Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-26
I'd EDITION.
DRIVEN OUT BY FIRE.
A Columbus, Ohio, Business Block
Swept by Flames.
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE BURNED.
Recommended Windup of a Min
neapolis Concern.
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE BURNED.
OTHER TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
A WHOLE BLOCK SWEPT BY FLAME


bus. Ohio. Ever Before Experienced.
COLUMBUS, ONO. Jan. 26.-The most disss-
trous fre tina. Columbus has ever experienced
occurred this morning in the block Of buildings
at the northwest corner of Rich and High
streets. A small blaze started about 4 o clock
3 m. in the largo building at the corner, and
before noon the entire block, from Rich street
to Walnut and from High to Wall, had been
Quilted by the hames.
The blaze III its incipiency did not appear to
amount to much, but it soon got good
headway aud In an incredibly short time
it seen that the buildings were doomed
The large pressed-brick building on the corner
Of Rich was the first to 60. 1t was entirely
burned out with ali its valuable contents and
the only portion Of the building left standing
was the front.
TIE OPERA BorsE DESTROYED.
The next building to 60 was the Metropolitan
Opera House building. the fire catching in the
fourth story and working downward rapidly.
in spite OF the efforts OF the Are department to
save it. The FIRE here first started in the por-
ton Of the building occupied by Fl. c. God
mans leather store, and in a short time the
entire building, including the opera house
proper, was in ruins.
There were number OF thrilling and hair
breadth escapes and with the large force of
women employed about the building it 10 mi
raculOus tnat tne Oeatn roll docs not mount up
high The shoe factory Of Goldman employs
20i persons, 1872 Of these being girls, sixty men
and twelve boys The factory occupied three
floors. The spectacle of girls going
down the IRE ladders and escapes with
aprons over their heads was one of the thrilling
episodes that caused the hearts of the men to
stand still. These victims were driven out Of
the building by the fierce flames and had not
even time to get any of their wrappings, the
IRE spreading so rapidly.
1t is reported that Katie Trott jumped
through the window on the first floor and
broke both her limbs. Louise Ault and Sadie
Sauerfrey had a thrilling experience in being
saved from the flames They found the hall full
Of smoke and flames through which they had
to 60 and fire shut of the access to the stair
way, and 1t is reported that Miss Ault sprang
through the flames. while her companion
jumped through q window on the north side
of tho building.
A woman from the upper floor made her way
to the lower part Of the factory building and
there became Frustrated from the smoke and
heat.
ORIGIN OF IRE FIRE.
II was supposed that the fire started in the
shoe factory, but Miss AnDa Wilbacker's story
controverts this, she being forewoman of the
finishing department. She says: 1T was about
$50 O'Clock when heard there was fire in the
building. Our room was on the first floor
just above the Gazette Printing Company
and just in the rear of Zwerner's drug store.
About the hour mentioned some of the third
floor girls yelled that the building was on fire;
they were just coming to work and stopped TO
give Us the alarm, and when / went into the
hall the flames were coming up the elevator
shaft"
RESCUED BY BRAVE FIREMES.
Very soon after the fire began to pour out
from the fourth floor of the opera house block
the great crowd Of spectators were Mortified by
the sight of a woman with q babe in her arms
stepping out OF a fourth-story window on to the
moment, then turned and disappeared within,
evidently giving up in despair OF saving her
self in SO dangerous manner. Two officers
rushed up the stairway through the binding
smoke and flames and in a few moments were
seen again with the woman and child.
When the immense crowd saw that they were
saved mighty cheer went up from those who
had held their breath.
Persisted IN THE FLAMES.
Another woman appeared at tho fourth-story
window, started to descend by the fire escape
but being confused and blinded by the smoke
returned inside, to be seen no more.
THE LOSSES.
Among the firms burned out are: Zwerner's
drug store, loss sc, 900, insured 5000; Gazette
loss SIC, OOO insured $4,000; Bankrupt shoe
store, recently established, total loss The Daily
Express, a German daily of which Hon. L. Hirsch
is president loss 5000, insurance 81. 200; Co
lumbus Brick and Terra Gotta, Lutchenbach
& Eilbery, insurance Office; II. c. Goldman 4
Co. . shoe factory. $50 900.