Daily Republican., 1886-01-02
Fire in Detroit.
DKsERUCTHOn or a xmEAFRE
sAND a rsGDCw ON ORmUEMDHn<ss--
AKxmEMAn KILLED.
THE LOSS $1,000 900.


DETROIT, Jan. l---Shortiy after 0
o'clock this morning sfnoke was obssrv.
ed coming from D. M. Ferry & Cos
mammoth building on Brush street,
between CFoghan and Lafayette streets.
The Fire Dspartment was called out in
force. The flames had started in the
packing department, on the corner of
Lafayette and Brush streets, and soon
|envelopsd the whole buiidlng, which
Ia q mere shell, having but one solid
wall inside the outer walls.
Buildings ON the opposite side OF
Brush and Croehan streets caught .
humber Of times, but the department
managed TO keep the flames from
totally destroying them. Across the
alley from ID. NJ Ferry & Co.'s build.
ing, In the same square and facing on
Randolph street, are Whites Grand
Theatre and the Wesson block and 0
small building used as q restaurant.
The ismes leaped aeross the alley and
began 70 eat into the theatre. The rooI
caught and soon fell In with y terrible
crash, forcing the whole interior OF the
IbuiIdfng, after driving away the men
who had been working on the Ferry
block through the windows Of the
theatre.
At 10 O'Clock the Ferry block was q
mass OF flames and the walls had COM
menced 10 fall. Numerous narrow
escapes occurred among the 6remen
who worked close TO the flames.
l By 1880 o'clock Whites theatre had
been seized by the fire, and by IL o'clock
the hremen were compelled 10 turr
their attention more 20 saving the
buildings on the opposite aide of Ran
Idolph street, although still keeping
Numerous streams of water playing on
the burning building. At IL o'clock ths
men OF No. Fire Company raised q
ladder In front Of the theatre 20 get Z
better chance at the flames. FindinS
the rapidly advancing fire would pre-
vent any effective work at that point
1.-THE men were descending the laddel
land had about reached the ground whei
Iseveral feet of tho co.nice fell on thl
ladder wagon. Captain Richard EilbiI
was struck on the head by the brick
land instantly killed and fireman Whit
was badly, bat not fatally injured.
soon The flames spread 70 the Wes
son block, on the corner Of Randolph
land Croghan streets, and that buildinl
was soon snveloped In flames. Although
the buildings across Croghan stree
were threatened, and caught once O
twice, the department managed to kee
the hre within the square named, an
by twelve O'Clock it was full unde
coptrol. Tonight the flames are stil
lraainG hercely, but have been confir
cd within the walls OF the building
already mentioned.
ID NJ. Ferry u Co.'S building occupl
ed half the square. being one of th
largest In the city. Their seed bushes
was one Of the largest In the Unitet
Estates. In the building burned to da,
400 people are usually employed.
Definite figures Of losses cannot
Igiven, but the total will reach not les
4 than 81, SOC, 900 The stock alone In i
M. Ferry & Cos Is estima ated 70 hav
bean worth u. .000. 900 70 81 ,200, 900. an
. their building was valued at $3.50, ,00t
Asto the igin ofthe fire there ar
Ino well-devised theories. Some of th
employes hint at incendiarism, claim
Ing that there were no fires In the pal
lof tho building first attacked by II
flames, and that some outside ageHc
must have been responsible for th
hre. Officers of the company are CON
pletely at . loss 70 account for q
origin of the FIRE.
The insurance OF the Ferry buildir
10 s46O, 900. and on Whites theatr
$S0. 900. The following Philadeiphi
companies are among those carryin
. policies on the Ferry building: FIJI
Association, $1,000 Americas, $4,000
United Firemen's 5000, and County
lee, 900.