took iire,
hut the flames were suppressed before
any material damage was done. During
! ali this time the Widest confusion pre-
vailed. Excited men and women,
| and tho cool collected iircmen were
rushing To and iro, saving what
they could of their effects
from the angry flames AZ
one time "A general co~nllagratlnn
was threatened, but the steady, strong
streams, skilliully directed, trlulnphcd
over tho fast spreading flames, which
once under control, were readily en-
tinguished.
The origin of the lire Is not known,
though the general suppositlon Is thal
Il originated in the Laundry Of the hotcl.
Theilames had gained con>ideral head
way before they were discovered, or me
alarm was given. They spread with
Lightning rapidity, ana wIthin hall ai
npu" the Tabernacle, the tonIa.,i''''
Hotel. and tho adjoining and adjacent
cottages were laid In ashes. inc IN
mates of tho hotel came very near per-
isAiuw in the flames II Only u low
MANAGED to save their clothing uf clt'ts,
Mrs. White,a lady guest who WAS IN tho
s.runu s,pry, came very Lu'i
being burned Ia death, and made hoE
escape by sliding down ono o. tta posts
tlu. supported the p~ortieo. She stis-
tanned serious iuiurie in accomplishing
this l,u,, aud was SO severely bruised
tlat medical attautlu. had 70 pc called
IN, she lost her gold watch and CHAIN.
ring, brcast-piu and about 100 ~
money. others had only timo 20 cS-
cape with thoir lives, with only their
night clothes on.
They all lost more or less money ana
clothes. The losses and Insurance ne
rs follows: Tabernacle church, I','",'
insured for $1,000. Commercial Lo!el,
| which embraced the one story frame
cottage adjoining, both the property ol
Mr.. W. II. Knowles II occupied by
MIR, L. II. Tillman, valued nj $1,000, was
II total loss, with no Insurance.. M
MANS loss, 81 100, with $1,000 insur-
ancc. The one story cottage on the east,
the property of Mrs. Nj. j. Turner, "c,,
cupicd by a. Wilson AS q residence ana
tailor shop, was valued AT 500
and was not insured. Wilson saved
most OF his things and was damaged TO
| the amount of about 500, with no lnsur-
ance. Several surrounding buildings
were slightly damaged by the excessive
| heat, and are fully covered by insur-
ance. The numerous telephone wires
| that extended along on that side OF Elm
| street were melted, and "a force was NJ
work Yesterday repairing tno
be erected in the burnt
| district, as it is within the fire limits.
There was n meeting of the Board OF
the Directory of the Tabernacle church
held yesterday, and they have decided
to rebuild at an early date elsewhere.
Several of the churches offered them
the use of their buildings, but as DR.: y.
p. smith, of the First Presbyterian
church, was the first, they accepted his
kind invitation.