New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-04
NEARLY A MILLION LOST.
A COMPLICATION IN TOLEDO. OHIO.
DEsTROYED-RANKs SWEPT BY FLAMES


DESTROYED-BANKS SWEPT BY FLAMES
THE Loss ESTIMATED At &Sj0,OcO.
Toledo. Ohio. Jan. 3.-After enjoying immunity
from disastrous fires for about ten years. Toledo
tonight experienced the worst conhagraton in
the history of the city At $50 o'clock flames
were seen to break from the top story of the
Quale elevator, at Water and Madison SITS. and
on the river front. In some unexplained manner
the firemen were annoyngy slow in getting the
alarm. and when they appeared at the scene the
flames had possession of the top story Of the
great elevator. Five minutes after the first line of
hose laid four explosions followed each
other in quick succession and fire issued from
all sides Of the building. The firemen were de-
layed in getting water, and before they realized
the gravity Of the situation they were driven
up Madison-st. and along Water-st. by the fury
Of the flames.
Within fifteen minutes after the first alarm
sounded the elevator of c. A. King & Co
caught fire, and the heavy wind blowing from
the southeast carried the flames to the seven
story Chamber O; Commerce building Madison
and Water SITS At this point. while fighting the
flames on the of the Qualc elevator, Cap
tain Frazer. Of Engine Company No. /, was
struck by falling timber and probably fatally
injured. From the Chamber OF Commerce build
ing the fire spread to the seven-story building
Of C. l.. Luce adjoining. occupied a museum
by Colonel J. H. Moore who has like enterprises
in Detroit and Toronto. Next to this building
stood the hye.story building occupied by West
& Traux wholesale druggists In an incredibly
short space Of time the buildings were one mass
Of flames
Taking a northwesterly direction from the
King elevator, the fire found its way into the
King block, a four-story building, running half
the length Of the block between Madison and
Adams sts This was one of the oldest
structures in the city. and proved easy prey OF
the flames At O'Clock the fire threatened to
spread from tn" King block to the elevator OF
Young d Backus At that hour the wind was
blowing a partial gale. and II VAS impossible to
tell how far the blaze would go on Water-st
Directly across from the Chamber OF Commerce
stood the Hartford block. four stories in
hcight and having a frontage Of about eighty
feet. This was the first building on the west
side If Summit-st. TO take fire from the Cham
Der Of Commerce. and In "A comparatively short
tim" if complete wreck inside; but the
damage from water only, as the iremen
succeeded IN combining the flames to the
cornicc # the building. To the right ~ the
Hartford building and adjoining stood the three
Story building occupied by l. }. wallace as a
saloon; the Toledo Rubber Company rubber
goods: PATS dental parlors; a Ieiss X Co.,
cigars; Jacob Hockenberger saloon; j. X Roos-
man. furnishing goods; y Judd, Jeweier, ana
l. ~ Reed, druggist This building was
deluge1 with water to prevent the ilames from
spreading and the contents will be a complete
loss.
Ine personal losses 20 far are as follows; ON
the lfIalc 81 aNator $4,000. nSuranc" about S'o-
0nD: on the Chamber of Commerce $4,000 insur-
ancc about 100000 on the King elevator, $4,000.
wholly insured. on the King block $JJ.VJO. WhollN
insured the Hartford block, $4,000; insurance
s.-.o0o. The other losses viii swell the total u
}N5p00o. Oh which there is an insurance oil 800
0lo
ON the ground floor Of the Chamber OF Com
merce were the Second National Bank, the
splitter Bank the Western Union telegraph office
and the American District telegraph Office. They
lost everything in he way of office furniture.
books and machinery. u is believed that what
eyer money WAS contained I'm the vaults OF the
Second National Bank has not been injured. The
destruction If the American District Telegraph
office leaves the city without police or fire alarm.