, 1892-01-03
fire SWEPT.
A Dozen Big Firms Of Nash
vile, Tenn, Destroyed.
The Worst Fire in the History
Of the City.
Six Brave Firemen Killed by
the Falling Debris.
Loss Thought to be More Than
a Million.
Nashville on Fire


NASHVILLE, Jan. 2.-One of the most
destructive confagrations ever known in
the South began in this city tonight. The
loss at 10 p. M, after the flames had
been in progress three hours, reached
fully 81, 900, 900. with the fire yet raging.
Several lives are reported lost, and telp
has been wired tor from Louisville and
CHATTANOOGA. A strong wind blowing
made the outcome uncertain.
The fire broke out in a block between
Church and Union and Cherry and Col
lege streets, and ate its way steadily
toward the Western Union Telegraph
company's Office, located at the corner of
College and Church streets.
The fire broke out in Webb, Stevenson
& Cos. store, in College street. A strong
wind was then blowing from the north
west. The fire was confined to this store
tor nearly an hour. but gradually found
its wav into an adjoining store occupied
by A. G. Rhodes 4. Co., and then into
Atwell & Shells. This time the wind
changed and the fire started in another
direction. Weakly& Warren's seven storey
furniture store north OF Webb, Stevenson
Il Co., was soon a mass of flames. The
members of the colored fire company
were standing across the alley on a three
story building of:the Phillips & Butteroff
Manufacturing company when weakly Il
Warren's building suddenly bulged out IN
the center and fell across the alley. Tho
following firemen, all colored, were caught
under the falling building and instantly
crushed to death: Aaron Cockrell, John
Allen, Harvey Ewing and Capt. Cloudy.
When Phillips & Butteroff' s building
crushed in, it quickly took fire and was
consumed. About this time the wind
changed again aud the flames swept back
towards the Noel block, and a vacant
building adjoining Atwell & Sneed's soon
burned. The Noel block her caught
fire and at this hour (Il p. M is in
ruins, but the fire is now practically under
control. There were a number Of men
injured by the falling walls and an explo-
sion that blew out of two or three stores.
IL Is supposed che fire inoeudiary is of
origin, as Fireman Daily, while in Atwell
q Sneed's building saw a man apply a
torch to a mass of inlamable material in
the rear of the store. The loss will ap-
proach 5000, 900 impossible to learn the
insurance tonight. Phillips & Butterof
lose $50. 900; A. j. Warren, S95. OOOU;
Webb, Stevenson & Co., $45, 900; Atwell
& Sneed. $35, 900; A. G. Rhodes, $780,
600 and buildings occupied by the three
latter firms, $4,000. The Noel block was
occupied by the Western Union Tele-
graph company.
1t contained about fifty offices and bed
rooms. The building cost $751; 900 and
the Western Union loss is $40, 900. Sew
eral firms suffered considerable damage by
water and broken window glass. 1t is
difficult to get information out of the city
on account of the destruction of the
Western Union office. The operators are
crowded at two different railway depots.
While this fire was in progress another
broke out In the Waters-Allen Foundry
company, corner Walnut and Union
streets, and destroyed the plant. Loss.
$40, 900.