Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-18
WAC0'S LOSS.
A Half Block in the City's Bus.
mess Center Burned.
RAPID WORK OF THE FIRE.
Several People Narrowly Escape with
Their Lives, and Many are Seriously
Hurt-List of Losses and In
surRnce-The Origin.
Special to The Gazette.

Special to The Gazette.
WACO, MCLENNAN COUNTY, TEX, Aug.
H.-Waco was this afternoon visited by
the most disastrous fire that has occurred
here in the past ten years. a half block
in the center of the business portion of the
city is i'll ashes, and two of the leading
firms in Waco have lost every vestige of
their stock, and two hundred people are
thrown out of employment.
At 2:l0 O'Clock this afternoon clerks in
the mamoth dry goods establishment of
Goldstein & Nigel saw flames in the show
window, and before the alarm could be
sounded and those on the upper floor
warned of the danger the fire had
gotn among intiamable fabrics in the
dress goods department and were burning
furiously. 1t was almost like q spark of
fire in a powder magazine. The flames
We're famed into renewed life by the re-
volving fans i'll the house, and
this caused them to spread faster.
\ wind was blowing, and this
added fury to the blaze. In less time than
it can be written, the whole place was a
mass of flames, and it was burning through
the ceiling. Excitement was intense.
Clerks of the store were rushing madly
around as is they had lost their wits.
The fire department responded promptly
but their work was all done ON the outside
and upon adjoining buildings. it being i'm
possible to enter the house. Several
streams of water were directed
at the best places possible, but
no control could be gained and the
crowd of spectators which filed the
streets soon witnessed complete destruction
of the GOldstein & Nigel establishment.
The flames then began eating into the ad-
joining building, occupied by Curtis "
Grand, stoves and house furnishing goods.
Here was additional food for the serpent
like tongues of the flames, ard it was evident
to the onlookers that the place was doomed
to the same fate as the dry goods house.
The next house, occupied by B. L. Kill
Tough, stoves and house furnishings, was
reached, and from the top of that building
the tiremen played upon the flames
below, and checked them. The
back wall of Curtis & Grand
soon fell upon the rear
part of killough's store, and totally demOl-
ished everything within. For four hours
the tiremen worked with the confagration,
having many things TO contend with. SeV
eral of them Were FRUSTRATED with heat,
and were forced 10 retire for awhile.
After the flames had been Subdued Sc v
eral persons We're found to be hurt.
Mrs. G. n. Alexander, who worked in
the carpet department of Goldstein &
Nigel. started down the stairway, but was
met by the flames. She rushed back and
escaped by jumping from the window, but
both her legs were broken; one leg suffered
a compound fracture, the bone protruding
through the flesh. She is in 4 critical con-
ditiOn.
NJ. G. Wattometh, manager of Goldstein
& Nllgel's carpet department, was severely
burned on the hand and ears, and hair and
eyebrows singed.
Mr. Caldwell, clerk, was severely burned
about the face.
l. A. Godstein, senior of the firm, was
slightly burned while trying to give assist
ance to Miss Nora Wood, his cashier.
One or two firemen We're Slightly injured.
The losses are as follows:
Goldstein Il Nigel, stock, Sl25, coo; insur-
ance, Sl01.000
Senator Richard Coke, building, occupied
by Goldstein & Nigel, 100000; insurance,
LOCO.
Curtis s. Grand, $4,000; insurance, s35,-
OO0
Building owned by C. n. Curtis, sl5, 200;
insurance, S6000
B; I. kiIlough, probably 5000; loss COW
cred by insurance.
Several buildings opposite were damaged
by the heat.
The fire originated by the hot sun shining
through the French plate-glass show win
dow, which ignited the lace goods in the
window.