The Portland daily press., 1891-03-16
FAIR SYRACUSE is SWEPT BY FLAME.
Three Times In Twenty-four hours
Loss 1900. 900.
A scarcity OF water and n Gale
Responsible.
Several OF the city's Best Buildings
Destroyed.

SYRACUSE, N. Y, March I4.-Syracuse
was visited this morning by the most extern
slye and costly connagration In Its history.
The losses are about O., ,25o. 600 and dozen
foe business blocks and a big apartment
house are In ruins.
A heavy gale was blowing at o'clock this
morning when an alarm was turned in from
the Hogan block. six story stone structure
In West Fayette street and within q few
minutes the building was doomed. The fire
department. four steamers. two trucks and
two chemicals, could not prevent the spread
Of the flames.
The block next east succumbed and also
Chryst & Sehps spice house and In the other
direction the u Uuited States Hotel at the cor.
ner OF Franklin street. went.
In the meantime the hre had crossed the
street and attacked the Van Rensselaer,
block and the Seneca house north, on Frank.
lin street, and both blocks were destroyed
Working east along Fayette street, the fire
swept down David Davis block, John r,
Kauffman's three story block, four story
brown stone front block, owned by A. w.
double brick dwelling which was nearly de.
stroyed. The fire was not under control un-
I'll 10 o'clock.
In the meantime another disastrous con-
fagration had been raging. About 7.30
O'Clock a large burning ember was carried
by the wind distance Of five or six blonks
into window In the TOP story Of the Chfis-
tian Cook block on East Washington street.
IL landed against pile OF excelsior used for
packing purposes. The flames spread with
marvellous rspldity, and inside Of Is min
cellar to roof. The journal building ad-
Joined this block and within fifteen minutes
the printers were driven from 1t, and none Of
the hles and books OF the company were
saved. A little later the wall Of the Cook
block fell upon the Journal building and
soon the latter structure with Its valuable
plant and material was In ruins. Adjoining
this block on the west Is the east wing Of the
Vanderbilt house, and the guests hurrledly
left their rooms. BY this time, however, a
couple OF engines mad been got from the
other fire and the Vanderbilt was saved; al
though the apartments were badly soaked.
Meantime the flames were working fiercely
to the east and It soon became evident that
the magnificent Montgomery fats extending
This was one OF the handsomest blocks In
the city six stories high with a mansard
rocf. IL was occupied by some rs families.
The Myers block across Montgomery street
the Grand Opera house block and st. PauPs
cathedral were all In danger, but re local
| gines from Oswego, Utica. Canastota. and
| other places. By their help the fire was pre-
vented from getting beyond the Montgomery
| which rapidly burned, and the falling walls
lowered the flames, so that at 10 o'clock the
| fire In that direction was under control,
The Candee house adjolns the Montgomery
| on the west and the stables we're nearly
burned down. The 30 valuable horses were
removed TO safety. The Candee house re.
peatedly caught on fire but the 6remen saved
the building.
During the morning the Joy building, the
Myers, the Grand Opera house, the Courier
block and other buildings repeatedly caught
fire from flying sparks but the blazes were
put out by watchers. The roof Of the Globe
Hotel caught fire also and the guests were
frightened, but force Of men on the roof
quickly extinguished the blaze. The firemen
during the day worked heroically but there
| was very insufficient supply Of water.
The losses are divided among 200 or 30
| firms and families and will amount to nearly
| 100000.
The Insurance companies will lose littl
over 100000.