Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-12-27
SWEPT BY FIRE.
Destructive COnflagratiOn in the
West End, Cincinnati.
LOSS BETWEEN TWO AND THREE
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

Two Large Factories and Number OF
Dwellings Destroyed, and Ono Hundred
and Fifty People Homeless Heroic
Work of the Brave Firemen-A Christ
mas That Brought Sorrow to Many.
C1NcINNATI, Dec. PA most disastrous
fire, as devastating in its results as any that
has visited this city for years, broke out at
$50 Tuesday morning in the rope factory of
c. G. Jacobs 81 Company, ON Harriet street,
and the Cincinnati, Hamilton g. Dayton rail
road, and in a short short the entire locality
was in blaze.
! A short time before the cry was made John
| Droud discovered smoke and flames issuing
from the center of the long brick and frame
cordage and rope factory and hurried to an
alarm box. He struggled for over five min
utes in fruitless endeavor to open the box,
and finally, growing desperate, smashed in
the doorwith bowlder, and pulled down the
hook, and the alarm was soulded
Meantime the flames had been making
rapid progress, and when the engines arrived
on the scene the entire neghborhood was
scene of pandemonium and panic.
The fire had enveloped every portion of
the rope factory, and had communicated to
the large five story brick furniture factory
of the Central Furniture association, Nos SO
TO 70 Budd street, and the immense lumber
yard adjoining.
Before water could be turned on the heavy
wind which had arisen had blown the flames
against the rear of a large number of tene-
ment houses on the north side of Budd
street. which were also soon enveloped in
flames
The frenlen made herculean efforts to
check the progress of the flames, but they
swept across Budd street, and communicated
with the residences ON the north side of Budd
street
Firemen worked in the very mouth of the
flames. One man-Pipeman John Romus of
the Eights-who lost his hat while on a la...
der at third-story window, had to tura a
spray on himself several times to extinguish
his own hair which had .nited John No
Ian, of the Twos, was knocked senseless by a
falling cornice. He was taken to place of
safety and resuscitated He soon returned to
work, though badly bruised.
The members of the Fours, Fives and Sew
ems worked for while directly under totter
ing and blazing lumber piles with the wind
blowing the flames directly over them as
they lay in two feet of water with their
heads out directing their streams on the fire
Several of them were overcome by the heat
and had to be carried from the scene. Sc
hot did it become at times that the mems
rubber helmets melted out of shape on their
heads
The origin of the fire is a mystery, though
1t is believed to be the result of spontaneous
combustion.
The rope factory is an old structure, front
ing seventy-five feet ON Harriet street and
extending back about five hundred feet along
the Cincinnati, Hamilton Il Dayton railroad
and Cincinnati Southern side track, just in
the rear Of the property on the south side of
Budd street. The building is a two-story
brick half way its length, ana continuing in
a one-story frame.
The fire originated where the frame parts
join, among some bales of hemp. The Gin
cnnati, Hamilton & Dayton yardmaster
passed the place at 115 a. m, at which time
there was no trace of fire. He declares that |
no locomotive had passed within over half
block of the building prior to the discovery of
the flames. Hence it is not probable the fire
originated from locomotive spark, as might
be suggested
The fire was practically under control by
noon but continued to burn all day until it
factories
The household effects of not less than sew
enty families were scattered throughout
the streets and alleys, while those of thirty
families were totally destroyed, together with
their homes, thus leaving penniless and
homeless on the day to which they had
looked forward with so many joyful antici-
pations, at least one hundred and fifty people,
nnI obi Ia,
Tuesday night for the first time in thoir lives
of the hospitality Of others.
Jacobs cortiage works were totally de-
stroyed, together with all the fine machinery,
stock, etc. They also lose heavily on some of
the burned dwellings which belonged to
them They figure their total loss at $780,
100, which is insured for 100000 The firm
has made a speciality of making hangmen's
ropes, which have been in exclusive use in
this section for years.
Owing to the absence of the bookkeeper
from the city it was impossible to ascertain
with what companies the policies were
placed
The next heaviest loser was the Central
Furniture association, whose factory, "a large
ive-story brick, one hundred by one hundred
md fifty feet in dimensions and heavily
stocked with furniture, was totally de
,troyed, nothing but the tall chimney re-
naming The association also loses large ,
quantity of valuable dry walnut lumber {
They estimate their loss ON building,
took and machinery at 5000: partly in
ured
The Belts Street Furniture company, who
'wned part Of the lumber destroyed, will lose
3 OtU; insured.
While the loss of the above firms is very =.
leavy, it is possible that the heaviest losers
re the poor occupants of the burned dwell :
ngs, who lost their all =.
The fire made a clean sweep along the .
outh side Of Budd street from No ~ to 81
very house being leveled to the ground.
nd four others We're badly gutted, while on
he opposite side of the street the fire, water ii
nd removal of furniture effected almost a. o
much damage TO household goods as did the q
otal destruction on the lower side r
The total loss will be somewhere between n
.90 900 and S;;OO0O0
Christmas-Tree Festivities.
WAvERLY, o., Dec. 27-The good people II