The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-10-22

rEsrERDAr,s NOON FIRE

occasioned Loss of About $4O,0OO--
 Daniel Dore's Block on Grand Avenue,
 Between East and Wallace Streets, Was
 the Scene ofthe Blaze-Narrow Escape of
 Johnnie McGovern-Fire Caused by Ex-
 plosion of Oil Tank-Good Police Service
 Electric Cars Not Stalled.
 About noon yesterday, fire, which proved to be 8 disastrous one, broke out in the brick block at 571-579 Grand avenue, between East and Wallace streets. owned by Daniel Dore The fire was caused by the explosion of a kerosene oil tank in the cellar of MT. Dore's store, at No. 571 The cause of the explosion Is unknown. At the time the lire was discovered Mrs. Dore, who IS cashier at her husbands store, and Edward McEnroe, clerk were the only persons in the store. An employe of the Standard Oil company had just been in the store and filled up the oil tank. Mrs. Dore says that he had just left when she suddenly saw a flash and heard loud report. The store was al- most instantly filled with smoke and flame, and Mrs. Dore rushed from the room and upstairs, where her six chill dren were eating dinner. She succeed ed in getting them down stairs before the apartments were afire. The force of the explosion blew out the windows of the front of the store and scattered produce and other goods over the side- walk.
 The first alarm was sent in by officers of the Grand avenue precinct, and soon after Fire Commissioner Macdonald sent in second alarm. Soon after the explosion, the flames burst through the front of the building. The blaze spread in spite of the efforts of the firemen into the third floor, occupied by John McGovern, employed by the New Haven Carriage company. In the apartments on the third floor was twelve-yea old Johnnie McGovern. He rushed to the front windows, and on the advice of those standing below jumped to the ground, escaping without serious in- jury. The flames soon spread to an adjoining building, owned by Mrs. Pet CT Mcintyre, and caused considerable damage there.
 The total loss by fire and water is estimated at $40000. Mrs. Mcintyre claims that he loss is $2, 900.
 Next to Dore's store is a shoe store kept by Jacob Fleischner. Water caus- ed damage to his store, as he claims, to the amount of $500O. He has $500 insur- ance Adjoining this is saloon kept by Welch & Kelly, This is damaged to the extent of about $S00 The fire did not get into Hahn's bakery next door to the saloon, although at one time it looked as though 1t would
 It is thought that about three bar ance on his stock is $2,O00. The loss of William Keegan, the druggist, who oc- cupied a store on the ground floor, is about $5,000, with an insurance of $1,500 on his stock.
 r Over Keegans store James Cafferty, an enploye of the New Haven Clock company, lived, and all his household furniture, amounting in value to $500, was destroyed The same is true of the furniture of John Mahoney who lives in the same house. Tn the next entrance lives John Tanning an employe of Mallory, Wheeler & Co, and Mrs Maria Dowd
 Mr. Dores damage Is given at $25000 to the buildings. $2.5oo to his stock and to his furniture, $1,000 He lost val- uabel piano and violin.
 The two blocks were valued at s2000 and the estimated damage on the build- ings is $5,O00
 Daniel Dore, the owner of the build ings, was on duck hunting expedition yesterday, and the store was in charge of his wife when the fire occurred.
 The families who occupied the tene- ments are John McGovern, wife and three children; Daniel Dore and family; John Tanning and family, Mrs. Holly and children, John Reilly and family James Mahoney and family, John Dowd and family, Patrick Doherty and fami- ly and James Kelly.
 Several lines of hose were stretched across Grand avenue, making the pass age of electric cars impossible. Man sger Graham of the road was in charge of the selectric line and upon the ar rival of each caf the motorman was in- structed to return over the route. In 1 this manner the cars were not stalled, as is usually the case
 i Fire lines were established by the po- lice under the direction of Office Clan- 1 cy of the Grand avenue station. Fully 40OO people witnessed the fire from ad- | joining streets. The work of the police | in keeping the crowd within bounds | afforded the firemen an opportunity of i working to an advantage around the