Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-01-02
AT THE EAST.
The Great Fire at st. Louis
Loss S875,90O.
GOVERNOR HILLS ADDRESS.
He Speaks Aloud Of the CORRUPT
Use Of Money In the Recent
Election.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD. !
ST. LOUIS, January 1.-The immense
six'story brick bailding of the Richard
son Drug Company, corner of Fourth
street and Clark avenue, burned to ruins
at 40 minutes after this morning.
The building fronted 160 feet on Fourth
street and ran back on Clark avenue 200
feet. Back of this was a three-story
brick warehouse used by the firm to
store explosives and highly combustible
goods and oils. So fierce was the fire
that five minutes after the alarm was
turned in the building across the street
was smoking and about to burst into
flames. Every few minutes a terrible
explosion would detonate throughout the
building. When every pane of glass was
out of the building tongues of fire
leaped out. Their heat made the narrow
street sheol for the firemen, who toiled
with bursting, burning hose to save the
property, their coats smoked and their
hands blistered. The entire six floors
were filed with combustible goods, a
great portion of the stock being extremely
inhammable. On the third floor were
paints and oils. The fire seemed to get
early hold OF the oils dripping through
the first TWO stories. A fountain of fire
played from the basement to the roof,
defying all efforts to check its costly flow.
1t was an awful sight from the first two
minutes after the discovery until o'clock
vi |, o,, tho h,1i1dipu collo poad
THE RICHARDSON DRUG COMPANY
Was an outgrowth of business founded
forty years ago by James Richardson,
the present President. The building
was erected several years ago at cost Of
$3.50, 900, and was one of the largest
wholesale drug houses in the country.
The buildings in close proximity to the
fire were scenes of tremendous excite
ment. The Ehler House, at 209 South
Fourth street, occupied by boarders, was
the scene of panic. The screeches OF
frightened men and women, rushing to
and fro after their friends, created much
terror. Finally the firemen came to
their assistance, and all the occupants
were rescued.
WoRS's MASQUERADE STORE,
At 257 South Forth street, was destroyed
At 40S and 41O Clark avenue a row OF
three.story brick boarding houses were
also scene of fright. The occupants
had only time to escape. At 2 80 O'Clock
the most exciting time of the fire oc.
Cured, when several great explosions Of
beHZine and other explosive drugs oc.
Cured simultaneously with the falling
and crashing at the southeast corner Of
the building, endangering the lives OF
all the Gremen on that portion of the
work. Heavy cornices and coping stones
on the top story began to crack on the
walls, and the firemen had only time te
escape from the impending danger when
| with sudden crash that portion of the
building fell,
THROWING BURNING FRAGMENTS
Across Clark avenue and setting fire to
Miller's bakery, two-story, and the
adjoining buildings on the southeast Ger
ner of Fourth and Clark avenue, and Gov
ering the entire intersection with flames
and smoke. 1t was expected a panic
would occur in the Southern Hotel, which
is within almost half a square of tie drug
building, but the guests were quietly
informed that there was no imminent
danger, and the ladies and gentlemen
leisurely came down the corridors to the
rooms to watch the scene. The loss or
the stock is 1875, 900, insurance $3.50, 900
The loes on the building is 5000, 900. The
origin of the fire is not yet known.
Andrew Geraghty, night watchman ir
the drug store, is missing, and is believed
to have perished in the fire.