The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-04
A SEA OF FLAME AT TOLEDO.
Two Elevators, the Chamber of Com
merce and Other Buildings Burned.

merce and Other Buildings Burned.
Toledo, o., Jan. 3.-After enjoying i'm
munity from disastrous fires for about
ten years, Toledo tonight experienced
the worst confagration in the history of
the city. AT $50 o'clock flames were
seen to break from the top story of the
Quale elevator, situated at the corner Of
Water and Madison streets, on the
river front. The firemen were slow in
getting the alarm and when they arrived
at the scene the flames had possession of
the top story of the great elevator
Five minutes after the first line Of hose
was laid four explosions followed each
other in quick succession and fire issued
from all sides of the building. The fire.
men experienced considerable delay in
getting water on the blaze, and before
they realized the gravity of the situa-
tion they were driven up Madison street
and along Water street by the fury of the
flames.
THE NEW FOOD OF THE FLAMES.
Within five minutes after the first
alarm was sounded the elevator of
G. A. King & Co. caught fire
and the heavy wind blowing from the
southeast carried the flames to the Cham
ber of Commerce, a seven story building
on the southwest corner of Madison and
Water streets. At this point, while fight
ing the flames on the rear of the Quale
elevator, Capt. Fraser of Engine Company
No. 1 was struck by falling. timber and
probably fatally injured.
From the Chamber of Commerce the
fire spread to the seven story building of
G. L. Luce, adjoining and occupied as a
wonderland museum theatre.
DRUGGISTS NExT BURNED OUT.
~, = L.
building occupied by West & Tfuax
wholesale druggists. In an incredibly
short space of time the buildings were
one mass of flames,
Taking northwesterly direction from
the King elevator, the fire found its way
into the King block, 4-stOry building
running half the length of the block be-
tween Madison and Adams streets This
was one of the oldest structures in the city
and proved an easy victim to the flames
The firemen here stopped the spread of
the flames, but to do it they ruined with
water the inside of the Hartford block, on
Summit street, and an adjoining building
occupied by a number of business houses.
THE LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
The losses as at present known or es-
timated, are:
On the Quale elevator, $4,000; insu-
rance, about S95. 900.
On the Chamber of Commerce, $40, 900 ;
insurance, about 100000.
On the King elevator, $4,000; wholly
insured.
On the King block, $4,000; wholly in
sured.
On the Hartford block, SIS, 600; insu-
rance, S25, 900
The minor losses will aggregate $780,
900, the insurance on which cannot be es-
timated.
On the ground floor of the Chamber of
Commerce were the Second National
Bank, the Splitter Bank, The Western
Union telegraph office and the American
District Telegraph. They lost every
thing in the way of Office furniture, books
and machinery.
1t is believed that whatever money was
contained in the vaults of the Second
National Bank has not been injured.
The destruction of the American Dis
trict Telegraph office leaves the city with
out police or fire alarm.
THE LOSS SS5O,OO0.
Toledo, O., Jan 4, o'clock a. m.-The
fire was gotten under control at 10 o'clock
after having destroyed property, the ag-
gregate value of which is estimated at
So5O,OOO. On this there is an insurance of
about 100000.
Shortly before II o'clock fire was dis
covered in the cupola of the telephone
exchange. 1t was caused by defective
wires, and was extinguished twenty min
utes after being discovered. The loss
will be trifling, but great inconvenience
resulted in the operation of the telephone
service.
Julian O'Dell, hoseman in company
9, was run over by his carter and so
badly injured that he cannot recover.