The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-27
A BIG FIRE AT MOBILE.
OVER HALE A MILLION IN LOSSES
ON THE WATER FRONT.

rha devastated District Bounded by
the Water, Royal, Beauregard and
ST Louis Strsets-The Direction of
.ra Wind All That Saved the City
From Destruction.
MOBILE, Ala, Oct. 26, 9 P. M.-Mobile
entered severely by fire to-day. The build
inps consumed being a shingle mill, three
cotton compresaes, five cotton warehouses,
with 5. $50 bales of cotton, the Gulf City oil
mill Mobile ice factory, three steamboats,,
eleven loaded and five empty freight cars.
two coal and wood yards, freight depot
with a small amount of freight and six
Wharves. The fire was aided by a strong
northwest wind, but had it been point or
two nearer north pretty much all of the
town would have gone. The loss is $3.50, 900.
with about 1926, 900 insurance.
WHERE IT STARTED.
The fire started in Stewart & Butts spin
Ala mill. lust beyond the city limits on the
north, and destroyed that large establish
ment. Sparks fell in many warehouses
within radius of half mile to the south,
and many fires broke out simultaneously.
the first noticed being among cotton on the
Mobile and Birmingham railroad wharf.
This was at once tumbled off into the slip,
and, though scorched, was saved. Almost
at the same time the Goodman and Man
ters warehouses were seen to be on fire.
IN THE COTTON QUARTER.
All the northern part of the town is taken
I'D with property devoted to the handling
and storing of cotton, whole blocks being oc-
Upied by warehouses, one-story brick build
ngs with dead walls on all sides except two,
which are pierced with a single gate. All
we're covered with slate, but have court
Yards in the center, the sheds being open to
the court. Fire once introduced, spread
with marvellous rapidity from bale to BALE
CARRIED BY SPARKS.
There was a rain of sparks from the
single mill fire and this accounts for the
| breaking out of the fire in several ware
houses at once. Dense smoke was blown
steadily down the streets and in the faces of
the fremen who tried to fight the fire in
'front.' Very little could be done therefore,
to stop the progress Of the flames and it was
not until the open space, quarter Of a block,
was met at the foot of ST. Anthony street
that any success was met with.
ITS SOUTHWARK PROGRESS STOPPED.
There the southwark progress of the fire
| was stopped, after sweeping away five
blocks along the river front, except one
building, the Mobile and Birmingham pas
senger depot. The warehouses on the west
| side Of Commerce street were burned from
Beuregard to State streets, four blocks,
except the Okolona warehouse. The
warehouses on Water street, both
sides between Lipscomp and Adams and
| partly on both sides between Adams and
/ Congress streets were burned, as were also
the warehouses on the northeast corner of
Magnolia and Congress streets.
THE wHARvEs ON FIRE.
All the wharf property, which is owned
| by private parties, along the river front
| from Lips omb to State streets was burned,
and small portion of one of the wharves
belonging to the city at the foot of St Louis
street. Lying in the slips were four steam
boats Three of these, the Ruth, Mary
Elizabeth and Jewel, were burned.
4 Two of these were out of commission and
4 were of little value. The Ruth was worth
$4,000 Several coal and wood yards on
the wharves were destroyed and sundry
4 freight
TRAIN IN DANGER.
There was passenger train in Commerce
street when the fire broke out, and train
OF freight, all belonging to the Mobile and
Birmingham Railway Company. All were
saved except five empty freight cars.
Eleven cars OF corn belonging to the Mobile
and Ohio railroad on the adjacent tract,
were burned.
THE LOSSES.
follows:
Stewart & Butts, shingle mill, $4,000;
dry kiln saved
Oooleys compress and warehouse. owned
oy u. M. Townsend OF New York. $40. 600.
laylcrs compress and warehouse. owned
by John I. Taylor Of New York, s25. 900,
Merchants press and warehouse, owned
Oy y. b. Thames and others, $30, 200.
brown's warehouses, owned by Bestorr &
TarAer Goodman's, owned by Barker &
~ 1Mevy' Y the Selam warehouse, owned by e.
NJ. townsend OF New York; the Truwitt
Marehouse, owned by John T. TAYLOR: the
emanuel warehouse, owned by the Emanuel
estate. All valued at $50, 600.
81 $3.50 BALES OF COTTON GONE.
eon dnese warehouses contained altogether
,o5O bales of cotton, all of which were de-.
suoyeo' Ihey were valued at $2S1, 500. but
were fully insured.
nne mobile and Birmingham railroads
1oan uiperary depot was burned, entailing a
'OSS OF about 81, 900 in freight.
80. Ou commerce street was the Gulf
oaYy oh mills, which were DESTROYED. The
sS5 @ue Noo Oh the building and machinery wa.
EslOOOO' ''d Oi 'ne S'ock OF seed In the shed
t anen came the Mobile Phosphate and
cnsilcal nrn Manufacturing Company's fac
fSSly, at the corner of st. Anthony and
toil.a1 oni1erce streets. the last to burn, and
ine Yellow Pine Lumber Companv's loss
was &, 900 on lumber. ''
,ooa ooan ODonnel lost $4,000 on coal and
T1nn ;T 0aillard lost 81, 500 in the same
ejir" no loss ty the Mobile and Birmingham
oTT"ay Tvy on freight cars is 81. $500.
m no on,l loss OF the Mobile and Ohio railroad
on.1 SaIS and their contents is $4,000.
route uls1e OF the cotton insurance there Il
fra fISI h1 $4,000 on the other property. The
lar o oloke out at 1890 o'clock and was un.
~ control at o'clock.
RI ATNn A =,