The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-01-06
DETRoIT'S NEW YEAR.
ID. II. Ferry's Block, Whites Theater and
Other Buildings Burned-Captain Phil
bert Killed-LOss, 81 10000


Other Buildings Burned-Captain Phil
bert Kilied-Loss, 81, 100000.
DETROIT, Jan. AT 9 O'Clock the whole
Fire Department was called out by fire in
ID. NJ. Ferry g. Co. S seed store, on Lafayette
street, in this city. The flames spread rap
idly, and at this hour the entire building is
mass OF flames The fire has spread to
the opposite side of Lafayette street.
Whites Theater is in flames and seems
doomed. The entire seed store an immense
four-story brick building is totally con-
sumed. Insurance on the ID. NJ. Ferry block.
$500. 600 Both the Ferry building and
Whites Theater were without inner walls,
and proved great food for the flames. At
1O:45 Whites front wall fell in, killing Cap
tain Philbert instantly. The men were just
coming down from the ladder, and large
number narrowly escaped death. 1t is as yet
impossible to give any idea of the damage
done.
Shortly after 9 o'clock this morning smoke
was observed issuing from ID. NJ. Ferry &
Co. S mammoth building on Brush street
Alarm was quickly turned in, a second and
third alarm following in quick succession
there being promise of a big cOnfiagration in
the heart of the business part of the
city The Fire Department turned out IN
force, and soon surrounded the burning
building with hose. The flames had started
in the packing department, on the corner of
Lafayette and Brush streets, and soon envel-
oped the whGle building, which was mere
shell, having but one solid wall inside of
the outer walls. Bravely and intelligently
the firemen kept at their work. but all efforts
seemed futile, the flames spreading rapidly,
until at one time ii seemed probable the
whole district in which the burning build
ing is situated was doomed. Buildings on
the opposite side of Brush and CrOgan streets
caught a number of times but the depart
ment managed to keep the flames from to-
tally destroying them. Across the way from
Ferry's building id the same square, and
facing on Randolph street are Whites Grand
Theater and the Windsor Block. and
smaller building used as a restaurant. The
flames leaped across the alley, and began to
eat into the theater. First the roof caught,
and, soon falling with a terrible crash, fired
the whole interior of the building after
driving away the men who had been work
ing on the Ferry Block through the windows
of the theater. Chashing window glasses
were the signal for increased fury of the
flames, which seemed 10 laugh at the efforts
of the firemen An immense crowd blocked
the streets in every direction, and at
times were in the way of the department.
At 10 O'Clock the Ferry building was a mass
OF flames and the walls had commenced to
fall, creating something OF a panic among
the thrODg OF idle spectators. Numerous
narrow escapes occurred among the fremen,
who worked close 10 the flames. By 1920
Whites Thcater was seized by the fire, and
by IL the firemen were compelled to turn
their attention more to saving the buildings
on the opposite side of Randolph street, al
though still keeping numerous streams of
water P.dying on the burning building. At
IL o'clock the men of No. Fire Company
raised ladder in front of the theater to get
better chance at the flames. Finding the
rapidly advancing fire would prevent any
effective work at that point, the men were
descending the ladder and had about
reached the ground when several
feet of the cOTnice fell on the
ladder wagon. Captain Richard Filban
was struck on the head by the bricks and
instantly killed, and Fireman White was
badly but not fatally injured. Soon otter
the flames spread to the Wesson block, on
the corner of Randolph and Croghan Streets
and that building was soon. enveloped in
flames. Although the buildings across Gro
CHAN street were threatened, and caught
once or twice, the department managed to
keep it within the square named, and by u
O'Clock it was fully under control. Tonight
the flames are raging fiercely, but have been
confined within the walls of the buildings
already mentioned During the worst of
the fire the wind had been from the
south, and the single building on the corner
of LAFAYETTE and Randolph streets was not
seriously injured, but all the rest of the
square was a total loss. The burned
district belonged to what is
known as the Brush estate, having
been the site of the old homestead. d. NJ.
Ferry & Co. built their establishment six
years ago. Whites Theater was built to ac-
commodate the Peninsular Saengerbund, a
Michigan offshoot of the North American
Saengerbund. The company was organized
IN 1880, and this music hall was built at that
time, being opened with an annual fest Au-
gust 81, 1880. d. NJ. Ferry Il Co. s building
occupied half the square, being onesof the
largest in the city. Their seed business was
probably the largest in the United States.
In the building burned to-day 400 people are
usually employed, besides 400 more employ
ed in their immense farms near the city. 1t
was providential that the fire occurred on a
holiday, as otherwise the loss of
life would have probably been
very great. Definite figures of losses
can not be given but the total will reach
net less than 81, 500, 0OO The stock alone in
T, Try & Co.'s is estimated to have been
W, rth from 500, 900 to S120,000, and their
building was valued at $3.50 900. As to the
o. gin of the fire there are no well defined
theories; some of the employees hint at in
cendiarism, claiming that there were no fires
in the part of the building first attacked by
the flames. and that some outside agency
must have been responsible for the fire. OFF,
GERS OF the company are completely at a loss
to account for the origin of the fire.