Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-04-04
A Q 3,OOo,OOo BLAZE.

| Cotton Destroyed . Tho FLAMES
Spread to Adjoinin. Buildings-Sev.
| eral Firemen Injured-Hundreds OF
| People Left Homeless-The Loss to
| the Buildings VIII Reach Two Hun
dred and Fifty Thousand Dollars.
| NEW ORLEANS, April 3.-One of the
most destructive fires on record broke out
at 1890 this morning among some cotton
on the sidewalk in front of the fire proof
press on North Front street, between Race
and Orange. After three repeated alarms
| a general alarm was sent in and all the en-
| gines in the city except two or three were
called out. The fire proof press had about
| 10, 900 bales of cotton stored in it. This
was entirely consumed. In half an hour
the fire proof was totally consumed and
the flames had communicated to the ship
pers' press, on all sides, cutting their way
through the woodwork with wonderful
rapidity. In this press was stored $1,000
bales of cotton, most of which was soon in
flames. The fire ran down through the
woodwork into the cotton stored beneath
the sheds. 1t was the only 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
| tottering to and fro, endangering the lives
of iremen. Several of the latter had mar
row escapes.
ENTIRE SQUARE ABLAzE.
The sight now was awe-inspiring. For
a space of at least two blocks a sheet of
flame shot upward. The smoke and sparks
from the fire were blown down into street
by the wind and choked and singed the
spectators. Suddenly small flame was
seen to leap skyward from a corner of the
Independence press. In second almost
the entire square was ablaze and the
flames formed almost a solid block of fire.
In the yard was stored 10, 900 bales of cot
ton. This proved excellent fuel for the
flames and in little time it was consumed.
At length the four rows of charred walls
were all that stood of this large building.
The last structure to catch fire was the
Orleans press. 1t was Quilted and its con-
tents, consisting of &c, 900 bales, were con-
sumed. The was no chance to save any of
the cotton.
The walls of the burned presses fell
within a short time of each other with a
deafening crash. The district burned
over is bounded by Peters, Front, Thalia
and Robin streets. The fire proof press
was managed by Penrose Brothers and the
Orleans cotton press by Adam Torch.
The shippers press was owned by Boyd &
Herrick. The cotton burned, estimated
at 80, 900 bales, was held by factors ana
commission merchants and covered by
their open policies. Much of this
cotton will be sent to the pi,keries and
saved, go that the total loss will
probably not exceed $50 per bale, making
the total loss of cotton So, 400, 900. The
loss on presses and sheds is estimated at
$3.50, 900. It is thought the fire started
from cigarette which some person threw
am. q the cotton. For blocks around the
burning presses the residents moved out
their furniture. Men, women and chill
dren were seen running to and fro with
pieces of furniture and other property.
FIREMEN INJURED.
When the walls of the fire proof press
fell three firemen, Captain Alfred Dupee,
Lieutenant Shaw and Pipemau, Bordeaux
were buried in the debris, but they were
soon extricated. Dupee was slightly in
jured, but the other two men were badly
hurt. The injured men were taken to a
hospital.
ANOTHER BLAZE.
While the cotton press fire was raging
an alarm was sent in for a fire in the resi-
dence portion of tho city, bounded by
Laurel, Annunciation, Second and Third
streets, where dozen houses were soon in
flames. Every available engine on both
sides of the river was summoned to the
scene. The heat was intense and the wind
blew tongues of flames across the street.
1A 10 ,I0 lixynI i've he h1r, Nd
ed by Laurel, Magazine, Second and Third
streets packed up their valuables, but as
the fire refused to be subdued they took
fright and wild scene ensued. Houses
were dismantled and their contents carried
away. House after house went down
and the efforts of the overworked
firemen seemed in vain. Crowds gathered
from far and near and men and boys
pitched in and assisted in removing the
furniture. The flames spread in every
direction, owing to varying winds. The
fire swept across Laurel street with alarm
ing rapidity, and soon the whole section
bounded by First, Third, Laurel and Maya
zine streets-four squares-was ablaze.
The wooden buildings were devoursd as if
they were 30 much chaff. Magazine street
stayed the march of tho flames westward.
Every building in the four squares men
toned, except four, was destroyed. Most
of the houses were small, but some very
handsome houses on Magazine street were
consumed.
HUNDREDS HOMELESS.
Hundreds of people have been left home
less, and in many cases nothing was saved
from the burning buildings. The scene
presented was one of desolation. The
losses by this fire are estimated at $780,
900. 1t is believed that the buildings are
uostIv inaured