The morning call., 1890-06-29
DAMAGED BY
FIRE AND WATER.
G. w. Gibbs Building on Ere.
mont Street Quilted.
Ths Losses to the Several Firms Aggregate
35,000-All Are Insursd-More
Bursting Of Hose.

w nat might nave Deen u lnOre Illdu usu-
ally destructive fire broke out at IA and 16
Fremont street about $50 o'clock last
night, but the prompt attention of the fire.
men and strong ireproof walls saved the
adjoining buildings.
The flames had gained considerable head
way before the alarm WAS turned in and
were seen from the ferry before the fre-bell
had struck. A large crowd had already
gathered from Kearuy and Market streets
attracted by the bright blaze.
Had the alarm been promptly rung in the
damage both to the building and stock
would not have been considerable. AS it
was, the engines were not on the scene I'M
til the flames had been raging about fifteen
minutes.
The fire broke out on the top floor of the
building owned by George W. Gibbs, at IA
aud 16 Fremont street. 1t is four-story
structure, and has stone facings. having
been constructed about two years ago. 1t
was regarded as very substantial building.
The top story was occupied by Jory Bros,
boot and shoe manufacturers.
The fire originated In the central part of
this top story, and was burning fercely
when the fremen arrived. The third story
and part Of the second are occupied by the
Revere Rubber Company, the first and Sec
ond floors by the Judson Iron Works, S. B.
Paige & Co., and l. W. Bean, manufacture
ing agents.
SAVING THE UPPER STOKES.
The efforts of the firemen under the direc-
ton of Chief Scannell were directed to the
saving of the third, second and first stories
of the Gibbs Building. The flames had
gained too much control, however, and the
third story soon was in blaze. -Four
ln lNItIl
ing.
During very critical stage three of the
hose lines burst, flooding the street and
deluglng a part of the large crowd which
had gathered to gaze on the flames. The
bursting occurred almost simultaneously
and for while resembled three fountains
springing out of the ground.
The aspect of the situation became so
threatening that two streams were played
on the flames from the Lachman Building,
which fronts on the corner of Market and
Fremont streets, and whose rear abuts the
Gibbs structure. In order 10 ascend the
roof the doorway leading upstairs had to
be broken open.
While the hose was playing it burst on
the stairs and flooded the second story,
which was vacant. The water, however,
filtered through the flooring and upon the
stock of Osborn & Alexander, cutters and
hardware merchants, who occupy the
ground floor, on the corner of Market and
Fremont streets The damage done here
was considerable.
THE FLAMES sUBDUED.
The streams of water played on the
burning building soon had good effect and
by 1880 the flames were practically under
control. AT II o'clock the fire had been
subdued. The building was considerably
Quilted. The fourth and third stories were
destroyed, the walls alone remaining firm.
The loss to the building is estimated at
h fa.lN ls.E1 H..
5urance.
What stock Of goods were carried by Jory
Bros is not known, but it is not supposed
to have exceeded $4,000 in value. This
stock was insured to It's full value. The
loss to the Revere Rubber Company is
placed by some at $1,000, and by others at
$4,000, wholly covered by insurance.
The stock OF the Revere Rubber Com
pany in the second floor, and that of the
Juds0n Iron Works in the basement and
first floor was damaged by water principally.
>. b. Page u Co. had n large collection of
safes of the Detroit Safe Company on
the first floor, damaged about $780, |. w.
Bean had on hand considerable valuable
cutlery, lately imported, damaged about
$500 The damage to the stock of machin-
cry of the Judson Iron Works is estimated
at $1,000. All this stock is covered by iu-
surance. but to what amount the insurance
men could not determine last night.
ESTIMATES OF LOSSES.
The loss of Osborn IL Alexander from
water was placed by Manager Watts of that
firm at about s5O00 The Fire Patrol did
all that could be done TO save the stock, but
could not save all. On the west wall,
where the water poured down from the
second floor, was a 5000 collection of the
finest carpenters tools in the market, all
made of the finest quality of steel.
On this side there was also large collec-
ton of valuable books on the mechanical
arta 0Yl1 NNh IPh rufra nd hrrs la
water. The water also poured into the Gel
lar, where is stored large stock of one
horse power machinery, scroll saws, bicy-
cles and tools Manager Watts said that it
would be impossible to exactly state what
would be the loss of the firm, which is fully
covered by insurance. The firm was IN
fortunate in just having new stock of
goods.
Water also flowed from the roof into the
third story of the Lachman Building, which
was being fitted up by George Shreve & Co..
jewellers. There was no stock in the build
ing, but there was large quantity of valua-
bic machinery used by jewelers. and lapi-
daries. The extent to which these are
damaged is not known.
ALL COVERED BY INSURANCE.
Some slight damage was also caused by
water to the stock of Huntington, Hopkins
& Co.. hardware merchants. whose building
aDuts on the south side OF the Gibbs struct-
ure. The total loss is estimated at $500
to $4,000, all covered by insurance.
During the progress of the flames fire.
quent calls were made by the crowd for the
new water tower, but it did not make its
appearance. 1t was thought that il it had
been brought out the flames could have been
much more rapidly subdued. The foreman
assigned as a reason for its non-appearance
the fact that no crew had yet been organ
lied to run the machine.
The cause of the fire is not known. Some
of the interested parties thought it was due
to the electric light. Others stated that it
had its origin in the carelessness of some
of the employees of Jory Bros. in leav-
ing unquenched the fire used by them
during the day.