The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-08
THE CIRCUIT OF THE FIRE.

say g. Morga IS store on the west, is total
loss Mr. Sternberg's loss is not total. The
more valuable part OF bis. stock, such as
precious stones and watches, was in the two
safes which escaped unhar ned, but the
greater part Of the other stock is ba1ly
| damaged. The building, which is gutted
bv fire and water, will have TO be demol-
ished. Fire broke out in the half burned
| ceiling three times yesterday, but was
promptly extlnguished, aud Charles Cole
man, of b. Coleman & Bro, has been
placed at the ore as guard by the consent
Of the underwriters.
| On both sides Of Barnard street from
Broughton to State street not a house
stands
On State street between Barnard and
! Whitaker a brick building on the north
side, two doors west of Whitaker, did not
burn, and the one-story frame at the north.
west corner Whitaker and State is stand
ing, but in a badly demolished condition,
as strenuous efforts were made to pull it
down to prevent the fire from crossing
Whitaker street at this point.
On York street the destructio
is complete and absolute from and
| including the brick bu,iness hou7e of
| Thomas Henderson westward across Whita
ker street to and including the Heidi prop
erty at 151 York. The one-story frame
west is badly damaged ard will have to be
deiuollsueu. lO IL CCupleu ny mTs' lJeuord
| Russell, dairywornan, whose cows lowed
mournfully in their stalls in the rear dur
| the the fire.
From York street to York street lane on
the west side OF Whitaker and on the east
side of the street to South Broad street
every building was burned, and every
building on T. 9 north side Of South Broad.
from Whitaker to Bull, except DR., Hops
residence, went down.
On Hull atraat Dr bryYsa WINS
saved, but the Flannery and Mcintyre
houses on the west of the Sunday school
building were burned.
GUARDING THE NEW HOTEL.
Great credit is due one man that the fire
| did not get a headway on Liberty street.
| That man is NJ. I. LIE eSman, who is Il con
| tractor of the firm building the new De
| Soto hotel. In his younger days, in the time
of primitive methods Of fighting fires, he
was the cap ain of hook and Ladder bucket
brigade in his native town. Seeing the
danger which was threatening the city in
that direction, he hurriedly purchased
100 buckets and collected ladders and
men. Taking an elevated position in the
rain Of embers and red-hot sheets of tin
roofing which fell about him he directed
every movement of the men, pointing out
every new place where fire was taking, aud
keeping it under control Wnen the War
just opposite, took fire, Mr.. Lewman's quick
eye saw the danger, And now boys, your
ladders, he cried out, and pointed to the
house opposite. Separating his force, he
sent a de achment with buckets of water,
and thus averted a confagration, which
once started there, would have doomed the
new hotel and the southern part of the city.
FREAK OF THE FIRE
One of the freaks of the fire was hoisted
I IL. Ill
the city from Broughton street, and fell on
the framework of the second floor of the
hotel. A bucket Of water rendered it harm
less.
Only those who were eye-witnesses could
hardly believe that the asphalt pavement
from Bull to Drayton, was
at one time covered with fiery
embsrs, but SO it was. In the shower of
sparks that rained from Broughtou to Tay-
lor streets the clothing and hats Of many
persons took fire, and only the vigilance OF
those seeking to escape from the path Of
the storm overhead that was swept south
easterly over the city by the gale, prevented
fatal results, as the instances were many
where clothing took fire before the crowds
could escape eastward aud westward out Of
the path of the cloud.
Houses on Perry and Liberty streets took
fire in the path of the storm, and balconies
blazed up in every direction, but the occl-
pants Of the houses aud friends piled hand
hose and buckets and prevented the spread
of the flames The residence of Miss Mary
B. Walker, at NJ ia Liberty street, was
on fire several times, but force OF men
under Capt. D. G. Purse saved the build
at 81 Liberty, and Of Miss
J. Thompson at 90 Liberty took fire several
times from the shower of embers and burn
ing shingles which fell ON the roof OF the
two buildings, but wet blankets and buckets
of water prevented the buildings from
burning. Had the fire got headway here
there is no telling how disastrous would
have been the result.
THE F1REMEN's WORK.
Often the question was asked on Perry
street and Liberty street by frightened
people who we're fighting blazing roofs and
balconies and smoing walls, Where Is
the fire Department. 1t was fighting
fiercer fires under frowning and tottering
walls aud towers, trying to confne the fire
to the narrowest possible limit.
Chief Puder was everywhere, and all
directing. Where it was useless to waste
water the fire was abandoned, and every
effort was directed to stop the fire at
critical points.
Taking to a MORNING NEWS reporter
last night he said 1--WE have lost not less
than 500 feet Of hose which was rem cred
useless by fir. It is bad to see so much
property destroyed, but we did all we
could. We could have been more success
full even with n light wind but last night
we had to fight in the teeth Of storm.
Looking now at the different points where
we stopped the q 3, the work OF the fire de-
partment speaks for itself. 1t is record it
need not be ashamed Of. The men worked
uneasingly in storm Of fire that rafued
down upon them. and in a he { which was
almost unbearable in its intensity And re-
member it was not the work Of an hour or
two but Of many hours. What more could
they have donep
Yesterday, although day set apart for .
rest, was one Of the busiest activity in the
burned district. The circuit Of the electric
light works having been broken by the de-
struction of the wires, the city was left in
darkness save where the lurid flames
from burning buildings kindled up the
southeastern heavens All yesterday force
Of men was reeling off new wires, and
pushing the work Of repairs, and last nient
the tower lights were lit up, but 1t will re-
duire many days t. complete the repairs
which the fire a I'd falling walls have rem
dered necessary. The telephone circuit on
Whitaker and west ward is wrecked, and il
will require several days TO repair the
damage.
The following incident Of generosity by a
Philadelphia is reported. The gentleman,
who is stopping in tho city, went 70 the
parsonage Of the Presbyterian church, and
with others worked with will in saving