The morning call., 1892-04-04
Eighty Thousand Bales Of Cotton Gone
Up in Smoke.
HiNY DWELLING.HOUSES ALSO BURNED.
Tie Entire Fire Department Required to Sukdue
the Fierce FlameS-ln Estimate
Of the less.
EreclaI TO The MORNING CALL-.

NEW ORLEANS. April 3.-One OF the most
destructive fires on record broke out at 1880
o'clock this morning among some cotton on
the sidewalk in front of treproof cotton
press on Front street. where 10000 bales or
cotton were stored. The department prompt
ly responded but the wind was so high and
the cotton so dry that it burned like tissue
paper. The flames ran very high. and In an
almost incredibly short space Of tipe COM
municated to the press Itself. The tlremen
worked like demons to arrest the progress
of the flames, but every effort was unavail-
Ing, through the yards swept the fire, carry
ing devastation with ii. After three re-
peated alarms general alarm was sent in
and all the engines of the city. with two or
three exceptions, were called out In hall
an hour after the flames started the fire.
proof press was totally consumed with its
contents and the flames had communicated
10 the upper press, attacking the building
from all sides with wonderful rapidity. In
this press were stored $4,000 bales Of cotton,
some of which was saved, the greater
portion being destroyed. however. II re-
Quired but very short time TO destroy this
press. Several 6remen had narrow escapes
from falling walls. The sight was an
awe-inspiring one. For the space Of at
least two blocks sheets OF fame shot up
ward, smoke and sparks from the fire blow
ing down into the street, chOked and Slnged
spectators. Suddenly a small flame was
seen TO leap skyward from the corner OF
independence press. In second almost
the entire square was ablaZe and the flames
formed an almost sold block IF fire In the
yard were stored some Ii, 000 bales of cotton,
which were consumed in q short time. The
place was gutted and the contents, consist
ing Of about 10000 bales, were destroyed.
AS soon as 1t was apparent that there was
no possibility of saving the burning struc-
ture the fremen devoted their attention 70
the surrounding structures
Everything in the neighb0rho0d was
thoroughly soaked. This probably saved a
number Of conflagrations, as srarks were
falling IN all directions. The district burned
is bounded by PenerS. Front, Thels and
Robin streets, and presses destroyed
are as follows: Fireproof, Penrose
Bros. Shippers, Boyd & Herrck, proprle-
tors; Independence cotton-yard; Orleans
cotton press, Adam Norwich manager.
The total amount OF cotton burned, as near
as can now be ascertained, is est mated at
$4,000 bales, held by factories and commits
sion merchants and covered by open poll
cies. Much of the cotton will be sent 10
Pitchers and sayep, so that the total
bale, making the total on cotton about
S2750,0 coo. The loss on presses and sheds
is estimated at $50 Geo. 1t is thought that
the fire was started from cigarettes which
soihe person. tltcM aiming lIe COltUu. VI
over three blocks around the burning
presses people moved out fearing
that the FIRE would spread to their
homes. Fire thieves got in generous
work. When the walls OF the Orleans cot
toni press fell three men were seen falling
under the mass. Shortly an unfortunate
fireman was taken from the ruins
moaning and crying with pain and
taken 10 hospital where his in
juTies were dressed. The men all belong 10
No. 13. Their names are Captain Alfred
Dnpree, Lieutenant Shaw and PIpeman
Bordeaux. Dupree was slightly injured.
but the other two were badly hurt. While
the cotton-press fire was raging an alarm
was sent in from a fire in the residence Dor
ton of the city bounded by Laurel. Annun-
citation and Second and Third streets. a
gale was blowing and the flames were
being famed in every direction.
Every engine on both sides of the river
was summoned. People living in the neigh
berhood took fright. and wild scenes ensued.
Houses were dismantled, and their contents
carried away. House after house went
down, ard the efforts of the fremen
seemed Ia vain in the face Of the over
whelming odds. The flames spread in every
direction, owing to varying winds, and soon
the section bounded by First, Third, Laurel
and Magazine streets. four squares. was
abaZe and the wooden buildings were de-
youred as if they were so much chaff.
Every building In the four squares men
toned, except four, was destroyed. Hun
dreds of people were left homeless by the
fire, and In many cases nothing will be saved
from the burning buildings. The scene pre-.
sented is truly one of desolation. Nothing
remains Of the many handsome buildings
that were embraced ia the district save
blackened ruins.