The herald., 1896-12-21
The Selma Fl0urmiII Goes Up
in Smoke
A WHOLE FAMILY CREMATED
BY a Fire Resulting from q Lamp
Explosion
Conflagrations at Various Places Bring
Ruin to Owners of Buildings and
Owners of Merchandise.
Associated Press Special Wire

SELMA, Cal, Dec. 20.-C. Bachtolds
water and steam power Touring mill was
burned this morning with everything in
1t. 1t is thought the building was set On
fire. as the mill was not running yester-
day. The loss on the building is $17, 900
on building $4,000. Insurance on every
thing, $4,000. Six thousand dollars
worth Of cordwood was burned in the
yard, which Is not included in this list.
A LAMP EXPLOSION.
NEW YORK, Dec 20.-The explosion
of piano lamp on the second floor of the
four-story residence. 59i West Eighth
street, resulted in the loss OF Ave lives
tonight. The dead are: Aaron Gold
smith. As years old; Clothilde Goldsmith,
his wife, 33 years old; Bertha Goldsmith,
10 years old; Harry Goldsmith, years
old; Frank Goldsmith, 6 years old. The
only other person in the house at the
time of the fire was Mary Rosa, do
mestic servant, who saved her life by
jumping out of the window.
The family was together during the
evening, the only member of the house.
hold. a Mr.. Horsch, a brother of Mrs.
Goldsmith, having gone out shortly after
the evening meal. According to the
story told by the servant, she was on
the third floor Of the building In the act
of putting Frank and Harry the two
youngest boys, to bed, when she heard
the cry Of fire coming from the floor be-
low, with calls to her to come down. She
ran out Of the bedroom and hurried
down stairs, the little children following
her. AS soon as she looked into the front
room on the second floor she saw the
whole front end Of the room ablaze. Then
she became frightened and ran out into
a rear room and jumped from an open
window to the ground. What more nap
pened she does not know, but she says
that the fire was caused by the upsetting
Of the large piano lamp.
A THEATER DESTROYED.
NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j., Dec. 21-
One of the most destructive fires that
has occurred in this place in many years,
broke out at 80 a. m. in Aliens the
ater building, which is situated at the
corner of George and Albany streets.
The building is $50 feet front on George
street and 22O feet on Albany street, ami
| chambers of New Brunswick and the
| traction company's office; also the
| Masonic rooms. On the ground floor is
! Leonard Schiegib's cafe. The fire start
| ed in the rear of the stage and quickly
! Quilted the building. John O'Brlsn,
stage manager of the theater, was
| found lyiEg OH his trunk in an uncor-
scious condition. He was taken out by
firemen.
Joseph Gastner ard wife, janitors OF
the building, were found on the fourth
floor of the burned building, running
from one room to another. They were
also rescued.
The whole fire department was sum-
moned to the scene. The adjoining
property Is threatened.
The burned building is owned by the
Newark Building association, having
been built in 1872 at a cost of $240, ,001,
and it is said to be the largest building
in the city The cause of the fire Is un-
known.
A VIRGINIA TOWN.
EAST RADFORD. Va, Dec 2o.-About
2:30 o'clock this morning fire was dis
| covered in the grocery store of c. J. Noel
on First street. The flames spread very
| rapidly, consuming thirty-five houses,
of which the majority were stores. The
loss Is estimated at over 100000, with
| insurance of only about $10,0 900. Most of
the goods were saved. The heaviest
losers are Roberts s, Co., dry goods; Wy
gall & Co., druggists; Noel's -cAocery;
Lyle & Carson, drugs; Kohlh housen's
| jewelry store; Clark. jewelry; Linsley,
| dry goods; Phillips, drugs; the postof1ice
and number of small firms. The fire
company from Roanoke was summoned,
| but arrived too late to be of assistance.
Most of the buildings were frame.
IN MASSACHUSETTS.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass, Dec. 20.-One of
| the greatest conhagrations that has
| occurred in Worcester county for many
| years broke out in the heart of the bust
ness section at an early hour today,
! and before it could be controlled four
| large business blocks and three other
| buildings had been reduced to ashes,
| entailing a loss of over 100000, upon
| which there is $65 900 insurance 1t Is
| not known what caused the fire, but
| flames were first noticed in two different
| places in the big three-story wooden
| block owned by II. E. Gum. he build
| ings owned by A. r. loft, Christian
| Gredig and E. Goldthwaite were de-
| stroyed. The arrival of a section of the
| Worcester fire department was timely
| and the flames were subdued.
| DOWN IN GEORGIA.
| INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, Dec. Pop.
| H. Fitzgerald who, with other Indiani
ans, owns property in the town of Fitz-
| gerald. Ca, received dispatch today
announcing that fire had destroyed all
| the business blocks on Grant street on
| both sides. Loss, $4,000; insurance,
| about $25,000
CALIFORNIA PRODUCTS.