The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-02
DISASTROUS FIRE.
Extensive Confagration In New
York-s1,5oo,oo Worth Of
Property Lost.
Another Naphtha Explosion in Rail-
road Wreck-An Unfortunate
Brakeman
0bliterated in the Flames-0ther Wrecks
in Indiana, Pennsylvania and
Mississippi.

New YORK, Jan. 30-One of the largest
fires that has prevailed in this city for
many months broke out in the store Of
Henry Rogers & Co., $40 Broadway, early
this morning. 1t extended and destroyed
the five adjoining stores. Three skies
were sounded and all the engines below
Forty-second street responded. The prop
erty occupies the west side of Broadway
between Prince and Spring streets and ex-
tended through TO Mercer street. No $40,
where the fire originated, was five-story
story ron front double building. The first
floor was occupied by Henry Rogers & Co.,
dealers in fancy goods; the second by
Weed, Nelson & Co., fancy trimmings;
third floor by C. A. Yost, summer clothing,
and fourth floor by Malicoimson & Co.,
boys clothing.
The flames spread with astonishing rapid
ity after once breaking out, and several &C
cidents occurred. A number of fire COM
missIoners and iremen were standing on
the roof of $40 and the walls were felt to
tremble. The order to retreat was given
and all rushed for No. $685. Even
then several of the men were bruised
by the falling brick of the walls. Mike
Kelly fell and was fatally injured. Fire
man Sheridan of Engine 9 jumped from
the burning roof No. $40 to 547 and parts of
the wall of the latter tumDled on him. Two
of his men pulled him from the debris
under which he had fallen. He was taken
to the hospital with badly injured chest
and some broken ribs. He may die The
walls of $40 and SOL fell at 5:45 and the
ruins covered Broadway. Travel was
stopped for several blocks.
Fire insurance adjusters say that the loss
will reach $780, 0OO. The stock in eight
buildings was totally destroyed. In other
buildings facing on Spring, Prince and
Mercer streets there is damage by smoke
and water. The buildings on the east side
of Broadway are also somewhat injured
by smoke and flying bricks.
The buildings destroyed were valued at
$500, 900 and on these the insurance is COM
paratively small. The damage to stock is
estimated at $1,000, 600. The assurances foo
up quite that amount and are distributed
among nearly all the domestic and foreign
insurance companies doing business in
New York in sums ranging from 81, 200 to
$4,000.
WRECK AND EXPLOSION.
CHICAGO, Jan. 3l-Reports reached this
city at an early hour yesterday morning
that long freight train, west bound, on
road, had gone through bridge two miles
west of Pine, Ind. A brakeman, named
Coder, is the only person reported killed.
The train was loaded with infiammable ma
terial and caught fire in some manner.
Many OF the cars were involved in the
wreck, and as there was no means at hand
for putting out the fire the loss will proba-
bly, be very heavy. An engine and hose
RI he ira ont
companied the wrecking train, which left
soon after the report was received.
Later accounts from the scene of the &C.
cdent say that the rear car that wen
through the culvert was loaded with a
huge tank, containing $500 gallons of naph-
tina, which was soon poured over the wreck
in every direction. Coder, the brakeman,
was on the car Immediately behind the en-
CINE and was completely buried in the
ruins. No trace of the unfortunate man
could afterwards be found. Several trail
hands were searching among the wreck |
age for Coder's body, when a lantern |
ignlted the naphtha. There was a fash |
followed by powerful conclusion and the |
entire mass of ruins was ablaze. A tele |
gram was Immediately sent to Chicago ask |
ing for fire engine to assist in putting out |
the fast spreading flames. In twenty min |
utes the great pile of coke and coal, |
thoroughly saturated with the oil was a |
seething mass of fire, and during the night |
the flames could be seen for miles around. |
WRECK TAKES FIRE.
INDIANAPoLIs, Jan. 31.-A special from |
Muncie, Ind, says: The east bound Bee |
Line express, due here at 4: 80 this morn. |
ing came laundering into the city at the /
rate Of fifty miles an hour and crushed int /
a freight engine standing just east of the /
depot. Both the air brakes of the express /
were manageable, and the train could /
not be checked. Both eng mes are almost |
ruined, together with two palace cars, sew |
eral coaches and freight oars. Fire imme-
diately broke out in the palace cars. The |
city fire department was summoned and |
did all the service possible, but they are
ruined. The tracks are torn up for rods
and the gates and station house are mashed
to the ground. Miraculously no one was
hurt except the freight engineer, who is
severely injured. The tracks will not be in
q passable condition for at least ten hours
ENGINE AND FIFTEEN CARS SMASHED.
READING, Pa, Jan. 3L-A freight wreck
took place near Methersville on the Read
ing road yesterday afternoon. One freight
train ran into the rear end Of the other.
The engine and fifteen cars were smashed
and two employees were injured.
TEN CARS DEMOLISHED.
VICKsBURG, Miss, Jan. 31.-A freight
rain on the Louisville, New Orleans &
Texas railroad was wrecked yesterday.
Ten cars were demolished One was loaded
With horses, valued at 5000, and was
bound for New Orleans.
|