The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-10-29
ACRES OF FLAMES
Mobile, Ala, Visited by a Big
COnfiagratiOn.
Over 5000 Bales Of Cotton, Three
Steamers, Nine Warehouses and
Many Factories Burned.

Half Million Dollars Worth Of Property
Reduced to Ashes in Few Hours by tho
Dcvourlng Fteinent-
MOBILE, Ala, Oct. GA fire began
about 12:4O o'clock Sunday afternoon
and resulted in the most disastrous con-
fagration that Mobile has had since the
war. Tho fre began In shingle mill
and factory near the river front, just
outside he northern boundary OF the city
limits. A strong wind from the north
east was blowing and the flames soon
Communicated to the cotton warehouses
which line the river front from Beaure-
gard street, the northern boundary,
southwark six blocks and from the river
front westward to Magnolia street. three
blocks. From the shingle mill to Good
mans warehouse on the block bounded
by Front, Bsauregard, Water and Lips
comb streets, the distance Is about 600
yards, and almost as soon as smoke
was seen issuing from the roof the cot
ton blazed up. In Goodman's warehouse
there we're stored about900 bales Of cot
ton, and the sparks from this cotton
communicated the flames to Browns
warehouse on Lispcomb and Water, and
running back on Magnolia street to the
Mobile oil mills, which are next south
on the east side OF Front street, and to
the wharf front OF the Mobile & Bir-
mingham Railroad Company, which
fronted on the water from Beauregard
to Lipscomb street
The in6ammable character OF the ma
terial which fed the flames and the gale
OF wind that was blowing caused the
fire to spread with lightning-like rapid
ity and before two O'Clock 1t looked as II
the FIRE would spread from end to end
Of the water front Of the city. Before
the Mobile oil mills, in that company's
water slip, were two steamers-the
Jewel and Mary Elizabeth-also the
steamer Helen s., the tug Margaret
Leinhard and the Governmentsnag boat
Warren. Half dozen men got the
boats out OF the slip into the stream,
saving all but the Jewel and the Mary
Elizabeth, which burned rapidly to the
waters edge The flames swept on
down the wharf front OF the city. At
the next slip fronting near the foot OF
Adams street, we're the steamer Ruth,
two naphtha launches and four or five
cotton and timber tugs, all OF which
were got into midstream with only
slight injury, except the steamer Ruth
and naphtha launch General Fowler,
which were destroyed in few moments.
The water front wharves were entirely
burned from Beauregard street, on the
north, to St. Louis street. the flames
leaping the wharf slips as hurdle racers
leap stone wall. A large amount oi
cotton which was closely packed in the
warehouses and presses made the fire ar
intensely hot one, and the high wind
caused it to spread so rapidly that 4
was impossible for the fire department
to do more than stand idly by and SEQ i
burn.
The fire. burned rapidly among thu
cotton warehouses and presses. Whel
Goodman's warehouse was In a blaz'
smoke was seen issuing from Brown
cotton warehouse roof, square away ol
the northeast corner OF Water street
and at the same moment the Gulf Cit.
oil mill, with a warehouse which wa
stored full OF cotton oil, oil cake ant
meal blazed out and the 6remen and tn
large crowd OF spectators which ha'
gathered in the vicinity had to fee fror
the advancing flames Almost immedi
ately the flames srfead from building :
building until Cage & Lyons artihcia
ice factory and the Merchants pres
were destroyed.
The property destroyed is $3.50 bale
OF cotton; three steamers; one uaphth
launch; eleven freight cars, grain lader
belonging to the Mobile & Ohio Raj
road Company; five empty box cars G
the Mobile & Birmingham road; tw
wood and coal yards; three cotton con
pressers; eight cotton warehouses; tn
Gulf City oil mill and warehouse; th
Mobile Phosphate and Chemical Work
the Gage & Lyon ice factory and hume
GUS small business houses in the localit.
So far there has been no casualty r,
ported. The wind died away about fiy
D. m. and the fire department got th
Are under control. 1t is estimated tt
total loss will exceed S650,0O0.