Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-19
FLAMES RIOT IN ATLANTA
A Gasoline Stove Starts the
WoefuI Work.
MARKHAM HOUSE I'M ASHES
And the Whole Block Was Swept-Loss Nearly
aQuarter Million.
IT is KNOWN THAT ONE LIFE WAS LOST
How Many More Is Conjecture-A Hapless
Face Looked Down on al Helpless
Crowd Through Sheet of
Flame-who Was Hep
T is KNOWN THAT ONE LIFE WAS LOST


by the most disastrous fire in the city's
history last night. The Markham house
block was swept, and 1t is believed sew
eral lives were lost.
The property loss is figured at s275, 900,
with insurance of about half that amount.
The fire started in a little fish market
next to the Palace livery stables, and was
caused by the explosion of small gaso-
line stove. -
When the stove first exploded it was
not discovered Finally, when the fire
caught the livery stable, a number of per-
sons passing the place discovered 1t and
turned in the alarm. In the stable was
a large amount of hay, which served as
fuel for the flames.
The speed of the flames was rapid, and
the American hotel, adjoining the Palace
stables, was soon on fire. Then the Mark
ham house began burning. The hotel
caught from sparks falling on the roof
and through the windows on the side
nearest the fire. The wind carried the
flames toward Decatur street, and the
fire made quick work of the buildings
there. most of them being old and highly
inf1amma BILE.
The houses on Collins street were the
last buildings on the block to catch on
fire, and many of the inmates of the
houses there saved their property and
valuables. The sparks falling on the
tops of four houses on Courtand street
set them on fire and they were partly
burned. The property burned and dam
aged by the flames is as follows:
On Lloyd streets
Markham house and contents-bar, bill
lard room and barber shop.
City freight office of Southern Express
company. .s
Patterson & Co., undertakers.
Palace stables.
Washington hotel
Atlanta Plumbing company
Hunt Tailoring company.
Golden beef market, corner Decatur
and Lloyd streets.
I. G. Clark's bar, corner Decatur and
Lloyd streets.
Decatur stree:
Sam Sun laundry.
Ellis restaurant. a.
Rucker barber shop.
No n Golden market.
Fuller Loan company.
Aster's clothing store.
Milan & Pattersons stable -
atlanta hotel, kept by Madame Gault
Boyd's drug store.
Tittlebaum & Co., bar.
Collins street:
Annie Prices residence.
Fannie Prices residence.
Mauam Rollins residence,
Bell Burton's residence.
Clara Martins residence.
Courtland street:s*
Beyers bakery; badly damaged.
No. AZ, j. Barnshin; badly damaged
Nos. As and ~, CORTLAND Coal and Gro
Gerry company; slightly damaged.
ly damaged.
On the north side of Decatur street the
following were damaged:
No 80, ]. Q. Balser, clothing; stock DAM
aged by water. se
a. Mo; ms~sa %, J. B. W. Watts liqu0r slightly
No. s6, ]. G. Gunther, Matchmaker;
slightly damaged.
No. 100, H. Mulyer, clothing; badly dam
aged by water. the loss being estimated
No. lo2. Handel. clothing; loss estimated
No. 1o4 M. sugarman. dry goods and
clothing; no estimate given.
The most valuable property in the
block was the Markham house. Its value
was estimated at 500, 900 and the insur-
ance on the building amounts to 100000.
One dead body was taken from the
ruins at $3.50 o'clock this morning. It was
thought to be that of boy named GIL
bert employed at the Palace stables.
Nearly 150 persons were in the Mark
ham house. Warning was given them as
quichiy as poSsiDie anu une people nus
tied out. Ten minutes after the Mark
ham was enveloped in q sheet Of flames
the agonized face of man was seen at
first one window and then another.
Whether he was firemtu or guest OF
the hotel could not be told Tho last seen
of him he was at the third window from
the corner Of Lloyd on the third floor. A
moment after he turned away great
mass of the roof crashed in almost over
his head. ,s,.,f,4,r.ss RI
Just how many lives were lost Is not
known. A number Of persons received
injuries and about twenty horses were
burned. Al2sf y lft
1t was after midnight before the flames
were gotten under control.