The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1890-10-28
Twenty Squares Along the Water
Front Of the Gulf City Fire
Swept
4 Number Of Mills and Factories, and
o Large Amount Of Cotton
Barned.
Lesses Aggregate Absnt e700.000,
Three River steamers Lost In
the Blaze.

MOBILE. Ala, OEf. va IRE Uekau
about las40 o'clock Sunday morning and
resulted In the most disastrous confagra-
tion that Mobile has had since the war.
The fire began In q shingle mill and
factory near the river front just outside
tho northern boundary Of the city iimits.
A strong wind from the northeast, PER-
haps q twenty-mile breeze. was blowing,
and the flames soon communicated to
the cotton warehouses which line ths
river front from Beanrcgard street, the
northern boundary, southwark six
blocks, and from the river front west
ward 70 Magnolia street, three blocks.
From the shingie mill to Goodman'a
warehouse on the block bounded by
Front, Beauregard, Water and Lips
comb streets, the distance In about 600
yards, and almost IS soon as smoke was
seen issuing from the roof, the cotton
blaEed up. In Goodman1s there was
stored about 300 bales of cotton,
and the sparks from this cotton,
carried By the wind NEXT communicated
the flames to Browns warehouse ON
Lipscomb and Water, and running hack
TO Magnolia street to the southwest 70
the Mobile OIL mills, which was next
south ON the east side Of Front street.
and to the wharf front Of the Mobile
and Birmingham Railroad company,
which fronted ON the water from Bean
regard 90 Lipscomb street. The inflam-
mable character Of the material which
fed the flames and the quarter gale Of
wind that was blowing caused the fire %
spread with Llghtnimg-Like Rapadisy,
and before o'clock In the afternoon IL
looked as Ii the fire would spread from
end 90 end of the water front Of the city.
Before the Mobile Oif mills, In that ouSn-
pAny's water slip. were twa~ s3eamers.
the Jewet and Mary Elixabeth ,s&nd also
the steamer Helen B.. ths tug Margaret
Lisnhsrd, and TIE government mag
boats out OF the slip into the stream,
saving I'll but the Jswst and fhe Mary
Elixabsth, which burned 20 tks waters
sdRs. The flames swept on down the
wharf front of the city. AZ the next
slip fronting near the foot Of Adams
street, were the river steamer Ruth, two
naphfha launches and four or i've cotton
and timber tugs, all OF which were got
into mid stream with only slight injury,
except the steamer Ruth and the naph-
tina yacht General Fowler, which were
DESTROYED In few moments. The water
front wharves. were entirely burned
from BeaureQsrd street on the north 70
st. Louis street, the flames leaping the
wharf slips
A. Hurdle Rsesrs Leap shs wall.
A large amount Of cotton which was
closely packed In the warehouses and
presses. amid the fnf1nmmale character
OF the material which fed the flames,
made the fire an intensely hot one, and
the high wind caused IL 10 spread %
rapidly that IL was impossible for the
IRE department 10 do more than stand
idly by and see it burn. The IRE burned
rapidly among the cotton warehouses
and presses. When Goodman's ware
house was In . blaze smoke was seen is-
suing from Browns cotton warehouse
roof square away, on the northeast
corner Of Water street, and at the same
moment the Gulf City oil mill ON the
easf Eida af Cummerce, between Adams
and Mpcomb strsets, with warehouse
which was stored full of cotton Oh oil
cake and msal, blaxed ont, and the fire.
msn and the large crowd of spectators
which had gathered in the vicinity
had 70
rlse frsu the Advancing Flames.
There wx& now no stop 20 the flames ex-
cepf by dispensatlon Of proyidence.
Almost immediately the flames spread
from building TO building until Gage IL
Lyons artificial Ice factory ON Commerce
and st. Anthony streets and the Mer-
ohantz' press were destroyed.
50 far there has been no casualty =.
b. m, and the IRE department seem now
To have the fire under control.
When the ammonia tank In the ice
factory exploded Is seemed 10 stay the
proxrses ok the naxnes 10 this southwark.
II Il estimated the total loss win exceed
teoQ, 900.
More than twenty squares were
burned, bounded by BeaRregard, MAG
nolis and 81. Louis str6ets and the river.
The los Il estimated Al e700, 900, with
about t400, 600 insurance.