The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-06
WIND 60 MILES AN HOUR
HOSE-PIPES NOT LONG ENOUGH
TO REACH TO THE TOPS.
WINDS R0A0EO AND FIRE CRACKED
AMion Dollars Damage Done 10 Rogers, Peet
& Co Home Life Insurance Compa-
ry, Post Telegraph Compa-
ny and 0,her Structures.

New York. Dec. 5.--Lower Broadway,
while the wind was roaring through the
streets ut the rate of 60 miles an hour,
had Sunday night one of the most de-
structive fires in years.
The five-story building in the south
west corner of Broadway and Warren
street, occupied by Rogers, Pect " Co.,
was destroyed. the 20-story structure of
the Home Life Insurance Company ar
256 and 157 Broadway. was burned
down to the eighth floor and the eight
story building of the United States Life
Insurance Company, nj the northwest
corner of Broadway and Warren street
was badly damaged. \ small building
mt II Warren street was destroyed
The operators on the upper floor of the
Postal Telegraph and Cable Company
2o-story building, at 25S Broadway.
were driven out. and the wire c0nnec-
tions were melted by the flames.
The loss is estimated at million dol
lars.
1t is difficult to trace the exact origin
of the fire. Policemen Everett and
u.
the basement of the establishment of
Rogers. Peet q CO. They promptly
gave the alarm. and within ten minutes
the entire structure was in flames.
WIND ROARED AND FLAMES
CRACKLED.
The windows, broken by the fierce heat.
gave the high wind full play. The flames
t,,I 70
ing buildings.
The building of the United States Life
Insurance Company. directly across
Warren street. took fire ut first in the
windows. The light frames surrounding
the glass panes were soon ignited. With
in a short time the fire made its way to
the twelfth floor of the Home Life In
surance Building. and the flames worked
upward to the roof and downward to
the eighth floor.
TWO EXPLOSIONS CLOSE To
GETHER.
Following the discovery of the fire in
the basement Of the Rogers. Poet & Co.
building there was an explosion. A sec
ond and more violent detonation was
heard a few minutes afterward.
Fire alarms brought the fire apparatus
in the lower part Of the city to the place.
Great difficulty was found by the fire de-
partment in reaching the upper floors of
the Home Insurance Company Building.
At quarter past II O'Clock the ele-
yator fell from the sixth floor to the
fifth Several firemen were in the ele
vator, but none were injured.
AMMUNITION STORED NEAR BY.
The building and II Warren street,
occupied by Charles Godfrey, dealer in
guns, bicycles and sporting goods. c. b.
Cotton and the Waverly Laundry and
Machine Company, and which adjoins
the Rogers Peet & Co. building, had not
caught fire up to midnight, although the
fremen feared that it would be reached
by the flames, notwithstanding their cx-
ertions. Godfrey's store was said TO con-
tain a quantity of ammunition.
BIG FIRE At ST. AGNES CHURCH
st. Agnes Catholic Church. on East
Forty-third street, between Third and
Lexington avenues. was greatly DAM
aged by fire early Sunday morning. The
loss is estimated at 100000, covered by
insurance.
An expert examination will be needed
to determine the damage sustained by
the numerous paintings, statues and
marble affairs in the church.
A strange feature of the fire was that
all the statues and paintings of st. Ag-
nes in the church. as well as the relics
of the saint enshrined there. escaped
the flames. smoke and water. In one
costly stained glass window the figures
OF two saints were destroyed and that of
ST. Agnes standing between them was
untouched.
THE TOTAL LOSS 100000.
New York. Dee "a large force of
fremen was busy this morning pouring
water on the buildings involved in the
big Broadway fire last night. \ gang
of men set Mt work tearing down the
walls OF the building in which was the
store of Rogers. Poet * Company.
Deputy Chief Croker stated that i'll
his opinion the losses would not be as
heavy as at first estimated lie places
the total loss at $50000v.