Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-18
st. Louis Suffers a Severe
ConfagratiOn.
Several Large Business Estab-
lishments Destroyed.
Firemen's Work Made Difficult by
Wind and Intense Cold.
Losses Aggregating More Than nTS1. 0oo'-
cOO-One Man Killed and Several
Injured-15OO People Out OF
Employment.
Associated Press Dispatches.

Associated Press Dispatches.
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 1.-THE cold wave
which reached the city last evening was
the cause of one OF the most disastrous
fires which has visited St. Louis in
many years. One person was probably
killed, four men were badly hurt, and
a million and half dollars worth of
property has gone up in smoke. The
flames spread with almost inconceiva-
BILE rapidity, eating their way through
brick blocks as though they were pine.
A cold westerly gale was blowing during
the time the fire was at its height, rem
dering the work OF the firemen extremely
difficult, and for time it almost seemed
a hopeless task. The water poured on
the flames seemed to act like oil, in
stead OF extinguishing them. Store
after store went down before the fierce
flames, and fears were entertained for
time that second Chicago disaster was
imminent. The fire ragged from 4:30 a.
NJ. until 10 o'clock before it could be
said to be fairly under control, and to-
night engines are still pouring water on
the smoking ruins.
HOW THE FIRE STARTED.
The fire started in the furnace room
of the large dry goods house OF Penny &
Gentle, on the southwest corner OF
Broadway and Franklin avenue, about
4 80 O'Clock. A watchman Immediately
turned in an alarm, and then second,
and then a third, within ten minutes.
The flames spread so rapidly that gen.
eral alarm was given, which brought
out the entire department, but before
the engines arrived, Penny & Gentle's,
the Sonnefeldt Millinery company and
the mammoth establishment of the Fa-
NOUS Shoe and Clothing company,
occupying an entire block, four-story
building on Broadway, between Frank
lin avenue and Morgan street, were in
flames, and within two hours all the
walls had fallen, and nothing was left
but ashes and bent and twisted iron
girders.
Opposite is the dry goods store of ID.
G. Crawford & Co. The heat was 80 in
tense that the whole front of the store,
including the display windows and all
the show cases in the front part of the
store, from top to bottom, were badly
damaged, causing a probable loss of
$50, 900.
On Franklin avenue, opposite Penny
s& Gentles, the whole row from Broad
way to the alley, was badly damaged.
Adjoining Crawford's. on Broadway, the
out: Mcdonald Bros, hats; G.
ii. Clements, shoes; Charles
Stix, gents furnishing and cloaks
Mrs. Tobin, millinery; F. A. Wendall &
Co., the New York Millinery company,
the Square Dealing Clothing company,
and the Weinaman house, the guests of
which safely escaped.
On Franklin, just west of Penny q |
Gentle's, the general dry goods store OF
Thomas Hoddon was damaged by smoke |
and water to the extent of 100000; in
sured.
The handsome residence of Col. John
a Scudder, in the aristocratic portion of
the city, was destroyed with the costly
furniture it contained. .Scudder's loss
will exceed $751; 900, fully insured.
THE FLAMES sUBDUED.
The fire at 10 clock burned itself out.
The fremen deserve great credit for
their noble work, considering the in
tensely cold weather and heavy wind.
The losses are about as follows
Famous Shoe and Clothing company,
81, l65 ,00e; Penny Il Gentle, $240,000;
Sonnefeldt's, $245,000. The minor
losses will aggregate $35, GOO; insurance
about two-thirds of the losses.
Night Watchman Jasper, employed by
the Sonnefeldt Millinery company, who
was on duty last night, has not turned
up, and fears are entertained that he
has been burned to death.
The fire throws about 1900 people out
nf nj hQ fu nj |
being IN the service of the Famous COM
pany, one of the largest boot and shoe
houses in the west.
Firemen John Lynch and Alfonso ST.
mon were badly injured by falling de-
bris. Michael Connors, a roomer at the
Weinaman house, becoming alarmed at
the sight of the fire jumped from win
dow and broke a leg. A. S. Taylor, a
newspaper man, received severe shock
from electric wires.
BROOKLYN BLAZE.
New YORK, Nov. 17.--Fire in Brook
yn broke out at o'clock this morning,
IN row OF wooden tenement houses.
Prompt work OF the police and fremen
saved many lives, as the
iames spread rapidly. A number of
people were rescued from their beds
when almost suffocated by smoke.
they will probably recover. Wild
were in circulation of whole
amilies being lost in the fire, but they
proved groundless. The loss on build
ngs is $50, 900, fully insured.
WHOLESALE HOUSES BURNED.
MINNEAPoLis, Nov. 1.-THE wholesale
houses OF the Minneapolis Glass COM
oany and Lindsay Bros, agricultural
burned this morning. The
total loss will be nearly 100000; par
TALLY insured.
FLAMING MILL DESTROYED.
NEWARK, N. j., Nov. 17.-John Rim
iell & Sons planning mill burned this
loss, 500, 900.
The Bell Telephone Patent.