Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-14
TONS OF ROAST BEEF.
Nearly 100 Head of Cattle Perish in
an Early Morning Fire.
THE EAST LIBERTY YARDS ABLIzE
Three Acres of the Sheds Totally Destroyed
by the Flames. y
WILD PANIC IN THE EASTERN HOTEL

Three acres of the East End stockyard
sheds were totally destroyed by fire at an
early hour this morning and the WE'LL
known Eastern Hotel had a very narrow
escape. The flames were discovered after
they had gained good headway, BY
Police Captain Mercer, about 1915
this morning. He quickly turned
in an alarm from box 23S, but before the
engines arrived fully an acre of the in
fammable pine shed buildings were mass
of bright fame.
Chief Coates sent in a call for two sddi-
tional districts at once upon his arrival,
and the fremen set to work to
save the % acres of buildings
of the stockyards and the Eastern Hotel
which was in close proximity. The latter
part of the contract was, perhaps, the most
difficult, as the flames swept toward it and
licked its brick walls, the intense heat
breaking the glass in nearly every window
in the east side of the building, causing the
frightened guests and inmates to rush in all
sorts of hurried dress to the streets.
Work of the Firemen.. s
The fremen were, however, successful in
not only saving this building but in pre-
venting the flames from covering more than
three acres of the yards. feat considered
remarkable b. men of experience who wit
messed the scene.
The loss, all told, will not exceed $50, 900,
of which $4,000 is credited to the stock
yard sheds and the balance to cattle. There
were 1877 head OF cattle burned. Had the
fire occurred almost any other night in the
week the loss of cattle would have been
much larger; but yesterday being market day
81 krIt oe fba r hoA haa
sold and delivered, and only the unfortuDats
beeves enumerated happened to be In the
burned district The cattle stampeded when
the fire reached them, causing great excite
ment, but, as usual in such cases. rushed
into the flames and were destroyed. One
horse valued at 5000, belonging TO drover,
was also burned to death. The owners of
the destroyed cattle. as far as could be
learned, were as follows: r. S. Rush d
Co., Jerry Armstrong & Co., S. c. Gilehrist
& Co. August Moorishine, j. Meezy q Co.,
P. S. Brauermann q Co.
The origin of the fire is mysterious. Three
men employed about the stockyards were
seen and they said they had been near to
where the flames were first seen, but could
not account for them, as there were no lights
in that part of the yard. As the buildings
are composed of light, dry pine and contain
considerable hay and straw, they burned
like finder and the rapidity with which the
flames spread was remarkable.
The stockyards are the property OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company and are
probably we'll insured.
The Loss 10 the Pennsylvania
Boss Carpenter Thomson, of the Pennsyl-
yania road, said the pens alone which were
built by him two years ago cost
$4,000, and this would be the loss
of the road. He estimated that at least
80 cattle were burned and 20 were rescued
from the flames. The individual losses can't
be determined for several days. The pens
were built on the most improved order, and
are claimed to be the finest in America.
They were destroyed by fire two years ago.
Mr.. Thomson figured the cattle at $50 per
head, but the Secretary OF the Stockyard
Company said they would bring $50 on an
average in the open market. The latter
placed the entire loss at SAC, 900. The yard
com pany is responsible for all the cattle
burned.