The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-27
BIG FIRE AT CHATTANOOGA.


Several Business Blocks Burned, Entaiiing
Loss of 5000. O.O0O--One Woman Hurt.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Dec. 26. At
o'clock this afternoon flames were discov-
cred in the immense retail dry goods house
of ID. Is. Loveman IL Co., on the corner of
Market and Eighth streets. Almost
simultaneously the flames burst from
the windows of the building The
excitement was intense. About thirty
girls were employed in the store.
and they were wild in their efforts to
escape. Up the elevator shaft and stair
way the flames shot. and all avenues of
escape were soon shut off. The store
was crowded with women and
they enacted scene that de-
ties description. After the stairways
had been burned, two women, Mrs.
Hurst and Mrs. johnson, were seen at
the second-story window calling for aid.
Around them the flames leaped and the
heat became unbearable. The firemen
were just running the big extern
sion ladder mp to the window when
Mrs. Hurst leaped from the place Of safety
into the street. The other woman was safely
taken from the window. Mrs. Hurst was
not seriously injured.
The adjoining buildings were soon in
flames, the fire licking up over half a mill
ION dollars in less than two hours. The
fire began at 1890 o'clock in the afternoon,
and by 1:30 the buildings on the north side
of Eighth street were ablaze. The build
ings burned on Market street were d. B.
Loveman d Co.'s dry goods store; T. G. Er-
win * Co.. dry goods; Christie d Co.. dry
goods; Chattanooga Library Association;
Chamber of Commences; Schwartz Il Bro,
boots and shoes; Silva IL Abbot china
ware. On Eighth street. Wester
& Manning. insurance; w. Alexander,
broker; Charleston fast freight line;
Great Southern Tea Company; Tennessee.
Mississippi * Ohio River Transportation
Company; r. +. Dix. barber; Martin a.
Henry. real estate: Rowles 81 Ritely, insur-
ance; Mrs. Jane Weaver, milliner; South
ern Bank aud Trust Company; L. A.
Roberts. jeweler; L. ID. Charlton, Home
sewing w. B. Van Wagner. drugs:
Fourth National Bank; +. S. Griffith. real
estate; G. 4. Anderson, real estate; Lucius
Il Peacely, insurance: Harris, Thompson &
Quinn. real estate. The Cherry street end
of the LOveman block was occupied by
about twenty tenants of Offices and about
half of that number occupied the second
floor of the Nandeman Block, which faced
the Loveman building.
ID. B. Lovoman 81 Co.. lost S225. .O00 insur-
ance. SI5, 600 on building, and $4,000 on
stock. I. G. Erwin * Co.
s s,UOop Fort insurance MsrSen On stock it SIT
ing. $4,000; insurance. $500. Christie &
Co., $4,000; insurance. $4,000. jackson &
Trigg. building $4,000; insurance, $4,000.
Chattanooga Library. $4,000; insurance.
$500 Chsmssr sn a"n Of %otn Commerce $500;
Lookout Mountain Guards, 1880. Young
Mems Republican Club. $1,000. ii.
C. Schwartz q Bro, $4,000; in
snranee. $4,000. Silva " Abbott.
s9i o ssocSS zoo ooS G05ssehak
Kelly. $4,000; insurance. $4,000 j. III.
Vandeman. on building s25, COO: insurance.
5000. G. Z. Bloomfield on building, $1,000;
insurance. $1,000 II; I. Hall. on building,
Company, S2COO. Mrs. Jane Weaver, 81. 900;
Insurance. S2.S00. Southern Bank
and Trust Company. $4,000. Fourth
National Bank. $4,000; insurance.
$1,000. w. Is. Van Wagner, Sl,500; insur-
ance. $500. The loss of the room and Office
tenants in the Loveman and Vandeman
blocks will add $4,000 more. The total
loss is about S6O0O0O with about S55O.OOO
insurance.
The damage to the Times building IN the
building was IN flames several times, but
the fremen succeeded in auenchlng them
each time. The damage is fully covered
by insurance. The Times carries $40. 600
insurance on its plant.
The property destroyed was on the two
most important corners in the city. Love
mans dry-goods house was one of the
largest retail dry goods houses in the South.
there being 100 employees in this one busi-
ness. All of the property owners
say they will rebuild handsome
structures. and new quarters are
already being secured by business
houses. There was stiff breeze blowing.
otherwise the weather was clear and per
feet day. All the merchants in the near
vicinity suffered more or less loss by rea-
son of removal of goods. IL appeared at
one time as If the entire business portion
was about to be destroyed. Aid was asked
from Nashville and other cities. but before
the engines arrived the fire was under con-
troll.