Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-06
A GRAIN ELEVATOR BURNED.
Loss About 900, OOO-A Fireman In
jured, but Not Seriously


jured, but Not Seriously.
BrYrALo, N. Y, Nov. 6-The Wells elevator,
one Of Bufalo's great grain store houses, was
destroyed by IRE early this morning. The to-
I'll loss on the elevator and contents ID esti-
mated At about e2OOOO0
At LIS o'clock the fire was discovered and q
general alarm sent in. The fire tug was the
first to arrive and soon had An effective stream
playing upon the flames. but it was uphill
work. a. the flames. famed by stiff southwest
wind. had made rapid progress. The marine
tower was all ablaze and 1t was SO high that
the streams could not reach it. When the
steamers arrived the fire had spread through
the entire building. and at 2:10 o'clock it had
penetrated every section Of the dock side and
encompassed the whole root. The building
was doomed and the fremen turned their atten-
ton to saving the adjoining property. The
Wilkeson elevator was separated from the
Wells by . small alley and was in great danger.
1t was on fire several times, but the concen-
trated efforts of the firemen prevented the
flames from making any headvay.
DANGER TO THE SHIPPING.
Meanwhile the fire in the wells was burning
furiously. Huge sheets Of fame ieaped from
the structure, lighting the vicinity for blocks
around. Opposite the elevator on Ohio street
stood number Of buildings used for saloons,
cheap boarding houses and tenements. These
structures were in much danger and the fremen
we're obliged to deluge them with water to keep
them from blazing up. The shipping in the
river was also in great danger. but the boats
we're pulled away TO places of safety before the
fire had communicated TO them. The brig John
c. Gault Of the Lake Erie transportation line
lay directly behind the elevator, but tugs we're
xttached to her and she vas swung around to a
safe place before the flames had made head
way. The elevator was covered with CORFU
gated iron, and this metal in the fierce heat
peeled of in huge sheets and fell all around
the hremen. Sometimes through the smoke
and falling debris the sheets could not be seen
and the fremen had many narrow escapes.
At 2:55 o'clock a cloud Of burning grain shot
up into the air and settled on the houses on
the north side Of Ohio street The fremen
turned their attention TO this new danger and
kept the roofs Of these structures we'll wet
down.
At3 o'clock the iron sides Of the elevator be-
gan TO glow like Q furnace. and here and there
were gaping holes showing red-hot grain in
side. Three Lsckawanna cars drawn upon the
Ohio street tracks caught IRE, but burned
slowly. Riter's boiler shop, . large frame
building on Mississippi street, took fire from
the sparks, but was quickly extinguished. The
roof Of every building in the neighborhood
was covered at different times with hot Goals,
and even the sidewalks were kissing and steam
ing. great deal Of damage was done to sur
rounding property by the immense volume of
water that 1t was necessary to pour onto them
70 keep them from going up in smoke.
CAUSE OF THE FIRE UNCERTAIN.
The cause OF the fire ID . matter OF specu-
iation. 1t 10 said TO have been caused by an
explosion in the northern part OF the building.
The Wells elevator was located at Ohio and
Indiana streets. 1t was owned by the estate of
the late Chandler ]. Wells Il had storage
capacity for $50. 900 bushels Of grain and was
valued at S3O0, 900 and was insured for about
$SO, 600. 1t ia not known yet how much grain
was in store there. but it was somewhere about
100000 bushels, mostly corn, worth about
100000. The American Glucose Company had
about 10000 bushels Of corn, which was insured
for S21. 900. 1t is thought considerable Of the
grain will be recovered slightly damaged.
fireman was thrown from q truck and injured
about the head, but not seriously.
A late estimate OF the loss places il ct about
half million. The elevator is said to have
been valued at $500 900 and the contents at
S22S OO0