Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-01-07
FATAL FIRES.
A Destructive Conhagration at
Nashville, Tenn.
FOUR COLORED FIRlNEN KILLED.
The Walls FAIL Upon the Unfortunate Men
The Burning of q Lodging House
In California Also Causes
Four Deaths.

NASHVILLE, Tenu., Jan. AT $40
o'clock Saturday afternoon the most
disastrous fire that Nashville has ex-
perienced since 1881 broke out in Webb,
Stevenson & Co.'S house furnishing
goods store on College street A strong
wind was blowing from the northwest,
and although the iremen were prompt
ly on hand they could do practically
nothing.
The fire was confined to its starting
place for nearly an hour, but gradually
found its way into the adjoining store
occupied by A. G. Ri ,des & Co. and
then into Atwell & Sneed's- At this
time the wind changed and the fire
started in the other direction and
Weakley & Warren's seven-story furui-
ture store north of Webb. Stevenson &
Co. was soon a mass of flames
A general alarm was then turned in
and in a very short time Nashville's en-
tire fire department was on the scene
and desperate efforts were being NJ ade
to check what threatened to be con-
fagration of huge proportions The
fire quickly communicated to the ad-
joining buildings occupied by the Phil
lips & Buttorf Manufacturing Co,
stoves and house furnishing; A. J..
Warren, furniture (seven stories), and
the Noel block, where the Western
Union telegraph Office is located The
wind was now blowing a gale and
clouds of sparks were falling like an
April shower. It was feared that the
fire would get utterly beyond the con-
troll OF the city fire department and
Louisville and Chattanooga were tele.
Qraphed for aid
The members of the colored fire com
pany were standing across the alley on
| q three-story building of the Phillips
| & Buttorf manufacturing company
when Weekly & Warren's building
| suddenly bulged out in the center and
| fell across the alley. The following
| firemen. all colored, were caught under
the falling building and instantly
| crushed to death: Aaron Cockrell
Stoker Allen, Harvey Ewing. C. c
| Gowdy, captain of the company.
Capt Gowdy was one of the leading
| citizens of the city, ex-memb Der of tn,
! legislature and a faithful and efficien
| ely constable.
| There were a number of men injured
| at various times by falling walls AM
explosions that blew out the fronts O
] two or three stores.
| ANOTHER HOLOCAUST.
| HANFoRD, Cal, Jan early yes
| terday morning fire broke out in
| frame lodging house in which four per
sons persisted and six others were badl,
injured. The fire originated in the ex
plosion of coal oil stove, the flame
spreading rapidly through the films,
structure and quickly igniting thu
Methodist church and adjoining dwell
lings. The inmates of the two dwell
lings consumed awakened to find es
cape by the halls cut off, ana many o
them jumped from the windows re
ceiving more or less severe injuries
| The men burned to deaf were:
Elmer E. Spofford, of Chester. n. II
F. j. Tucker, Sacramento.
E w. Foster. of this place.
T. C. Hammond, PRIMER. was badl,
burned and hurt by jumping and die,
| a few hours afterwards
Five or six others were bruised anl
burned, but will probably 'recover
| Pecuniary loss slight
COLUMBUS FIREMEN UNDER WALLS.
COLUMBUS, O., Jan. IA building
occupied by the Paynter Manufacturing
Co. and by the McCaliph Iron Fence &c
was burned Saturday night Severa
fremen were injured by falling wall
and one was killed and two other
fatally hurt