Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-02
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
rig BLAZE IN DETROIT.


BTG BLAZE IN DETROIT.
Imm.pse se.s. Hssse sss Theatre Bsrs-
cd Desperate FIGHT with sse fismes.
ftrsmsn KsI,eS.
iBy telegraph to tho Dispstch.;
DETROIT, January Shortly after
0 o'clock this morning smoke was OBJ
served issuing from d. NJ. Ferry L
Co. IS mammoth building, ON Brush be-
tween Croghsn and Lafayette streets.
An alarm was quickly turned in, second
and third alarms following in quick
succession, there being promise Of .
big conHagration in the heart Of the
business part Of the city. The IRE
department turned out 10 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
enyeloped the whole 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 ono
time there was the probability Of the
whole district in which the burning
building is situated being doomed.
Buildings on the other side Of Brush
and Croghsn streets caught number OF
times, but the department managed to
keep the flames from totally destroying
them. Across the alley from ID. M.
Ferry & Co. IS building in the same square
and facing on Randolph street are
Whites Grand Theatre and the wesson
block, and q small building used IS q
restaurant. The flames leaned
across the alley and began to
eat into the theatre. First the rool
caught and soon fell in with
a crash, firing the whole interior Of the
building. The crashing Of window.
glass was the signal for an increased
fury of the flames, which seemed to
defy the efforts Of the firemen.
An immense crowd blocked the
streets in every direction, and at times
were in the way of the firemen. BY
| 10 o'clock the Ferry block wass mass o.
flames, and the walls commenced tc
fall, creating something Of q panic
among the throng Of idle spectators
There were numerous narrow escapes
among the firemen who worked clsst
to the flames. BY halfpast 10 O'Clock
Whites Theatre had been destroyed
and by ii the firemen were compelled
to turn their attention more to saving
houses on the opposite side Of Randolph
street, although still keeping numerous
streams playing on the burning build
ing. At III O'Clock the men Of No.
fire company raised a ladder in from
Of the theatre to get better chance a.
the flames. Finding the rapidly-ad'
vancing FIRE would prevent any effective
work at that point, the men were de-
scending the ladder and had about
reached the ground when several feet
of the cornice fell on the ladder-wagon
Captain Richard Filbin was struck on
! the head by bricks and instantly killed
and Fireman White was badly but no
fatally injured. Soon after the flames
spread to Wesson block, on the corner o
Randolph and Croghan streets, and tha
building was soon enveloped in flames
Although the buildings across Croghar
street were threatened and caught once
or twice, the department managed t
keep the fire within the square named
and by Il O'Clock it was fully unde
control. Tonight the flames are still
raging fiercely, but have been confined
within the area Of the buildings alread.
mentioned.
During the worst of the fire the wine
had been from the south, and not singl
building on the corner Of Lafayette an
Randolph streets was seriously injured
but all the rest Of the Square was tota
loss. The burned district belonged t
what is known as the Brush estate
having been the site Of the old home
stekd, D, N, Ferry 4 Co. built thel
mammoth establishment six years ssvc
Whites Theatre was originally built t
accommodate the Peninsula Sengel
bund, a Michigan of-shoot Of the Mort
American S@ngerbund Company.
was organized in 1880, and this musi
hall was built at that time, being opene
with an annual fest August 80, 1880
m. Ferry & Co.'s building occupie
half Of the square, being one of tn
largest in the city. Their seed bushes
was probably the largest in the Unite
States. In the building burned to-da
400 people are usually employed, be
sides 400 more on their immense farm
outside the city. 1t was providentis
that it occurred on holiday, as other
wise the loss of life would have pre-
badly been very great. Definite figure
of the losses cannot be given, but tn
total will reach not less than 81 500
600. The stock alone in ID. NJ. Ferr
& Co. IS is estimated to have been wort
from 100000 to sl,200,000. an
their building was valued at $4,000
AS to the origin eff the fire there ar
no well.defined theories. Some Of tn
employees hint at incendiarism, claimin
that there were no fires in the part Q
the building first attacked by the flames
and that some outside agency mus
have been responsible for the fire. Th
officers Of the company are completed
at a loss to account for its origin
The insurance on the Ferry propert
aggregates 100000. One policy i
the Lion of England is for 100000
The remainder is distributed in sum
] cror, q a nn0 Jaw~ 20 al mn