Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-04-07
DISASTROUS FIRE IN new ORLEANS.
A Whole Square Burned, with a
Loss of over So 100000.

Loss of over 100000.
Eighty Thousand Bales of Cotton De-
stroyed--Three Tiremen Buried in the
Ruins and Many Have Narrow Escapes
People Rendered Homeless.
NEW ORLEANS, April 3.-0ne of the most
destructive cotton fires on record broke out
at l0.3O this morning among some cotton
on the sidewalk in front of the tire-proof
press on North Front street, between Race
and Orange. The wind was so high and
the cotton SO dry that il burned like tissue
paper. The flames ran high and in an
almost incredibly short space of time had
communicated TO the press itself and were
working their way along the woodwork Of
the roof. The firemen worked like demons
to check the progress of the flames, but
their efforts were unavailing.
The iire-proof press had about 10000
bales of cotton stored in it,. This was en-
tlrely CONSUMED. 1t would have been
madness for iiremen to enter the press to
save the staple. On every side the flames
were raging, forming formidable and
iInpregnable fire-wall. The streets were
lined with spectators drawn to the scene
from every portion of the city. Hoarse
cries of the tiremen as they rushed to and
fro giving orders, the frightened cries OF
the women and by-standers and the shrill
whistling of the engines formed picture
never to be forgotten.
In half an hour after the flames had
started, the fire-proof press was totally con-
sumed and the flames had communicated
to the upper press. The destruction here
was as great as at the other press. In a
marvelously short space of time, the flames
had attacked the building from all sides
cutting their way through the woodwork
with wonderful rapidity. In this press was
stored $4,000 bales of cotton, some of
which was taken out and taken to place
OF safety. The major portion Of the staple,
however, was III flames in short time and
it was impossible to save it.
The fire ate its way along the rafters of
the press and down through the woodwork
into the cotton which was stored beneath
the sheds. 1t was only that cotton stored
in the yard that was saved. 1t required
but very short time with the high wind
that was blowing to destroy this press.
The walls soon looked like charred pillars
lettering to and fro, endangering the lives
OF firemen. Several of them had narrow
escapes, and now and then a thrill of
horror would run through the crowd, as
they believed some one in danger or saw a
wall totter and fall.
The district burned'over is bounded by
Peters, Front, Thalia and Robin streets,
and the presses destroyed are as follows
Fire-proof-Penrose Brothers, managers.
South Front street, southwest corner of
Robin street. Shippers IL HerriclS,
proprietors, South Peters street, between
Henderson and Robin; Independence
Cotton Yard, South Peters street; Orleans
Cotton Press, Adam Torch manager, South
Peters street, between Thalia and Terpsi-
chore.
The total amount of cotton burned, as
near as can now be ascertained, is estimated
at S0,0 900 bales, held by factors and COM
mission merchants and covered by their
open policies. Much of this cotton will be
sent to the pckeries and saved, so that the
total loss will probably not exceed $50 per
bale, making the total loss on cotton of
between two and two and quarter mil
lions of dollars. Loss on presses and sheds
estimated at $4,000.
II is thought the fire started from a
cigarette which some person threw among
the cotton. For blocks around the burn
ing presses the residents moved out their
furniture for fear that the fire would
spread to their homes. While the firemen
were working on the fire-proof press at
the corner of Terpsichore and Peters
streets, the walls suddenly shook, and in
an instant came tumbling down and
buried three men under the mass Will
ing hands were soon working on the walls,
and shortly the unfortunate firemen were
taken from the ruins. They were taken to
a saloon, where they were cared for until
the ambulance arrived, when they were
moved to the hospital.
A SECOND BIG BLAZE.
When the cotton press fire was raging an
alarm was sent in for a fire in the residence
portion of the city it being bounded by
Laurel, Annunciation, Second and Third
streets. AT the time the fire depart
mcnt police and a large majority of the
residents of the burning districts we're at
the cotton press fire. Chief 0'Connor sent
several engines to the scene, but before
they could get down to active work a
dozen houses were in flames.
The people who lived in the square
bounded by Laurel, Magazine, Second and
Third streets began to feel alarmed and
packed up valuabies, but as the elements
refused to be subsidized they took fright and
a wild scene ensued. Houses were dis
mantled of their contents and carried
away. House after house went down, and
the efforts Of the already overworked fire.
men seemed in vain in the face of the over
whelming odds.
The fire swept across Laurel street with
rapidity that was at once alarming. and
soon the section bounded by First, Third,
Laurel and Magazine streets--four blocks
were. ablaze and the wooden buildings
were devoured as if they were so much
chaif. Magazine street stayed the march
of the destructive element westward and
acted as a barrier on the south Every
building in the four squares mentioned
except four were destroyed. Most of the
houses were small. but some were very
handsome. Hundreds of people have
been left homeless by the fire and in many
cases nothing was saved from the burning
buildings. The scene presented was truly
one Of desolaton. The losses by this fire
are estimated at S250,00O. Its believed the
buildings were mostly insured.