The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-26

Bay street doors were protected by wrought
iron bars several inches thick. The watch
man in his excitement had run off to sound
an alarm. Axe, were brought into play to
break open the doors in the lane, ana mes
senger was sent to the theater for
Mr.. S. S. Guckenheimer to open the
front entrance. All this caused a delay. and
it was nearly ten minutes after the arrival
of the denartn1ent before a stream could be
be got into the building. In the meantime
Chief Puder had turned in & second alarm,
bringing out all the apparatus in the city.
The fire which had started in the south
eastern corner Of the second floor had by
this time spread to the upper floor and had
eaten its way through TO the first floor.
DRIVEN BACK BY SMOKE.
The firemen made a desperate effort to
work intide of the building, but were soon
driven out by the immense volumes of
smoke, which, when flannel by the air,
poured from every quarter. Never was
there seen denser smoke from a cotton
fire. 1t poured out from the windows and
roof, and not only drove the fremen away,
but the immense crowds Of spectators as
well.
No one c1uld live for five minutes inside
the building, and the fact OF the flremen
having to fight the fire from the outside
gave the flames full sway within. The stock
on the second floor was made up mostly OF
liquors, wooden and willow ware, and
through this the fire spread with fearful
rapidity.
THE FLAMES BREAK OUT.
At $50 O'Clock the blaze burst out through
the lene windows for the first time, then it
came out on jefferson street and few min
utes after several loud explosions Of liquor
occurred and the flames shot out from every
window and door of the massive structure.
The explosions continued every few min
utes, and the building was soon seething
furnace.
The firemen worked msnfully, throwing
streams against the flames from all quarters,
but they had no more effect than IL street
hose we're being used. Each moment the
fire grew hotter, and soon the 1remen were
driven from their posts. Chief Puder saw
that it was an impossibility TO save any
portion Of the Guckenheimer building, and
he turned the attention of the firemen to
to the adjoining property.
SWEPT ACROSS THE STREET.
The flames had crossed jefferson street by
this time and caught the three-story frame
building on the corner of Bay street, occu-
pied by Christian Hahn as a barroom and
lodging house. Several streams were played
on it but the flames leaped across from the
burning grocery house and the efforts of the
flremen we're unavailing. 1t was soon COM
pletely enveloped. and in half an hour was
gone.
AS the flames leaped from the windows
and doors of the Guckenheimer building
aud played around tie walls and towers the
panoramic effect, while fearful to look at
was magnificent The intense heat drov,
| the crowds Of spectators clear back to the
north side of the street. and the fremer
had to move the hook and ladder trucks
and engines to keep them from being
burned.
CRASH OF THE WALLS.
At 10 o'clock tremendous explosion of
several hundred barrels of whisky occurred,
blowing out almost the entire roar wall,
which crushed in portion OF the three
story brick dwelling Of Mrs. Annie O'Byrne
on the opposite side of the lane and several
small frame outbuildings in the rear of the
Bryan street stores. The flames then had
full play and they leaped across the
lane and caught the rear portions
of the Bryan street buildings Browns bar.
room and restaurant, combination frame
and brick building, was the first to catch.
The fire burned rapidly in the frame par.
and soon came out on Bryan street. The
fremen got three streams playing on 1,
and checked the spread In a few minutes
Several streams ware turned into the
O'Byrne house at the same time, and the
spread was stopped in that direction.
At 1880 o'clock the jefferson street wall
of the Guckenheimsr building was blown
out by another explosion of some sort, aud
almost Immediately afterward portion Of
the front wall fell out on Bay street. Then
the roof gave way with crash, and forced
the last wall over on the roof Of Henry
Solomon & Sons store, crushing it. The
flames, being fed by equally as infammablt
material as that in the Guckenheimel
building, soon transformed 1t into roar
ing furnace.
LICKED UP BY THE FLAMES.
! The 6remen had thoroughly soaked tht
roof and walls of tho building, but it dried
almost instantly when the flames touchec
it, and it was Tapped up in short order, tn,
walls tumbling out into the street and lane
The iremen then turned their attention
! 10 the saving of hha Marcer huiIdinp in,