The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-04
THE FIRE RECORD.
Great Electric Light Plant on
Staten Island Burned.
PANIC IN AN ARIZONA CHURCH.
A Big Business Block In Chicago De-
stroyed, with Loss Of One Million
Persons Injured and Missing.

NEW YoRK, Aug. 3-Fire tonight de-
stroyed the big plant of the Richmond
Electric Light. Heat and Power Com
pany, at St. George, Staten Island. The
building was valued at S200, 900, and was q
total loss.
PREscoTT, Ariz., Aug. 3.-Just after ser
vices commenced last night in the Metho-
dist church here q large coal oil lamp was
seen burning too high. when one OF the
congregation attempted to regulate the
flame. In doing so the lamp
of burning oil upset on the carpet, causing
a coniagration, which destroyed the build
ing. Before the lamp was discovered it
had become so heated that the top was
melted off, oyerturning the burning oil.
1t dropped on the clothing of man named
Sharp, who was seated under it. He
rushed through the congregation with the
flames running up his back higher than his
head. Several of the ladies had q
narrow escape from having their clothes
ignited. Henry Evans, a member of the
congregation. was considerably burned in
assisting Sharp to get his burning clothes
OF. The latter's back and head were seri-
ously burned. Several persons made
their escape through the VIM
dows, among them being soprano
member of the choir, who was
slightly injured. No other casualty hap
pened, although panic occurred, as egress
through one door of the church was pre-
vented on account of the lamp falling in
the aisle in front of it. The flames spread
so rapidly that only few seats IN the rear
of the church were saved, all other furni-
ture and books being destroyed.
CHICAGO, Aug. 3.-Fire, involving losses
estimated to be at least 81, coo. 900. broke
out at 1880 o'clock this morning in the
large retail dry goods and notion store of
Siegel, Cooper & Co. The blaze started on
the first floor and spread through the in
flammable stock with the greatest rapidity.
The entire building was soon in mass
of flames, and every available piece of
fire apparatus was called to the scene.
Any attempt to save the building was
hopeless and the fire department devoted
its efforts toward preventing the flames
from spreading to adjoining buildings.
About twenty employees were in the build
ing at the time, but all of them, as far as
known, managed to escape uninjured ex-
cept one cash boy, who was on
the third floor. He started to come
down the fre-escape, but fell, receiving
severe injuries. There were three watch
men in the building who have not yet
been accounted for. The building was en-
tirely Quilted, and the north wall fell in
after the interior iron work had been soft
ened by the heat. The firm carried stock
valued at $4,000. The loss is believed to
have been fully covered by insurance. The
losses are as follows:
Siegel, Cooper & Co., 5000 on stock
and $40, 600 on building; insurance, $500, 000
Demberg, Click & Horner, loss by smoke
and water, 100000; insured. James D.
Walker, dry goods, loss by smoke and
water, $4,000. G. Henneeke & Co., crock
cry and bric-a-brac, loss $4,000; insurance,
$3.50 The losses to other adjoining
buildings and stocks amount to about
$4,000, mostly insured.
PALMER, Mass, Aug. 3.-The Weeks
house, an old landmark, was burned this
morning. Rev. Mr.. Williams. retired
Congregational minister. was burned to
death. Other guests, who had a narrow
escape, lost all of their effects. The loss is
$50 900.