Los Angeles herald., 1892-04-04
Two CONGREGATIONS in the
Crescent City.
Three Big Cotton Presses and
Contents Burned.
Upwards of Eighty Thousand Bales
of Cotton Consumed.
Four Squares of Residence Property De,
strOyed in Another Part of the
,City-The Firemen Help
1ess-Heavy Losses.
A ssocisted Press Dispatches.


New ORLEANS, April 3.--One OF the
most destructive fires on record broke
out at 10 80 this morning among some
cotton on the sidewalk in front of fire.
proof cotton press on Front street,
where 10000 bales Of cotton was stored.
The department promptly responded,
but the wind was high and the cotton
was so dry that it burned like tissue
paper. The flames ran high, and in
an almost incredibly short space of time
were communicated to the press itself.
The firemen worked like demons to ar
rest the progress OF the flames, but their
efforts were unavailing. Through. the
yards swept the FIRE, carrying devasta-
tion with it.
After three repeated alarms, general
alarm was sent in And all the engines in
the city, with two or three exceptions
were called out. In half hour after
the flames started the fre-proof press
was totally consumed with its contents,
and the flames we're communicated to
the upper press, attacking the build ing
from all sides with wonderful rapidity.
In the press was stored $4,000 bales (
cotton, some OF which was saved, the
greater portion being destroyed, how
ever. It required but very short time
to destroy the press. Several firemen
had narrow escapes from falling walls.
THE SIGHT WAS AwE.INsPIRING.
For space OF at least two blocks a
sheet OF flames shot upward. Smoke
and sparks from the fire being blown
down into the street by the wind,
choked and singed the spectators. Sud-
denly a small fame was seen to leap
skyward from the corner of The Inde-
pendence press. In second almost the
entire square was ablaEe, and the flames
formed an almost solid block OF fire. In
the yard were stored some 10000 bales
of cotton, which were consumed in
little time. The place was gutted. and
the contents, consisting OF about 20 900
bales, destroyed. As it was soon appar-
fo.4t that there was no possibility OF saw
ing the burning structure, the firemen
devoted their attention to the surround
ing structures.
Everything in the neighborhood was
thoroughly soaked. This probably
saved number of confagrations, as
sparks were falling in all directions.
THE BURNED DISTRICT
is bounded by Peners, Front, Thelis and
Robin streets, and the presses de-
stroyed are as follows: The fire proof
owned by Penrose Bros; Shippers,
Boyd and Herrick, proprietors; Inde-
! pendence cotton yard; the Orleans cot.
ton piers, Adam Norwich. manager.
W The total amount of cotton burned. as
/, near as can be ascertained, is estimated
at $4,000 bales, held by factories, and
commission merchants, and covered by
sent to the pitchers and saved, so
that the total loss will probably not ex.
ceed $50 per bale, making the total loss
on cotton between So 100000 and
and 81, ,725, 900. The loss on presses and
sheds is estimated at $l50,000. 1t is
thought the fire started from cigarettes
which some person threw among the
cotton.
For three blocks around the burning
presses people moved out, fearing the
fire would spread to their homes.
Fire thieves got in their generous
work. i,s
a'UNFoRTUNATE FIREMEN.
When the walls of the Orleans cotton
press fell three men were seen falling
under the mass. Shortly afterward the
unfortunate fremen were taken from
the ruins, moaning and crying with
pain, and taken to the hospital, where
their injuries were dressed. The men
all belong to No. 13. Their names are
Capt. Alfred Dupree, Lieutenant Shaw
and Pipeman Bordeaux. Dupree was
slightly injured, but the other two were
badly hurt.
A SECOND CONFEDERATION.
While the cotton press e re was raging
an alarm was sent in from fire in the
residence portion Of the city. bounded
by Laurel, Annunciation and Second
and Third streets. A gale was blowing
and the flames were famed in all direc-
tions. Several engines went to the
scene, but before they could get to active
work the whole district was in flames.
Every engine on both sides of the river
was then summoned. The people living
in the neighborhood took fright and
wild scenes ensued. Houses were dis
mantled and their contents carried
away. House after house went down,
and the efforts OF the fremen seemed in
vain in face OF the overwhelm-
ing odds. Tht flames spread
! in every direction, owing to the varying
W!nu, ana soon the section bounded by
First, Third, Laurel and Magazine
streets, .four squares, was ablaze, and
the wooden buildings devoured as if
they were 90 much chaff. Every build
ing IN the tour squares mentioned, ex-
cept four, was destroyed.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HOMELESS.
Hundreds Of people are left homeless
by the fire, and in many cases nothing
was saved from the burning buildings.
The scene presented is truly one of DESC
lation. Nothing remains of the many
handsome buildings embraced in the
four squares, but blackened ruins.
The losses by the fire are estimated at
$250,000 It is believed that the build
ings we're mostly insured.
Trampled to Death.
80 ~ A 81 NJ r,le