Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-08
DOl'k TIRS M.
Disastrous ConfiaSration in Ohio,

DOMESTIC.
Disastrous ConfiaSration in Ohio.
CLEVELAND, September 7th-A great con
migration is raging ON the flats. The en-
tire Fire Department is in service. and
telcgrams have been sent 10 Akron
Youngstown. PaineSville, Erie, SanduSky
and Toledo, for assistance The origin of
the ilrc Is unknown. mcendiariSm Is sup
posed by some, but the most probable
theory Is that sparks from tug set fire
early IN the evening to pile OF shavinys.
from which the flames spread, until Woods.
Ferry x Co. 5 lumber yard was ablaze. The
hre continued to extend, delying all efforts
OF the tiremcn, and the lumber wards of
BlrdSall X Co. and c. G.. King Il Co were
also consumed. The Variety Iron Works
were destroyed Stanlev's candle factory
was burned, and part of Shcrwin. Williams
Il Co.'S varnish works, and at 10 O'Clock
the contiagration threatens to become still
more extensive. About ten acres of lum-
Der and frame buildings were ahamc at one
time, and huge clouds of smoke thigkIV
studded with burning cinders, were blown
by the changing winds for miles t..Jsiu,
excitement lest the mygiads ut sparks
should ldndlc fires in every direction. and
perhaps lay waste q large part OF the city
SECOND pIspATCHl
CLEVELAND, September 7th-At 1850 the
fire was confined To an area of POO feet
square. Slowly the fire gained on the fire
men, the sparks being carried over their
heads and setting fire 20 Il small spot in the
center of a pile of lumber. and because Of
lis hight and the i.crccn,sS of thu flames.
nothing could be done until the flames
reached the end of the pile, when Il stream
would be directed that way The lanes or
alleys were SO narrow that il was inn
possible TO get q stream to play
on amy but the edges of the
different sections of the lumber The SPOT
where the fire started was built UP of
green lumber put in from the Michi-an
pine woods, and though it would not bc
expected 10 burn well, the heat was So in
tense that the element continued hcv,ud
the power of the department 10 control
BY 5 o'clock il was in alleys 3 and T. and
aS the area of the burning wood became
larger the men were forced 90 S.l,ad ont.
and less effective work could be done At
this tune some of the iircmcu were in the
alleys almost completely surrounded bv
fire and t. keep them from burning
streams of water We're directed against
them. Nearly every man was thus wet
down and only thus could they secure
comfort.
At $50 o'clocI, Carter street became I'M
passablc The heat prevented any one
from going by the buildings, and oniv in
some places could the tircmcn stand The
fire was under such hcadWay that the en-
gincs which could be kept in the street
were unable TO cope with il. Much cause
of delay was found in the wafer. Ii was
dirty, and the engines would get clogged.
In this manner one of the engines, which
= 81
west side of the yard, near the railroad.
was forced to suspend work for time for
repairs. The shops and buildings from
Scranton avenue 10 Woods Perry Il Co.'S
planning mill, on Carter street. were on fire
and it looked as though nothing could save
them. High piles of lumber, strong houses
and thick walls of brick were crushed and
crumblcd into ashes. The flames shot
hundred feet into the air. and myriads of
sparks as large as a bushel basket. hovcred
and tloated amid the glare and smoke
seeming 10 be amidst the stars. The awful
glare penetrated to the flrthcrmost parts of
the city, and the community turned cut en-
masse 10 witness the awful spectacle. They
collected on the house tops, choked all the
thOroughtarcs leading to the flats, and GOV
cred the brows of the hills like
swarming bees. In the very heart
of the conhagratieu were men
whose property was burning up, toiling
firemen, policemen, and large number Of
adventurous loaters. All but the latter
fought the fire with courage and determi-
nation, but the immense furnace roared
and Missed complacently, moclling them,
and reached out gradually and surely, suck
ing into It's vortex everything possible TO
reach. The sparks putted up like chafT
from a tanning machine, and fell like
shower of rain. Some were not sparks,
but great brands, the terrible heat bearing
them slowly up like toy balloons, the
wind carrying them miles away. When
the fire was approaching the occupants
of Potter, Birdsall Il CO. 5 Office, it was
decided to move out John Mcbride
and his wife lived in the upper rooms, and
Mr.. Mcbride has been so ill that he was
unable 10 move Police officers and other
willing hands carried Mcbride outside.
and he was moved across the railroad to Il
place of safety. Wagons We're brought up,
and the household goods taken To
friends house near by. The large SAFE in
Woods Perry < Co $ Office was rolled out
with the combined strength OF twenty
men and many crowbars, and that heavy
piece OF furniture was soon rolled up the
sidewalk to the bridge The office ul the
Cleveland Board of Lgmber Dealers. be
tween Woods, Perry d Co.'S and Potter Il
BirdsalIs, was likewise cleaned out, and
t.- the time the flames reached these three
Offices there was nothing Of value in them
10 burn, and the structures themselves
were reduced to ashes in an incredible
short time. The total loss is estimated at
from 100000 to five millions and a half.
THIRD DiSPATCHi
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