Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-04-04
.FIREI FIRE.! FIREI.I
Two Immense COnfagratiOns Under
Hsadway at Once.
NEW ORLEANS BADLY SCORCHED.
e v5lOOOO Worth Of Property Consumed Yesterday.
l. tS4-s Among the Cotton Presses and Burns
Over Several SqsareS-A Fire IN the
Residence Section at the Same Time.

NV ORLEANS, LA, April S.-One OF the
-,sr destructive cotton hres on record
$50 ONT at 1880 to-day, among some cot
.-r nm the sidewalk in front of the tire
.--,f press on North Front street, between
b..s and Orange The parties who saw
..s smoke issuing from among the bales
-ers me alarm Immediately, and a lew
e---rtcs later the bells rang out ''32. -
Tbe department responded promptly but
~ wind was SO high and the cotton so dry
,rs- it burned ike tissue paper. The
s.-rss ,8u high and in almost Incredibly
---,-- sDI,.a of time had COmmunl-
.s-s4 I'D the press and were working their
,-sv along the woodwork OF the roof. The
-rsrsu worked like demons 20 arrest the
7-5-r,ss OF the flames but all their efforts
we're uuayaillng
Criaf O'Connor seeiCg the serious pro-
-arri9rs Of the fire called out al the en-
y-ss in the city. The nCc prOot press had
s-.r- 10000 bales OF cotton stored in 10.
This was entirely consumed. II would
b,.s bafn madness for tiremen 70 enter the
s-ass. on every side the flames were
-,r'ny. forming formidable and impreg-
1a0.a hre wall
me streets were lined with spectators
drawn to the scene from every portion OF
,Fe city. The police under Sergeant Auc-
,.r were on the scene, doing whatever was
e1gired of them. but their presence was
d. '.-tIa avail. as the crowd waSsvery quiet,
sl.rr compelled 70 remain safe distance
t1n the flames. owing 70 the intense heat.
.halfau hour after the flames had start
sd the fire proof was totally consumed and
te flames had communicated with the
r1rer press. The destruction here was as
g-6lt as 40 the other press. In marvel
-r, ,.v short space OF time the flames had at
oil tarrf mo
--eir way through the woodwork with
wonderful rapidity. In this press was
,.7rst SD. 900 bales of cotton, some Of which
Vas taken out and brought TO place Of
Q.ety The major portion Of the staple,
t-vever was in flames IN a short time, and
~w8s impossible 70 Savelt.
The helce element Of destruction ate It's
way along the ratters Of the press ana
through the woodwork into the cotton,
wr.ch was stored beneath the sheds. 1t
Vas only that cotton stored in the yard
.-st was saved. It required but a very
t1r. time with the high wind that was
owing 10 destroy this press. The walls
son looked Ike charred pillars, tot
saug 20 and fro and endangering
s lives of fremen. Several Of them
i narrow escapes, aud now ana
zen "a thrill Of horror would run through
Il anger or saw a wall tOtter and fall. The
-1t was awe inspiring. For space Of
!. east two blocks a sheet Of flame shot
| 1ward. The smoke and sparks from the
-e we're blown down into the streets 0y
Be winds and chOEed and singed the spec,
a,ors. Suddenly small Hane was seen
cap skyward from corner OF the lnde-
e-Cent press.
Ina second almost the entire square was
Do aze aud the flames formed almost a solid
ocs of fire In the yard were stored
srs 10000 bales of the ttOwery staple.
l s proved excellent tUol Tor the rameS,
ana .n little time it was consumed Al
Myth four rows Of chGrred walls were al
at stood 20 remind one that a large build
c had once occupied the site.
The last 10 eaten was the Orleans. The
ace was Quilted and its contents, consist
- Of about 10000 bales, wece consumed
Ilcre was no chance 10 save any portion
the cotton, as the work Of destruction
ras very rapid. For some time the men
worked on these flames and when 1t became
1p4rent that none OF the bales or cotton
I'd be- saved they devoted their attention
The surrounding structures Water was
lred into windows and through door
Eays, ana everything was thoroughly wet
his probably saved number OF Gonna
cations, as sparks were falling IN All
-ect.0ns. The district burned over Is
1.aded by Peters, Front, Thalia and
Robin streets, and the presses destroyed
4 e as follows
penrose Bros. fire proof shippers, Boyd
Herrick prOprietors; independence
-t0n Nard: Orleans Cotton Press,
4-am L0rch manager.
The total amount Of cotton burned as
3r as can now be ascertalned is eSilma-
s3 40 $1,000 bales Much Of the cotton
u De sent TO the pickeries and saved, so
d, -le total loss viii probably not exceed
per bale, making the total loss on cot
OF between TWO and two and quarter
Ions of dollars. Loss on presses ana
sis estimated az Sl5O,OoO.
Curing the progress Of the nre Lieut.
>'aw aud Pipeman Bordeaux, OF hre com
any no. l3. were buried under lallnS
as and badly hurt.
While the cotton press fire was raging an
2-u was sent in for fire in the residence
rl0u of the citv, NJ being bounded oy
a1r-i, AunuuciatiOu. Second and Ihlrd
f.1ts. AT the time, the fire department.
Zee, and the large majority Of the resi-
l,S of the burning district We're
the cotton press nre. a
.-e was blowing and the flames
sre famed in all directions. Chief O'Con-
sent several engines % the scene, out
Tore they could get down to active work
-len houses were In flames.
Alarms were sent in and every engine on
% sides of the river were summoned 10
scene The fire swept across Laurel
eet with "a rapidity that was az once
aiming, and soon the section bounded by
SJ Third, Laurel and Magazine sire cts,
r squares. was ablaze, and the woo den
-a.lgs were devOured as n they were so
gl chat
every building in the tOur squares men
--o except four were DESTROYED. Mos
zoe houses were small bus some very
--Sole houses on Magazine street were
s1Cved
hundreds Of people have been lett home
> oy the fire aud in many cases nothing
- saved from the burning buildings.
sloa.
ne losses by the FIRE are estimated AT
hundred and fifty thousand dollars
9eleved the buildings were mostly IN