The Grenada sentinel., 1893-11-18
FIERCE FLAMH.
Another Disastrous Fire at Memphis

Another Disastrous Fire at Memphis
Blaze Started by the Explosion Of Cssl
| OIL Lsmp-The Flames spread with
Startling kapisllty -Henmed In by Smoke
and FisHes Tw" Men Perish.
Memphis, Tenn, Nov. 14.-AnOtber dis
astrous fire, attended possibly with loss
Of life, visited Memphis last night.
The beautiful tive-story building, Nos.
3:3sO and :.;,Dla Main street, occupied by
the Schn,alzried Stove and Range COM
pupy, was totally destroyed, and serious
damage was done the adjoining building
to the north, occupied by the Lennon h
Gale company, wholesale dry goods and
notions.
/ The fire had its origin in the Schmalz'
ried Stove and Range company, and was
caused by the explosion Of large swing
ing oil lamp, located about ~ feet from
the front doors. 1t was six minutes past
Z o'clock when the explosion occurred.
and two minutes later the whole front Of
the store was ablaze.
Never before in the history of fires in
Memphis did flames spread with such
alarming rapidity as last night. In less
than five minutes after the explosion Of
the lamp on the ground floor, flames were
pouring out of the front door and wins
dows, threatening the destruction Of
the entire block.
Upstairs. over the Schmalzred Stove
and Range company, on the second and
third floors of the building, were located
the rooms of the Young Mems Christian
association. At the time of the fire nine
men were known to be In the rooms Of
| the association, and of these only seven
have been accounted for, and the proba-
bilities are that the other two lost their
lives. They were on the third floor In the
gymnasium and bathrooms, and nothing
has been heard of them since.
OF the others in the rooms at the time
of the fire, Mr.. Taylor Hutton and an old
man, whose name could not be learned,
| made their escape down the front steps.
II. A. Perkins, secretary Of the associa-
ton; Charles Il. White, H. NJ. Sullivan,
Frank D. Sebring and the col0red porter,
Joe. were cut off by the flames and forced
to the rear Of the building on the second
floor. The smoke was sitting, and when
they reached the rear window there was
no means at hand to lower themselves to
the ground. 10 remain seemed death.
and Mr.. Perkins attempted the descent
by means of the tin gutter that runs
alongside of the building, but he fell be-
fore going far. and striking his head on
the bricks fractured his skull, receiving
injuries that may result fatally.
Charles Il. White also attempted to de-
scend by the same means, but he, too,
lost his hold, and had his right arm
broken. Joe, the negro porter, jumped
from the window and received serious In
ternal injuries. The crowd that had gath
cred call to the others mot to jump"
and ladder was found close at hand,
which was raised to the window, and Sui
livan and Sebring safely descended-not,
however. before they had been scorched
by the flames that had followed them in
their hasty retreat.
Mr.. Taylor Hutton was in the Young
Mems Christian association rooms when
the fire started He had been on the third
floor and had descended to the reading
room on the second when the flames broke
out. In an interview Mr.. Hutton said:
"When | was up stairs on the third floor,
where the gymnasium and bathrooms are
located. there were two young men and
the colored porter there at the time. One
OF the young men was punching the
bag in the" gymnasium, and the other
was in his shirt sleeves. He was asking
the porter for q towel preparatory to
taking bath. l came down stairs and
entered the reading-r0om. where found
Secretary Perkins and three others, two
Of them young men and the other was
an old man. just then the fire broke ont,
and came down the front steps together
with the old man. and am certain none
OF the Others made their escape by means
of the front way. as remained there ull-
til the flames had completely enveloped
the entire front of the building. / fear
the two men who were ON the third floor
were lost in the fire.
Among those who were in the rooms of
the Young Mems Christian association
were Mcssrs. H. NJ. Sullivan and Frank
U. Sebring. They, together with Secre.
tary Perkins, Charles r. White and an
unknown sray-hAired man. were In the
reading-room. when the fire broke out"
said 4lr. Sullivan, I'VE found ourselves
cut off from the front steps and managed
to make our way to the rear. The smoke
was binding. and the heat intense. When
we got to the rear, Mr.. Sebring kicked
open door that led to the rear window.
We cried for help, but none of the peo.
pie below could reach US. Mr.. Perkins at.
tempted to descend by the water spout. a.
did also Charles White Sebring and my
self waited until Il ladder was placed for
us to descend. l thought we would all
be burned before the ladder came. The