The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-11-18
GALVESTON, TEXAS. s.RAvAGED BIZ
AN AWFUL FIRE.
Hundreds or Families oftbe Richest
ana Poorest Of the southwestern
Metropolis Homeless In tho
Midst Of Ruins

NJ n u
O'Clock this morning the most de-
structive fire in the history of Gal
weston broke out in small foundry
and car repairing shop on the north
side of Avenue A, known as the
Strand between Sixteenth and
Fifteenth streets. A fierce gale from
the north was blowing at the time,
and the flames spread with light
ming rapidity to both of the adjoin-
ing buildings, one being a grocery
store and the other humble dwell
ling. In twinkling the long, fiery
tongues had crossed the street and
two more dwellings were in flames,
the inmates barely escaped with
their lives. At this moment the fire
department got two streams going,
but they were of no avail. The
heat became so intense tha. the fire.
men had to abandon their positions,
end the wind rose and carried myr-
lads of spark to the premises east oi
Avenue A. A general alarm was
sounded. In half an hour two
blocks were burning fiercely and by
3 O'Clock every one saw that a great
confiagra ton was upon the city.
At $50 the fire had leaped three
blocks distant from its starting
point, but in a perfectly straight
line, being confined to the blocks
bounded by Sixteenth and Seven
teenth streets.
About four O'Clock the fire began
to spread to the east and the west
ofSixteenth and Seventeenth streets,
the wind rose high to gale, and
pandemonium reigned. For time
it seemed as though the entire cas-
tern half of the city was doomed.
The fire spread rapidly to the south
west, licking up the blocks of ele-
CANT residences hastily abandoned
by their inmates.
By five o'clock it had reached
Broadway, which threads the center
of the island, running east and west
At Z o'clock the wind gave signs
of dying away and shortly it began
to shift. then to decrease, until by
s O'Clock only fair breeze was
blowing. But by this time the fire
had eaten its way to Avenue 0, and
at q 20 o'clock was within two blocks
of the Gulf.
At 11:20 the fire reached the beach
which is a distance of about mile
and half from where it started. In
some places the path of the fire is
seven blocks in depth.
The island at that point is 19
blocks, or one mile and quarter
wide. The fire started on the north
side of Avenue A. better known as
the Strand, which is one block from
the Bay, and it stopped within two
blocks ofthe Gulf Sixteenth street
is 8 blocks west of the extreme in
habitable end of the island, the first
resident street being Sixth.
From Avenue A to D the fire was
confined to the strip bounded on
the east by Sixteenth street. The
business part of the city begins al
Twentieth street and runs west 10
squares. This outline locates the
fire, which began to spread rapidly
after it had passed Avenue ID.
By this timeit had reached Aven-
ue J, on Broadway, it was sweeping
nearly three blocks in width from
the west side of Seventeenth street to
the east side of Fourteenth. About
500 houses were burned, which were
occupied by fully 1000 families.
From Avenue A to Avenue + for
four squares the burned buildings
were occupied almost entirely by
the poorer class, and several families
were crowded in Q single house in
this strip. From Avenue K, how
ever, the burned district includes
the wealthiest and most fashionable
portion of the city. One hundred
elegantly furnished mansions are in
ruins.
Many of these residences had
beautiful gardens attached to them.
and the moneyed loss does not rep
resent over half their value. All
manner of estimates are to be heard
at this time. The City Assessors
says the taxable value of the dwell
lings burned is s650,000. This
makes the actual value OF the pro-
perty s1,500,000, which perhaps
the loss in money.
The scene during the progress of
the fire was simply frightful.
The wind rose to a screaming gale
in the vicinity of the fire and swept
through the burning belt in terrible
swirls. carrying millions of cinders
high up in the air and raining them
down a mile distant over the wood
en- city and its panic-stricken inhab
itants.
The entire east end of the city
scarcely contains a dozen brick
dwellings. All is wood-Texas pine
and it burned with an indescrib-
able fury. Five minutes after
house had eapgh, it would be wrap-
pen in one mighty fame, and the
centre OF the burning pile gave ont
white heat, while tie flames on the
edges were fitfully splitting high and
far on every side.
Some families saved good deal
of furniture, others are left with on
ly the clothes on their backs. The
loss in apparel and personal prop
erty can never be sstim ated and is
not included in the previous esti
mate.
The hotels are filled with home
less people, and a citizens commit
tee is now at work apportioning fam
,Ies 70 rooms and premises vacated
for theis pse. Every dray and other
vehicle in the city is at work carry
ing the strewn bedding, furniture
and pictures to secure places.
The best posted citizens estimate
the loss at 100000. Some put it
at s2,600,00O.
senator stanford's University.