The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-02
A BIG FIRE AT ST. LOUIS.
THE RICHARDSON DRUG COMPAN Y
BURNED OUT.


Hard Work in Driving Away Liv-
cry Stable Horses-!The Total Loss
About 100000.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, Jan. 1.-The immense
6-story brick building of the Richardson
drug store on the northwest corner of
Fourth street and Clark avenue
was reduced to ruins in forty
minutes after 2 o'clock this morn
ing. The building fronted 120 feet
on Fourth street and ran back on Clark
avenue 200 feet to private alley, and
back of this was three-story substantial
brick warehouse used by the firm to store
explosives and highly combustible goods
and oils, The building was built in 1885,
and was complete with all modern improve
ments.
DISCOVERY OF THE FIRE.
Tho fire was discovered at 2:20 o'clock
| and general alarm was turned in. So
fierce was the fire that five minutes after
the alarm was turned in, the buildings
across the street were smoking and
about to burst into flames. Every
few minutes terrible explosion
would denote throughout the building,
graceful curl Of fire many feet 10 hight
and diameter would leap high into the air
| and summon the reVelling rioters OF New
| YEARS. night to the scene Of destruction.
| When every pane Of glass was out of the
| building tongues of fire leaped out, and
! their heat made the narrow street shield
| for the gallant fremen, who toiled with
| bursting, burning hose to save property.
| SMOKING COATS AND BLIsTERED HANDS
Their coats smoked and their han DIS were
| bhstered when exposed TO the glare, and
many dropped tho lines and sought the
shade of an adjaceut building The entire
| six floors were filled with combustible & lods e,
| a great portion of the stock being extremely
| infammable.
The first floor was occupied oy the ac-
counting department, in which about 200
book-keepers, clerks and statesmen were en-
plJyed, and it contained also some
show goods. The second floor was
given up to suudries, of which an immense
| stock of costly goods was ca ried. On the
third floor were paints and oils and this
story was also used for packing.
| A FOUNTAIN OF FLAME.
The fire seemed to get an early hold on
the third floor, and flowing oils, drippisg
| through the first two stories, supplied a
fountain of fire that played from the base
! ment clear to the roof, defyiug all artificial
efforts to check its costly flow. N t
enough lines of hose could have been
laid around the building to
have saved it, SO speedy was
the spread of the fire. aud the few firemen
who for a minute o. two at time braved
the awful heat, had but dozen streams to
combat half dozen acres of blazing oils,
motion iron, and flowing glass. 1t was Il
magnificent and awtui sight from the first
two minutes after its discovery until about
| 8 o'clock, when the building collapsed, and
there was nothing more to burn.
| HISTORY OF THE FIRM.
| The Richardson Drug Company was the
| outerowth of a busi ess founded forty
years ago by James Richardson, its present
! president. Vice President Joseph c. Rich
ardson and Secretary James Richardson
Jr, are Sons of the founder OF the house.
John Motfatt the MANAGER of the sunIies
Department. has proprietary interest in the
| concern, as lad one or two other attaches
| on side Of the Richardson's.
The building was er cted several years
ago at cost of $150,00O. The corner was
occupied or some time by paint and oil
firm before the Richardson Drug Compa y
| moved up from North Second street. 1t
was one of the largest wholesale drug houses
in the country, and its druggis s. sundries
| department was the largest in the country.
PANIcs IN ADJOINING BUILDINGS.
The buildings in close proximity to the
fire were tine scene of tremendous excite
ment The Ehler house. place at No. 209
South Fourth street, occupied by boarders,
was the scene of a panic. The screams OF
frightened women ana men rushing to and
fro from room to room after their friends,
created much terror. Finally the firemen
came to their assistance, and all the occu-
pants were safely rescued.
Woess' masquerade store, at No. 207
South Fourth street. was destroyed.
AT Nos. 408 and 410 Clark avenue was q
row Of thIee-story brick boarding houses
which was also a scene Of fright. The occu
pants had only time to escape.
TERRIFIED HORSES.
Another scene of great excitement was in
the hvery stable OF Scott & Lynch, al
No. Alb Elm st eat, which structure
extends south to Clark avenue, and in the
rear Of the drug build ng. When the stable
was suddenly lighted up from the flames OF
burning houses, the horses became panic
stricken, and when men attempted to take
them out, the animals stood trembling
with fear, and as is Characteristic
of their nature would not leave the fire.
Men found it necessary to goad them on by
beating them with stakes, shovels, whips,
and anything that was at hand. After
much effort they were taken from the
stable, and it was Immediately occupi d by
the firemen, who ran a hose through to CLARK
avenue, and thereby played several streams
Of water on the fire
SIMULTANEOUS EXPLOSIONS.
At $50 o'clock the most exciting epoch
of the fire occurred, when several great ex-
plosions of drugs occurred, almost stimuli
taneously with the falling aud crashing of
the southeast corner of the building, en-
dangering the lives of all the flremen on that
portion of the work. The heavy cornices
and coping stones on the top story began to
crack on the wavering walls. and the fire.
men had only time to escape from the i'm
pending danger, when with sudden crash
that portion Of the building fell throug
throwing burning fragme Is across Clark
avenue, setting fire to Mler's blkerv, a
two-story brick, and an adjoining building
on the southwest corner Of Fourth street and
Clarke avenue, and covering t.e entire in
tersection of the streets with the flames
and smoke.
IN THE SOUTHERN HOTEL.
It was expected that panic would occur
In the Southern hotel which is within al
most half square of tue drug building,
but the guests were quietly informed that
there was no imminent danger. and the
ladies and gentlemen leisurelY came down
into the corridors and side walks, and TO the
windows Of their rooms to watch the scene.
Cliff Richardson, the general manager OF
the drug concern, gives the value of the
stock on hand at about $780, 700, and the
insurance at S65O,C00, placed in H. w.
Blossoms agency. The buildings occupied
were valued at about 100000. The origin