Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-05
A aes 600 rir. a, wncn.

WACO, Tx, Dec. Soon after 10
o'clock this mornlpg trc broke out In a
mattress factory IN Mrs Hohtherly's
building, l25 Bridge street. There were
great piles oi straw and excelsior in the
building, and the danes were 1rst dis
covered In this, The mattress mskur,
Mr. lhackett, says match was ignitrd
accidentally, falling IN a blk pile 81 lint
cotton IN the room. Tho flames spread
like nash Of powder, and Ia no time the
Interior OF the room was ablhkn, The
flames soon spread 20 adjacent buildings
Tno llrcmcn responded promptly, but on
account ~ defective service from the
water works, the Are got nearly half
hours start OF the ilremcp
The county Jail was Just south OF the
burning buildings aud u strong wind was
blowing directly toward the prison, nlllug
u with smoke, and the prisoners were
panic stricken for little while At first
Sherff Harris thought a best 20 remove
them, aud Jailor Stephens with assistanlA
went Into cells aud chained them all
Several special guards we're placed on
duty armed with double bnfrnled shot
guns. Alter the ire had burned ilftcon
or twenty mioutos II was not deemed *.
podiont TO ~ move The prisoners aud they
were returned 10 tho cells. Had N been
necessary they would have been kept Ia
safety.
Like the jail, the courthouse IL 40 stu
Htod that the north wind blew the smoke
aud flames directly toward H., aud "
look, d for while Ike Tho courthouse
would be burned County Judge Evans
advised County Cl,Ik Baker 20 tomove
the records IN case the house caught on
fire, aud a number OF mon were kept 10
readiness 10 do tbls work, but II WAS not
necessary A negro man went out on
the top Of the building to watch the
tparks that were 1ylug through the
mir and falling every where, He pat the
sparks out as they fell Judge Williams
did not adjourn his (tho distfict) court,
but the windows we're down aud the
smoke did not come into this rouIn bad
enough 10 drive the court out.
The people who live on Bridge street
and around the plaz, on the cast eide,
comm, need moving ont, aud the scene
boggnrs descriptions floats drays and
wagons were used 10 moving goods ana
chattcls away from tho smoke, aud where
they expected the flames 90 eproad. A
grCnt many OF thos' people lost conridet-
able IN removal, but II IN impossible now
10 give any figures OF the loss or insnr.
anco II there was any. White anu colorcd
commnglcd together, aud piccanniDice
and white babies were sheltered under
the samo pcdquilts and blankets from the
biting blaetn Of the north wind
From Mira. Hotcberly'a building the
Ore aproad tn tbs one al lining on the
east, which belongs 10 Mr.. sanford
Johnson, and on the west 10 the Waco
house or Central CITY hotel, the property
OF Hon. Il A, Sturgls THESE buildings
were burned out, nothing but tho wallis
are left standing. Or, w. A. Curry'e
building, which is next 10 tire Waco
house, was badly damaged by fire aud
wat +.
The fire was got under control AT lliy0
a. m.
A rough estimate places the loss az be-
tween $50, 900 and s22 900. His honor
mayor Sturgls, h the neayit 81 loser. Ills
insurance Is as follows British Amrrl.
can, $1,000; Sun Mutual, $1,000, Union Of
New Zeula d, $1,000 all u thiH'
In In j. | Moore & co - agency Il
r. Pew has $1,000 on HIS saloon stock,
IN the Southern Of New Orleans IN tho
came agency; also 5000 on stock ana
$500 on furniture aud nxturcH, IN tho Ian.
clstrrshlre Of Fort & Mouuw'H agency.
MIR. Pew Is damaged by hfe, water aud
removal Of gonds. There are other poll
CITES, but the amounts cgnuot be- lea ned
TO day. Peter DoFranois occupied the
Central City hotel. He kept beer
saloon and ran clearinghouse. ilo
saved but very little OF his effects, and
did not have / cent Of Insurance. The
loss falls heavy on him, ~ ho Is n poor
mnn. His family are without II home,
and saved very llttle,l II any, Of thrlr cloth !
ing. Mr. Tonoy Say uey occupied the
building with Mr.. DoEfancis, lie H., ike
his flthcr.in.law, without anything The !
storgis house, pro erty Of Hon, Il. A.
next 70 the Johnson building, was
also damaged by water, but - what ex-
tent Is not known Tho Waco Furniture
loss Is between $3.50 and $1,000
on their mattress factory Outfit. Thcy |
are insured Ia the Fort 4 Morrow agency
for $500. A number Of those who sus-
tanned losses have no insurance.