The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-17
FOUR BUILDINGS BURNED
TWO FIRES DESTROY $4,000
WORTH OF PROPERTY.

Quilted and q Dwelling on Gordon
Street Damaged-Narrow Escape of
Firemen and Spectators from Being
Buried Under Falling Wall-Rob-
ert Mcintyre, Heidt & Slater, A. N.
Huffman, Nathan Bros, and Mrs. ].
Alexander the Principal Losers.
Two fires--one at Congress, jefferson and
st. Julian streets and the other on Gordon
street-destroyed sS5, 900 worth of property
last night.
The Gordon street fire broke out at II 30
O'Clock, and the engines had hardly got to
work before an alarm was sent in from
station No. 10, at Bay and jefferson streets.
The second ire started in A., n. Kuhl-
mans harness and saddlery establishment.
No. 1S2 Congress street. 1t broke out on
the second floor on the St. Julian street
side. and in five minutes the smoke, which
poured out through the roof in thick vol
umes, settled in the street, sitting the fire
men and rendering it almost irnpos-
sible TO get to the building.
Engines Nos. and and the aerial ladder
responded to tie alarm. Chief Puder, who
was at the Gordon street fire, placed Assist
ant Chief Mouro in charge, and, taking the
"Mogul" reel, with 600 feet Of hose and pick
ing up the foreman of No. reel,
hurried to the Congress street fire.
Engines and were already at work, and
No. arrived in few minutes. The fire
was burning inside the building and pow
erful stea1ns were playing through the
windows from both Congress and ST. Julian
streets.
DRIVEN BACK BY SMOKE.
The dense smoke drove the men from the
ladders again and again, and they were at
a disadvantage The doors and lower win
dows, which had been kept closed,
were broken III and streams were
played from the sidewalk. But the
fire had got under Roadway, and in five
minutes more the roof had fallen in.
HEIDI & Slater, grocers, No. 1874 Congress
street, adjoining Kuhlman'sFstore, and sep
Grated only by a thin wall, had $4,000
stock Of groceries Mr.. Slater, Policeman
Collins and Fireman Hanley went through
the building while the fire was burning ils
Kuhlman's establishment, and had Just come
out when the roof Of the burning building
sank in and the walls on the jefferson
street side toppled and fell with tremen-
dous crash. The fall was without warning,
except few loose bricks, which drove the
crowd back. A second later the crash
came. The fremen jumped from the
ladders and escaped. Fifty peo-
pie were standing under the wall
moment before it fell, apprehending no
danger. The firemen turned streams of
water upon the debris, but there was no
fire, and the damage to the grocery stock
was principally by water
TUE FIRES PROGRESS.
The fire in the meanwhile had burned
through the walls between Kuhlman's and
Nathan Bros. house furnishing establish
ment, No. 1905 Congress, and in half an
hour the store was Quilted.
Mrs. j. Alexanders clothing store. next To
Nathan Bros, caught fire in the roof, and
the upper story was Quilted. The principal
damage to the stock, however, was by
water. In three-quarters of an hour after
the fire started il was under control
The buildings burned and damaged are
the stores Nos. $50, 1901, 1872, and 1S4 Con-
gress street, running through to st. Julian.
The buildings are two stories high, and
were erected some time in the 'SOs. They
were owned by Mr.. Robert Mcintyre. The
property was valued at $4,000. and was
insured for $12, 900 Ia the Southern Mutual
ana other companies represented by Dear
ing d Hull.
Heidi q Slater were about half insured
In companies represented by bearing &c Hull
and Haines g. Daniel
Nathan Bros. carried stock estimated
at $4,000, upon which there was "a, 900 in
surance in NJ. A. Cohen's agency.
kuhlmans and Mrs. Alexander's losses
and insurance are unknown, but the losses
will probably not exceed s., 600
The origin of the fire is unknown. It was
discovered by colored boy in Freid q
Hicks restaurant, who saw the smoke COM
ing through the roof. Police
No. engine house and gave the alarm.
Later on an alarm was turned in from box
No. 10.
The. cause of the collapse of Heidi g.
Skaters store walls was the sinking of the
roof Of the adjoining building. which pushed
the walls out.
THE GORDON STREET FIRE.
As Policeman Brantly was riding mast
No. 335S Gordon street few minutes after
ii o'clock he discovered a light In the rear
of the house and smoke issuing from the
roof. He opened blind and saw the dining
room wrapped in flames. He rode
to Lincoln and Jones and turned
in the alarm from box No. 81
The companies at headquarters and
No. engine responded. Assistant Chief
Mouro had charge Of the fire, and he turner
the water from both engines on the burning
building. The fire had gained good head.
way and It was not easily
quenched. All Of the furniture
IN the dining.room was burned, and the
flames went through the partition and
spread out in the hallway and burned the
stairway. The walls and ceiling were
burned, and the fire ate into the next honse
but little damage was done.
The house was occupied by Aaron
Williams, a wheelwright. The family was
away from home. Some of the relatives
had married and Mr.. Williams and his
family were attending reception. The
fire originated from the side
board in the dining-room. 1t is
supposed that lamp exploded
When the firemen burst open the doors a
lamp which was sitting out in the center of
the room on the dining table also exploded.
The property is owned by Girls Langley. a
carpenter at the Central railroad. The
house was insured, as was the furniture.
The loss to the house is estimated at $500.
and s2OO viii cover the loss to furniture