The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-04-20
Big FIRES IN new ORLEANS.
Sixty Thousand Bales Of Cotton
and Eleven Blocks Burned.
The Total Loss of Property Esti-
mated at $3,500, 900.

Orleans, La ., began almost simultaneously
a few mornings ago, destroying eleven
squares Of property and $1,000 bales of COT
ton, and causing loss Of $780, 900. Each
fire was the result Of carelessness, and the
great destruction is due to a long
drought causing q dry condltlon or
houses and cotton. There was strong
breeze blowing and the Fire Department.,
which was reorganiZed in January from the
volunteer to the paid system, has been cut
down to about one-tenth of its former menu
bers. The new men had not got acous-
toned thoroughly to their duties and were
unable to cope with the fires.
The first fire began at five minutes to lO
o'clock in some cotton stored on the pave
ment in front Of the fireproof cotton press
on the corner Of Robin and Front streets. 1t
is not usual to allow cotton to be so
stored, but the stock on hand there
is 80 large-more than 500, 900 bales-that
the law about storing cotton on the pave
ment was allowed to become dead letter.
Some one in passing threw lighted cigar.
ette,among the cottor. 1t smouldered and
finally burst into blaze.
The fire was so small that at first little
attention was paid to 1t. and it easily might
have been stopped. The cotton was so dry
that it spread rapidly, and the flames soon
attacked the press itself.
There were 12, 500 bales of cotton inside,
and these soon ignlted and made such
blaze and heat that it would have been folly
for the fremen to have attempted to grap-
pie it.
They tried to prevent its spread to the
neighbo-ing presses, but the wind was
blowing a stiff breeze and carried the
flames over to the Shippers press, in which
there yere 30 600 bales
Some of this had been removed before the
fire got there, but nearly three-fourths OF
the cotton was burned, and the press itself
was destroyed within half an hour.
The Orleans press, the largest Of the up
town ones and containing 25, 700 bales OF cot
ton, and the Independent press. with 5000
bales, were the next to go.
The flames had spread so rapidly by this
time that there was no possibility OF saving
any Of the cotton or the presses. The fire.
men made desperate attempt to check the
fire at the New Orleans press.
They were working at it when the walls fell
in. burying three iremen in the ruins. Cap
tain Dupre, Lieutenant Shaw, and Pipeman
Bordeaux were seriously If not mortally
hurt.
By this time the fire extended for five
squares and licked up several dwellings bar.
rooms and stores. 1t produced quite panic,
gan to move their furniture.
The air was filed with wisps Of blazing
cotton, which threatened roofs everywhere,
and among others the Baldwin Agricultural
Works, three squares awa9; also the Louist-
ana Rice Mills four squares away, were set
on fire, but the flames wsrs extinguished In
each case.
Fortunately the section in which the cot
ton presses are situated contains few large
residences and many open spaces 80 that
after the presses and the cotton were burned
the fire died out for want Of fuel.
In these 90, 500 bales Of cotton were
bale. is S2,222, 500. The presses were worth
s75p,COQ. Other property destroyed, in
cluding eighteen horses. was worth $50, 600,
making the total loss 5000. 500.
While the fremen were fighting this fire
an alarm was sounded for another at the
corner Of Laurel and Third streets, about
twelve squares away. A Mrs. Valentine
was preparing her dinner and used coal oil
in the stove.
The oil set the house on fire. Like the
other, it was a small affair at first and it. was
half an hour before the neighboring houses
were ablaze Then it swept rapidly down
Laurel street. Itwas difficult to get engines
for they were fighting the cotton press fire,
and when they came there they were able to
do very little. The supply Of water was
short and the fremen tagged out.
The locality in which this fire started Is
built up entirely with wooden cottages occu-
pied mainly by people of small means.
The flames spread from one to the other,
so that in q couple Of hours they had crossed
Third and Second streets, finally reaching
First. They spread backward also. crossing
Laurel street, burning up three blocks be
tween that and Constance. and crossing the
latter at First and Second, sweeping every
ing everything before it to Magazine street.
The fire here was checked, although it
crossed the street and destroyed several
houses.
It had spread from the poorer to better
residence part of the city, burning IN all lso
houses and property to the amount OF $50oi7
900 to $500. 900. A large portion of the furni'
ture and household goods In the burnt dis
trict was saved.