Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-12
4 VERY STUBBORN FIRE Ragged in the Whitney Building
 Last Night. LOSS RUNS INTO THOUSANDS With Full Insurance Whole Block of Build ings Threatened, But Saved by
 Good Work

Last night for the third time in less than two years the Whitney building, on Twenty-first street, between First and Second avenues, was threatened with de- struction by fire.
 It was about o'clock that the fire was discovered in the building and immedi- ately the alarm was turned in from box 22, located at First avenue and Twenty first street. The fire department made quick run and soon had several streams of water playing on the building. but it was with the greatest difficulty that the flames were reached. and for that reason the department was more than an hour and a half extinguishing them.
 The fire seems to have originated in or near the elevator shaft and was con fined to that and the third floor. But the steamers were kept busy pumping water, one from First avenue and the other from Second avenue, the greater portion of the time.
 For a time it seemed as if the entire block of buildings between First alley and Second avenue would be swept away, but by valiant work the fremen confined the flames to the Whitney bnild- ing, and in fact saved the greater part of that.
 Just how the fire originated is un-
  occupied the building, stated to a State Herald reporter last night that he left the store about 6:30, and at that time saw no signs of fire. The store, he said, had had fire in it all day, but that had been allowed to burn out and was very small when he left. The store flue, so far as he knew was not defective. The store f1ue runs near the elevator shaft, in which the fire originated.
 The entire building of three floors was occupied by Robert Gary & Co.,, whole sale dry goods, notions. etc., who carried a large stock of goods. The stock was badly damaged by water, though only comparatively small part of 1t burned. The bnilding is owned by F. H. Whit ney of Iowa and is controlled by w. B. Leedy & Co. The losses are fully cover ed by insurance.
 It was impossible to ascertain last night the exact loss but it will proba bly, approximate 1000. The building was valued at $10,000 and the stock at $25,- 000 They were insured as follows:
 The Building.
 Represented by w B, Leedy & Co.,: Phenix of Brooklyn. .................$2 750 Phenix of Hartford. ord.................. 5000 Sun Insurance office. e................. 750 Tota1...... ......................$6 .$6. 300
 Office Fixtures.
 Scottish Union and National. repre- scented by the Birmingham Under writers Agency y.....................$25 $250
 Stock of Goods.
 Represented by w. J. Dangaix & Co.,: Royal Insurance Co................$ 2.500 Lancashire Insurance Co....... 1000 Home Insurance Co. of New York. 5000 Represented by John G. Smith & Co.,: Aetna Insurance Co................ 1,600 Hamburg Bremen. en................ 2,000 Connecticut. .................. 1.500 Represented by w. B. Leedy & Co.,: Sun Insurance office. 2.5O0 Norwich Union. n..................... 2,500 Scottish Union and National, rep resented by Birmingham Under writers Agency. y.................. 1.500
 
 $1S,O00
 Total.
 Insurance on building $500 Insurance on fixtures. ............ 250 Insurance on stock. ck................. 1S000
 
 $24, ,750