New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-02
the police and the Knowedge that the militia are under
orders has had quietng effect.
DESTRUCTIVE FLAMES IN DETROIT.
THE LOSS ESTIMATED AT 81 5000
d. N. FEREY's SEED HOUSE BCRNED-FIREMEN
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..


D. NJ. FEREY's SEED HOUSE DURNED-FIREMEN
KILLED-INsURANCEs.
DETROIT, Jan. 1.--Smoke was observed at
O'clock this morning coming from ID. NJ Ferry & Co.'s
mammoth building Brush-st, between Crvghan and
Lafayette ss An alarm quickly turned In. second
and third alarms following in qaick succession there be-
Ing fears of big ccnhagraton In the heart OF the bus
part OF OF the city The fire department turned out
in force and surrounded the burning building with
the hose. The flames had started in the packing depart
ment on Lafayette and Brush SITS and soon cnyeoped
the whole building which mere she'll having but
one solid wall inside OF the outer walls, The hremen
kept at their work, but all efforts seemed futile, the
flames spreading rapidly until at orc time there seemed
probability that the whole district In which the burn
ing building is situated was doomed. Buildings on
opposite side Of Brush and Croshan sta. caught num-
Der of times but the department managed to keep tue
flames from totally destroying theu. Across the alley
from Ferry Co.'S building in the square, and fac-
Ing Randolph-st, Whites Grand Theatre and the
Wesson Block. and small building used restaurant
The flames leaped across the alley and began to eat
into the theatre First the roof caught and fell in
with crash, firing the whole interior Of the building,
after driving away the who had been working Oh
the Ferry Block through the windows of the theatre.
An immense crowd blocked the streets In every direc
tion and at times In the way Of tho gromen By
10 o'clock the Ferry Block Of hames and the
walls had begun TO fall. creating something OF panic
escapes occurred among the fremcn who worked close
to the flames wrapped in repeatedly soaked but rapidly
drying clothes. BY IL o'clock the nremcn were com
PEELED their attention more 10 saving the build
lngs the opposite side Of Randolph ST. although still
keeping streams OF water playing the burn.
ing building The men OF No 3 Fire Company raised
ladder in front OF tho theatre to get better chance at
the namcs. Finding the rapidly advancing fire would
prevent any effective work that point. they de-
scendng tho ladder and had about reached the ground
when several feet Of the cornice fell the ladder wagon
Captain Richard Filbn struck the head by the
bricks and Instantly killed and Fireman White was badly
but not fatally injured.
Soon after the flames spread to the Wcsson block. at
Randolph and Croghan cts, and that building soon
enveopsd III flames Although the buildings across
CrOghan-st threatened and caught once or twice,
the remen managed keep 1t within the square named,
By II o'clock 1t fully under control Tonight
the flames are stl raging hercely but have been
fined within the walls OF the buildings already mentioned.
During the worst OF the fire the wind had
been from the SOUTH and the single buiugat Lafayette
and Randolph ss not seriously Injured but all the
rest of the square was a total loss.
The burned district belonged TO the Brush estate.
d. NJ Ferry Co. built their mammoth establishment
SIX years ago. Whites Theatre originally built to
accommodate the Peninsuar Sacngcr6und,the Michigan
onshoO OF the North American Saengerbund. The com-
pany was organized In 1850. and this music hall was
built at that time being opened with annual fest"
on August so 1850 u. NJ Ferry & Co.'S building occu-
pied half OF the square being OF the largest In the
CITY, Their feed business probably the largest IN
the United States. In the building burned today 400
people are usually employed. besides 100 more en-
ploy their farms outside the city. II was
providentiay that the fire occurred a holiday as
otherwise the loss OF ufo would have
probably been very great Definite figures
OF cannot be given but the total Will reach not
less than 100000 Tue stock alone in d NJ Ferry
Co.'s is estimated to have been worth Sl.oooooo to
81 200 OOO and their building was valued at S25OOOO
As TO the origin OF the fire tbero we'll devised
tneories somo OF tho employees hint at inceudiarlsm
saying ha; there in tho part of tho build
nn first attacked by the flames aud that SOME outside
agency have been responsible :or the IRE Officers
Of company completely at loss to account for
the origin OF the fire. Tho Insurance on ID. NJ Ferry
Co'sis distributed rs follows;
Lion of England $4,000. The following companies
havo policies for SlOOo0 each: Michigan IRE and
Marine Phoen1 Of London. orient. o! Hartford. Com
,nrrc, 'nion of England, Home OF NeW-IOrk, Amrr
can Boston, Firearus OF Newark, Mercantile OF Hos
ton. Prescott OF Boston aud The London Liverpool and
Globe. The following have 5000 policies Norib
BRUSH aud Mercantile Pnoenit of Br"okyn ana Tue
Merchants OF Newly 0rk. Thefe are $1,000 policies IN
the Imperial OF England Buffalo German fi,emans OF
Hayt on, sun Of California Pennsylvania Of Psburs,
Connecticut OF Hartford Long leland ot Newl ON De
truit FIRE and Marine. City Of London Providence OF
c.gn.re Norwirh Union OF Eu-aud. Phoenix OF
Hartford Ncw-York Alliance, Niagara of New-lors.
Washington Fire and Marine, Royal Of England Queen
of England, BRUSH American Of Toronto Western OF
Toronto. Rutgers OF NewI0rk Lancashire. Central of
New-lork. New Iampsnire: sun OF England kochrSter
Ceruan, FIRE A.sOciatp. OF Phlade phld northern Of
England American OF Ncw-IOrk, American OF hllairI-
nina. Insurance A-sOcatlon OF North America Hart
lord California, United Fremrn of Philadelphia. Cooper
of Dayton German Of Pitsburg. Cuzeus OF IiShurg'
Fire Insurance Association OF England Springfield.
Kings County aud the Kini There are $1,000 policies
IN the Peoples Of Plitsburg and the Grand Rapids.
Tucrc are - 800 policies the W"stchrster Of New
York, clinton OF New YORK. Rhode Island Under
griters ; Peoples of New-York, Mercantile Of Cleve.
land United states. OF Ncwl ork and the German. of
Cincinnati. The following policies arc Tor 5000
each London Assurance Company aud County Oi fh-
udrphia Flrcmrns Fund OF California has policy
OF II 900 Total, SlGOOOO.
the rest OF the buildings were In batch, and
insured follows: Niagara. $1,000 National 5000;
American Genital, 5000; transatlantic, l.JOO;
Bowls on. ~ 800: Union, $1,000; PhTnix. $1,000;
Security, ~ 900; Washington, $1,000; Queen 5000.
Ko,aI, -. 800 ROyn FIRE Association Of England.
81 OOO Fire Association or Pbilade phia, 5000 Mrr
camille 900. and springfield. $1,000 Total - 1000
Charles o. White was insured as follows iri~h Amer
lea - 900 ana Franklin, $1,000. Total, $1,000.
Ncighborng buildings were damaged but hSures ana
insuranccs could not be obtained.