Telegram-herald., 1890-05-17
The Oriel Cabinet Company )
Factory and
A SCORE OF HOMES
Destroyed Ia Less Than Thirty
Minutes.
GALLANT WORK By The FlRENEy
A Magnificent Ftant Reduced - Ashes
Loss sls5 Insurance $4,000
The Company WIN Rsbuiid a.
soon a. Fos.ibie.

Grand Rapids vas last night the VII
ness of an old-tashioned hre and new
fashioned methods 0f dealing wlth such
thlng- At l0.42 o'clock last night an
alarm 0f hre vas sounded from box
lu, and two or three minutes there
after. q general alarm vas turned m.
The high wind prevailing at the time
gave 10 thlsalarm 4 terrible sguiticance,
aud the whole population OF the city
seemed % have poured out slmultan-
eously nto the streets. In few minutes
after the sounding OF the general
alarm. 10 became known that the Orlel
Cabinet Company's works were abIaze.
By N o'clock the entire establishment
vas enyeloped n flames.
The Orel Cabinet Company's works
are situated on Canal-st.. between
Mason and Walbrldge-sts. surround
lng the works, especially 70 the south
and east, IS q dense mass of tenement
houses. with lumber yard intervening
on the south. The cOmpany's build
ings were three large structures, the
one Co the north consisting OF machine
aud caryng-r0Om, the next building
south, thc cabinet shops; and the one
ON tine south, the stOre-rOOm, packing
room tud offices.
The tire originated IN the north
building, 10 was supposed n the
old engine room. The entire
Orei plant was doomed from the
very hfgilumg Ou account OF the fierce
wind wuicn WAS blowing directly from
the north The first efforts ot tne fre-
men were 90 keep the fire from
spreading southwark. The lumber
ward Afforded II excellent harri-
cr to thc fires progress, and
It would have been cftcctual,
had t not been Tor the intense heat and
bigh w1ud. Hence, As soon As the cab.-
net works were fairly ablaze, the tire
attacked the verv heart OF the tenement
cluster, Boa Kent alley aud Ottawa->t.
NeauWh hlle the falling sparks began to
hre buildings more remote from the
Immediate IRE region, aud tine hremen
were kept lodging with their appar-
atus between remote sections But
the character OF fuel presented tor
burning. and the high winds seemed
20 make their efforts futile. Just as II
seemed As II the fire would sweep IN
ev.tabiv far soutbward the wind
shifted slightly toward the east, thus
relieving the situation ON the south.
Thus the center ct the danger was
shifted to Ottaw1-st., and there the
hremen concentrated their efforts. \
little house In the rear OF sos Ottawa-st.
ON tne east side. took hrc and threat
eucd that part ot the city % the foot OF
the bluffs But the resources OF the
fremeu seemed constantly tO rise wIth
fresh @ rfcuItiCs. and tne rre was con-
fined to tnc one lIttle house, as far as
tine east side of Ottawa-st. was con-
reruad. Also. at the moment when
the danger n that quarter seemed
tne very greatest. the wind shifted back
TO the original quarter. and partially
relieved tine danger tO ottawa and the
east. Thus hv conce ntrauug its heaviest
forces no tne 6eTcest parts of the flames
tine department were able tO COntine
the hr, to tue block bounded hy Canal,
Mason. W1.oudgo and ottawa-sts
Nothing WAS burned north of where the
fire started. except the dry-kin Of thC
OrI Company. Nothing was burned
ou rre east side ~ 0tt3wa--t.. except
the nttIr house n the rear of sos.
The uumherof buildings of tenement
houses destroyed apart from the or
lomranv'S loss. was about twenty four
MANY poor families living ou Kent
alley ast every thing tney bad. Har
r-snu Van NIpt carried about under hI.
arm clock. winch was al that ne
sawed tie stated that be- Suew at least
6frssn In ike pred'camcnt. There
were zht houses burned more OF less
ou Ottaw8-st-