The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-09-07
THE BIG FIRE.
Additional Particulars Learned Yesterday
Of the Confagration.

If there are any men or set of men
in A ustin of whom her citizens should
feel proud they are the men who COM
pose our volunteer fire department.
They are never found wanting. AL
ways on hand and ready to work tn, y
accomplish what they set out to do
with dispatch and efficiency. Their
work on Congress avenue on Thurs
day night showed very plainly OF
what that are capable, and at that
time they made record OF which
any department may be proud. When
they reached the scene it was found
that the entire building was one
mass OF seething, roaring flames from
foundation to roof and from wall to
wall. They were not daunted, how
ever, but under the very skilltul and
Intelligent direction of Chief f.
o. Babcock they quietly and
deliberately started in to subdue the
devuuring element and they did it.
The blaze attracted people from all
sections of the city and in very few
minutes the Avenue was thrOnged
with crowd of anxious and interested
spectators. 1.-The whole BLOCK will
surely burn up" Nothing on earth
can save Mexican, Ellers & Co. from
destruction,n were the remarks heard
on all sides. But the people who
gave utterance to those remarks were
certainly unacquainted with the
working and staying qualities of the
Austin firemen The block did not go
aud McKean, Eilers & CO.. was not de-
siroy d; in fact not single house on
the square outside OF the Booth build
ing, where the fire originated, was
injured in the 81 ghtest. Even the
small frame shauties on the south
side were saved which seemed almost
like a pity as they are constant eye.
sore 10 that end of the Avenue. Too
much praise can not be given the
Wafer company for the magnificent
pressure they furnished. six streams
! IN all were playing on the blaze, all of
them being hard and strong.
PROFESSOR ROBBINS EXPERIENCE
Pro essor Robbins, who, with his
vile, occupied the lear rooms in the
second s DRY of the burned building,
was seen by a STATESMAN reporter
esterday morning. He said that at
the time of the fire he and his wife
had retired for he night and the first
iniimatiun he had OF the fire Was the
loud explosion. He heard Mr.. Culver
calling TO him from the ard to run
for his lite, which he and his wife at
once proceeded to do. Finding their
way through the hall blocked by fire
and smoke they sought an exit
through a window on Inc south side
to the adjoining roof, from which
the descended by means of ladder.
When he was seen yesterday morning
he was busily engaged in getting out
what little of his personal effects that
had escaped the ravages OF the hre,
CO sisting of .everai trunks containing
clothing, etc. Among other things
he took out was small gasoline stove
the tank holding about three fourth'
of q gallon. Despite the intense heat
70 which it h d been sujected, the oil
in The tank had not exploded and the
stove itself was apparently unlnJured.
THE INSURANCE.
The burned building was Owned by
Mrs. l. G Pease and according to the
statement of Mr. w. E Booth made
TO he reporter yesterday, the loss on
il would be about 80 per cent. Mr..
Booth had $4,000 insurance on it and
Mr. Henry Laid $4,000, making $4,000
in all.
The loss on the stocks of Messrs.
Maves, Culver and Robbins was prac-
ticaIly total. Mr.. Mayes carried $1,000
insurance with Mr.. w. 81.
Stacy while Mr.. Culver had $500 on
his stock and fixtures written by
Messrs. Covert & mccarthy. Prof.
Robbins was insured TO the amount of
$500, carried by Mr.. Henry Ladd.
AFTER THE INSURANCE.
Some 90 d-sized hustling was done
by several parties last night to get
their bands on the money Mr. Culver
expects to get from the insurance
companies. It se' ms that the Ameri-
can National bank had advanced him
some money and as soon as they found
that his stock had been burned up
General Handy, the cashier Of that
bank, proceeded to corral Mr. Culver.