The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-05
A TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION.
New Orleans Visited by a De-
structive Fire.
seven Blocks Desoroyed and Hundreds OF
Families Made Destituco-Immensc
Sheets of Flame From Burning Cot.
ton Presses-A Cigarette Coused the
Trouble-The Loss Is Nearly Thrse
Million Dollars.

ou"is-Ahs Loss is Nearly THREE
Million Dollars.
%Sw ORLEANS, La. April 4.-Ose NJ
the most destructive cotton fires on, re...
ofd Sroke out at 1870 O'Clock yesterday
morning among some cotton on the side.
walk N front Of the fte-proof press.
North front street, betweon Race and
orange. The parties who, saw smoke
issuing from among the bales gave the.
alarm immediately. The department
responder promptly, but tie wind was
so high aud the cotton so dry that IL
burned like tissue paper. The flames
ran high. and In an almost Incredibly
short space of time had conuun;cated
to the press itseM and were working
their way along the woodwork of the
roof. The aremen worked like dn-nons
20 check tho progress of the flsn1es, but
sheir efforts'were uaavailing.
Through the yards swept tho, fire.
carrying devastation with it as il went.
earning cotton and wood as III thev
were SO much paper. After threa re-
peated alarms-a general alarm was,sent
In, and all theengines in the cityt with
leo exception of two or three, were
called out.
The 6re-proof press had about 10000
bales of cotton stored in it. This, was
consumed. 1t would have beenn mad
ness for the firemen, to enter the nrsss
10 save the staple. On every site the
Names were raging, forming a foyrni-
da5le and impragnable fire wall. The
streets we're lined with spec tators drawn
10 inc scene from every portion to the
city.
In half an hour after the flames had
started the tire proof was totally con-
sumed, and the flames had communi-
catea to the upper press. In q marvel
ously short space OF tiue the flames had
attacked the building from all sides.
cutting their way through the wood.
work with wonderfuLrapidity In this
press was stored $4,000 bales of cotton.
some OF which was taken out and
brought to place of safety. The ma ior
portion OF the staple, however,, was in
nanes in short time and it was inn
possible TO save it. The fire tie its way
along the rafters of the press and down
through the woodwork into tho cotton
winch was stored beneath the sheds. It
was only that cotton stored In the ward
that was saved. 1t required but a ysru
short time with the high wind that was
blowing to destroy the press.
In second almost tho entire square
| was SbaZe and tho names formed almost
u solid block of fire. 70 the yard we're
stored 10000 bales of the fiowery staple.
This proved eXcellentfuel for :he flames.
ana In little time it was consumed.
AT length four rows, oS charred walls
were all that stood to remind one of a
iarge building that had once occupied
the site.
The last to catch was the Orleans.
,Ahe place was destroyed, and it's con-
tents, consisting Of about 20, 900 bales.
were consumed.
There was no chance to save any por-
tAon OF the cotton, as tho work of de-
struction was very rapid. For some
time the men worked ON in these flames.
and when 1t became apparent that mono
Oh the bales of cotton. could be saved
they devoted their attention to the sur
rounding structures. Water was poured
into windows and through doorways
and everything was, thoroughly wet.
This probably saved u number of con,
hagrations, as sparks, were falling in all
directions, rendering property liable to
destruction The walls of the different
burned presses fell wi a short time
Of each other.
The district burned ovor is bounded
by Peters. Front, Thalia and Robin
StreetS. ana tne presses destroyed are as
follows: Fireproof, Renrose Bros, man
ayers, South Front street southwest,
corner of Robin street; shippers, Boyd
n Herrick, proprietors, South Peters
street, between Henderson and Robin:
Independence cotton yard, South Peters
street; Orleans cotton press, Adam
Lorch. manager, South Peters street,
between Thalia and Terpsichore.
The total amount Of cotton burned, as
near as Can now be- ascertained ia esti-
mated at $4,000 bales, held by facsess
and commission merchants and covered
by their open policies. Much OF this
cotton will be sent to the pickeries and
saved, so that the total loss will not ex-
coed $40 per bale, making the total loss
on cotton between 81. OUO. coo and 81, $780,
OOO. LOSS on presses aud sheds eSti-
mated at Sl5U,0Oo. 1t is thought the fire
started from cigarette which sopae per-
son threw among the cotton.
While tho cotton press fire WAS raging
tire broke out in the residence portion
of the city and before it could be sub
dued hundreds of people had been made
homeless. The losses amount to $780,
600. IL is believed that tho buildings
were mostly insured.
To Curtail tho Cotton Production