San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-02-13

dldEH vi llT6 was tuIHeu III iIOln
box 264, on the corner of Soledad
and West Comm cree streets, and
the fire companies in that
district responded as rapid.
ly as possible, finding in
flames the Central hotel, a two
story building on the south side of
Main plaza, and the st. Leonard
hotel, a three-story structure, adj
joining.
Fire Chief Kehoe realized that
the entire block was in danger and
sent in general alarm, which was
soon responded to by all the COM
panies in the city.
There were soon nine streams
playing en- the flames, but they
seemed to have but little effect.
The chief then gave orders to the
men to climb to the top of the
burning buildings and play on the
blaze from the west side in order
to prevent a spread to the building
just west of the st. Leonard hotel,
owned by the Barrerra estate and
occupied by James Il. Brady, the
,saloonist.
The work was partially accom-
plished and the fire was extin-
:guished at O'clock this morning.
While at work on the first
floor of the Central hotel, Ed. Har-
;grove,'a fireman of company No. 3,
and Mr.. A. Sebastian, of the same
company, felt the building give and
started out to avoid being injured.
They were not successful. The
floor gave way and the men, tim
bers, walls and all were buried
in a pile. The scene was wit
messed by several spectators and
the news was soon spread that two
.firemen had been killed.
Chief Kehoe put a number of
men to work searching for the
buried men, and in about half
an hour they were taken out of the
debris. Both were unconscious and
bleeding profusely. The sharp por-
tions eff the timber, the rock, sheet
iron, etc, had cut their bodies con-
siderably. They were taken to their
respective fire houses and medical
aid was called in. Every effort was
made to relieve them and con-
seriousness was restored this morn
ing.
Two ladies who were rooming at
the Central hotel were carried cut
by Officer O'Day and taken to the
Southern hotel. Had the officer
OF hn fin1n fhn ln1inS
[ would have persisted, as they had
tainted just as he entered their
room. Other guests in both hotels
barely escaped, and most OF them
were seen standing on the plaza
with clothing barely sufficient to
cover thetr bodies.
THE DAMAGES.
The new county courthouse, now
under construction by Dugan &
Kroeger, was damaged on the west
side adjoining the hotel. The
grant and sand stones, two stories
in height, were heated to such an
extent that nearly every rock
was cracked, as was also
the cement. The loss, so states Mr..
DuSdll, Will dAHlOuIb W DNJ"SCL
$4,000 and $4,000. The contract
specifies that all losses shall be
sustained by the contractors until
/ the work is accepted by the county,
/ consequently the entire wall will
\ have to be rebuilt. The contractors
have insurance on the building,
amounting to $4,000; $1,000 with
the Norwich Union Fire Insurance
company, of England, and $4,000
with the London and Lancashire
company, of London.
Billie ZantZinger, an extra man
working with the Chemical Engine
company, fell from the pole at the
engine house after returning from
/ the fire and received a deep and
ugly cash in his left side fully five
inches in length and tearing the
flesh in several places. His right
arm was cut just below the elbow,
his back was sprained, left hand
cut and he received internal inju- |
ries. He was picked up uncon-
scious and taken to the his
room. When seen by a re-
porter this morning he was some
what improved, though suffers in
tense agony from the injuries.
The Central hotel building was
owned and occupied by l.. w.
Moore, late of New York, and the |
damage is estimated at $4,000 with |
| furniture; insurance not knO wn.
II Elias Edmonds and George b.
| Johnston & Co, had offices in the |