Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-11-20
THE GALVESTON FIRE.
Over Four hundred Buildings Destroyed
The Loss over S.. 900, 900.


GALVESTON, Tex. Nov. 14.--Later par
ticulars in relation to the fire last
Friday show thatthe loss of proper
ty was appalling, over hundred
acres of the city having been burned over.
The fire broke out at 1:20 o'clock a. m,
in small foundry on the north side of
Strand street, and spread with unchecked
fury until 8 O'Clock p. m, when the wind
went down. When the fire started gale
was blowing at the rate of thirty miles an
hour and at 9 o'clock the signal service
observer estimated the velocity of the
gale in this vicinity at sixty miles pei
hour and this velocity was maintained
until night. The fire department became
utterly helpless, and the water works gave
poor satisfaction. The burned district
contained forty.one blocks which were
swept clean of everything combustible
Over four hundred houses were burned
and it is estimated by the relief committee
| that about 1000 families have been render
ed homeless, the great majority of whom
especially the poor ones, lost everything
as the fire started in the poor district
! The poor people had little or no time in
which to move their furniture, while the
Weather victims moved theirs.
| The course of the fire was II southeast
erly direction. Beginning ut the foot Of
Sixteenth street on the Strand, the fire
crossed avenues G, ID and f. Here il
worked its way to the east half OF the
block on which stands the postoflce
When the Office was threatened it was
hastily cleared of mail matter and al
valuable mail place.. in vaults. For
tunately the flames spared the government
building and passed onward toward the
gulf. Atavenue | the fire leveled the
E,nc Il IN, l,n, IL L.,
business portion of the city was not touch
ed, but in the burned district were TWEEN
ty-one groceries, saloons and small stores
All manner OF estimates of the loss are
/ made. The city assessor says the taxable
value of the dwellings burned IS $3.50, 900
This makes the actual value of the pro
perty $500 200, which perhaps represents
the loss in money The insurance is est
mated at 100000, although some insur
ance men who have walked over the dis
trict place the same at 100000. So far a'
can be learned not Il single accident Oc
Cured, understanding the fearful panic
that prevailed. The scene during the
progress OF the fire was simply frightful
The wind rose To a screaming gale in tn,
vicinity of the fire and swept through tn,
burning belt in terrific Swirls, carrying
millions of live cinders high up in the ali
and raining them down mile distant owe
the wooden city and its panic stricken in
llt eIlllIt ttSl cll'l VI lllt Gil
scarcely contains dozen brick dwell
| ings. All is wood, and it burned with in
lescribable fury
Five minutes after Il house had caugh
it would be wrapped in one mighty flame
and the centre of the burning pile would
give out white heat while the flames OF
the edges were titfully splitting high ant
far on every side. The aleyways ant
streets for ten squares on either side o
the burning belt were filled with blanchet
faces ; women, crying children and great
strong helpless men, who could do 10th
ing in such gale but crouch down fol
shelter from the piercing norther ant
watch the flames lick up the fruits OF
lifetlmes. Although the victims number
many of the wealthiest residents of the
city, such As Julius Runge, Leon Plum
and score of others, people whose indiv
| idual wealth runs up near the million
and half million, yet the great majority
of those burned out lose the better por-
ton of their fortunes Some families
saved good deal of furniture, Others
barely escaped with their clsthes on theil
backs. The loss on personal uppare
and household property can never b,
estimated, and is not included in the pre-
| viOus estimate.