The herald., 1897-04-09
DYNAMITE
AND FLAME
Work FrightfuI Havoc at
Knoxville
SOME LIVES ARE LOST
But How Many Cannot Be
Told
SCORES OF PEOPLE INJURED
By Bricks Which Were Sent Flying by
Dynamite
ARTILLERY rs USED TO KNOCK
DOWN WALLS
The Lowest Estimate Names Million
Dollars as the Aggregate Losses
Observation-Disclosures Are
Already at Work
ASS ociated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, April s.-Never
in the history of Knoxville has the city
suffered such a loss by fire as it did to-
day, following the breaking out of flames
at an early hour this morning in a gro
Gerry store adjoining the big Knox hotel.
The hotel and adjoining buildings were
soon in flames, and the very heart of the
city. including some of the largest
wholesale and retail houses in the south,
was destroyed. The loss was variously
estimated at from one to one and half
million dollars. with about 60 per cent of
insurance. The loss of life is very un-
certain. as the register OF the hotel in
which fifty-six people we're sleeping, was
burned. The proprietor of the hotel said
he had five or six guests who have not
put In an appearance. A. e. Weeks of
Locke. N. T.. drummer for Rochester
stamping company. il known to have
perished In the flames. r. w. Hopkins,
a St. Louis drummer, was last seen in
the burning building In suffocating con-
dition. w. H. Keppart, ex-secretary of
the chamber of commerce, saved the life
of John Bodle, an old farmer. by drag
ging him to window and letting him
out on the roof of another building
Keppart jumped one story and was in
jured. When the firemen thought all the
inmates Of the hotel had escaped, a wo-
man with an infant in her arms rushed
to the rear windows and screamed for
help. A net was quickly stretched and
the woman was asked to drop the child
out but as the smoke almost choked her,
she told them that If somn one had to
die, both would die. The woman was
finally rescued by fireman.
From the hotel building, which is five
stories, the fire spread rapidly stiff
breeze making the flames very ugly, and
the fire department was inadequate.
In the wholesale hardware house of
w. w. Woodruff & Co. a dynamite ex-
ploslon occurred and scores of people
were hurt by flying brick and glass 1t
became necessary at last to have the
walls of one building blown down by
cannon to stop the fire. A mountain
howitzer Of the Knoxville legion was
called into requisition and load Of can
lister did the work, at the same time tear
ing up some residences in different por-
ton Of the city.
The city authorities, realizing that the
fire department was unable to conquer
the flames, telegraphed to Chattanooga
for assistance. An engine was placed
aboard a fiat car and started on the
run of III miles, which was made by
Engineer in 100 minutes. breaking the
record. When the engine arrived here
the fire was about under control, yet the
Chattanooga boys did some good work.
A cabinetmaker named p. G. Dyer fell
dead on the street from fright. A man
named Robinson, from Pulaski, Tenn, Is
supposed to be another victim. He was
registered in the hotel and has not
shown UP.
A large force Of men Is at work clear.
ing the debris tonight and searching the
ruins. Street traffic is entirely sus-
pended.
Knoxville architects received orders
today for plans for eleven buildings to
take the places OF the ones burned. All
the buildings are to be replaced at once.
The principal losses as given tonight
are as follows:
THE MONEY LOSS.
McNulty Grocery company. stock.
$4,000; on building. $4,000.
Hotel Knoxville. furniture and fix-
lures, $4,000.
Daniel Brisco Brothers & Co., dry
goods, stock. 100000. and on building,
$40. 900.
McNulty and McGhee. building. si5.-
900.
S. B. Newman & Co.. printers, $l5, 900.
w. w. Woodruff & Co., hardware,
stock. $4,000.
Cullen & Newman, queensware. $4o,-
900.
J. c. Cullen, building, 100000.
Heneger. Doyle & Arnold, clothing,
$4,000.
NJ. D. Arnold, building, $4,000
NJ. l.. Ross & Co., groceries, stock, $780,
900; on building, $4,000.
w. w. Woodruff & Co., hardware, on
stock, 100000; on building, $4,000.
Murphy & Robinson. hats, $4,000.
A. p. I4ahr. dry goods, $4,000.
r. s. Payne. building, $50, ,00O
Steerchi Bros, furniture, $4,000.
Sanford, Chamberlain & Albers,
drugs. stock. $4,000; building. $4,000.
Cusick stables. $4,000.
e. Il. Mcmillan. building. $4,000.
In addition to the destruction Of sew
esal smaller buildings and losses to