The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-10-18
THE BIG HOUSTON FIRE.
LOSS THREE HUNDRED AND
SEVENTY THOUSAND.
Two Sisters of Charity Burned to Death
in Efforts to Save Patients-The
Water Supply was Shame
fully Inadequate,
Special to The Statesman.

|
HOUSTON, lex, Oct. 16.-For two
hours this morning such fire ragged
as has not before been known in
Houston. Two people are known to
have met their death and many
others are more or less seriously in
jured. The property loss is $370,O00,
covered by total insurance of $194,-
000. 1t started at 2:30 o'clock in two
story frame boarding house which
was entirely consumed within fifteen
minutes. The house was full of peo-
pie and many of these had very mar =
row escapes, all got out through the
windows in their night clothes, as all
escape by way of stairs was cut off.
Many of them sustained painful in
juries from burns and bruises. A fire
occurred in this same house Sunday
night but only destroyed bed in the
same room in which this mornings
fire started.
One of the hospital buildings of st.
Joseph's iEfirmory was the next build
ing consumed, and the main hospital,
large 3-story brick, not entirely COM
pleted, but having SO patients in it,
was consumed and only the front wall
remains standing, All the patients
were gotten out safely through the
heroism of the firemen and spectators.
Sister Dolores, whose family name
was Elizabeth Boyle, was in the act
entering the burning infirmary when
she was seized by Chief Ravell and
forcbly carried out to the street. SUBJ
sequently, however, the gentle sister,
thinking all were not yet out of the
building, ran into the mass of flames
and was seen no more Miss Jennie
Files of Montreal, d Dovitiate, who
had been. with the sisterhOod for only
two weeks, remained in the doomed
structure, and she, too, was burned.
During the forenoon portion of their
charred remains were found not 20
feet apart in the ruins of the frame
hospital. Sister Clothilde was also
seriously burned about the face and
breast.
On San Jacinto street the three.
story brick occupied by AleSsnder's
furniture store went with flash and
crash, falling on the tWo-story
boarding house next to it, entirely de-
molishing it and setting fire to its re-
mains. A half block of three-stOry
bricks on the Congress avenue side
went next, the wall caving in and
adding fury to the flames. w. l..
Foley, one of the leading dry goods
stores; s. M. Rushmore, grocery; A.
Chimene, furniture; w. J. Hancock,
books and stationery, occupied these
buildings.
Ten buildings were burned. five
three.story bricks, one thIee-story
frame, two two-story frame and two
one.s story frame. The loss on build
ings amounts to $103, 900; on stock and
furniture, $270,000.
The various losses are estimated as
follows: w. j. Hancock's stock,
SIG, 900; Frank Alexander's stock,
$25, 900; 8. M. Rushmore's stock,
$4,000; Houston infirmary, brick build.
ing, $3S, 900; Houston infirmary. frame
building, $65OO; Jones & Shaw, build
ings, $50, 900; Jake Horn berger, San
Jacinto hotel $2500; Henry Freund,
frame dwelling, $1,000; Mrs. BriBgurst,
frame, $2900, l.. M. Rice, building,
ing, $4,000; Mrs. Hussie, furniture,
etc $1,000; Mrs. Flanagan, furniture,
etc., ST. 600; A. Chimene, stock, 60,000;
w. j. Foley, stock, $150,OOO; w. L..
Foley, building, 500, 900; H. d. Howth,
office furniture. $500; which does not
include many losses under $500.
The water pressure was entirely in
adequate and public sentiment today
runs high in condemnation of the
present waterworks system. Suits
against the corporation are threatened
by many losers.