The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-05-04
PITTSBURGH FIRE.
Jenkins, Wholesale Grocers. Horne 8
Co.'S Sx-Story Dry Goods House,
Duuuesne Theater, Methodist Book Con.
Germ, the Speer Mansion. Mayors Glove
House, Huck's Cigar Factory Sna-r =,
mans Carpet House Destroyed. =

Duquesne Theater, Methodist Book Con.
Germ the Speer Mansion. Mayors Glove
House, Huck's Cigar Factory. Sna-r -
mans Carpet House Destroyed. =
PITTSBURGH, Pa, May 3.-The great
est fire that has visited this city since
the memorable one of 1915 started
shortly after midnight in the immense
wholesale grocery establishment OF
Thomas C. Jenkins on Penn avenue
and Liberty street, and at 2:30 o'clock,
Monday morning was still burning
fiercely. Three large blocks, extend
ing from Liberty to Penn avenue and
from Fifth street to Sixth street, have
been reduced to smoldering ruins,
and while the fire is now, believed
to have spent its fury, it is not yet iun-
der control. The loss will exceed 81
600, 600, and it is we'll covered by insur-
ance. Among the buildings destroyed
are Jenkins Wholesale grocery estab-
lishment, Horne'S siX-storyl drygoods
establishment, Horne's Office building,
the Duquesne theater and the, Metho-
dist Book Concern
The fire Started in the cellar of the
Jenkins building in pile Of barrels
filed with waste paper. The flames
were discoveredIb by Watchman William
Hunter while making his rounds on
the third floor. He had smelled smoke
earlier in the evening. but believed
that it came from the outside and had
paid no attention to it. The flames
had leaped rapidly up the eleva-
tor shaft and he made a vain
attempt to extinguish the fire with
buckets of water. An air draft
used to ventilate the great building
famed the flames, and he found it i'm.
possible to do anything. He made his
escape from the building with great
difficulty because of the immense vol
ume of smoke. The alarm was turned
in about the same time by Officer Mil
ton Bailey, who noticed smoke issuing
through the window.
The fire ate it's way SO rapidly that
the fremen narrowly escaped the
falling debris. Flames filed Penn ave-
nue. completely and shot into the air
200 feet or more, presenting one of the
most magnificent sights seen for years.
The splendid buildings of Joseph
Horne Il Co., opposite, caught and the
fremen worked desperately to prevent
it's loss. At o'clock the Horne build
ing was burning from cellar to roo;
and the flames had communicated to
Horne's immense office building adj
joining. p, "
The structure was of stone and also
six stories in height. 1t was occupied
h. VIZ g.
Bon Marche Glove Co.; Snaman's car
pet house and scores of physicians.
Hucl1s cigar, factory and Hall Bros.
building next fell victims to the fire
fiend, and they were quickly. followed
by the Duquesne theater, Methodist
Book Concern building and the Sur
prise,clothing store. The latter was an
immense ive-story building running
back depth of 200 feet. -'''
AS soon as the fire attacked these
buildings several streams of water
were turned on them, but the water
had no more effect than if it was not
an extinguisher The flames from the
burning oil in the Jenkins building
rolled out against them, and in five
minutes the two beautiful Horne build
ings were burning briskly. The fremen
then left the Jenkins building to its
fate and used their united and des.
'perate efforts to save the Horne build
ings. All the streams OF water that
could be summoned were turned on
these buildings, but! they were now
one mass Of fire. The fire department
then turned their attention to the sur
rounding buildings, but the raging
flames rapidly ate their way to all
sides.
At 3 o'clock the fire was finally mas
tered, but was still burning with in
tense fury within the limits of the
blocks bounded by Fifth and Sixth
street east and west, and Liberty and
Penn avenues north and south. The
loss, it is now believed, will be greatly
in excess of the first estimates and is
placed at So, 900, 600.
A number of fremen were injured
by falling wires, but none of them are
seriously hurt
The individual losses, as far as could
be obtained at this hour, are as fol.
lows:
AAOA hS ~ w., uAy SOOVS dAo OACo
building, with stock, $1,000, 900, cover
ed by insuran ce in hundred insurance
companies; T. c. Jenkins, $500, 900 on
stock and 5000, 600 on buildings.
The Duquesne theater is still burn
ing, and the loss will probably reach
$50, 600; Mayors glove house, 5000;
w. P. Grier e Co., SIC, 1000; Snaman's
carpet house, the Methodist Book Con-
Germ building, with tenants, proba bly,
$50, 900; Hucll's cigar factory, $4,000;
Speer mansion, $50, 600; tenants of
Horne office building, $50, 600. Small
losses were sustained by j. D. Chant
Ter. Beesom Paper Co., Harmony
creamery and Force & Briggs Ma
chinery Supply Co.
In No. 500 Penn avenue the Mol
linger Remedy Co. occupied two floors,
while on the lower floor was Sweeney's
military parlors. Jordan's millinery
establishment, the Novita Remedy Co.
and DIR. T. I. Baskerwitch occupied