The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-05
Rogers, Peet & Co.'S Building and Two
Costly Structures Badly Damaged.
PRECEDED THE CONFEDERATION
4 Terrific Gale Famed the Flames
Into Ronring Fnrnnce-PostnI
Telegraph service stopped.

STREETS, was almost destroyed by fire. VILE.
worth or properly was destroyed. The IRE
began in the five-story brick building oG-
curied by the mems furnishilg IlIm OF
Rogers, peet & Co.. Gu the southwest cor
ntr OK Broadway and Warren street. ADJ
Joining the Rogers-P eet building ANA south
OF Il was the magnificent white building oil
the Postal Telegraph company. ereetez at
cost of miIliors only a few years ago.
Within a few minutes after the discovery
OF fire the Rogers -Peet building was a
roaring furnace and an alarm had been
turned which brought scores OF engines to
the scene. 1t was but a short tina when
the flames had eaten through tho wall OF
the Home Life and wero roaring high above
the Lofty structure Thousands of peop.e
had gathered Of the scene and the blind
iag saie OF ;ho fames lit up the lower
part Of the city. Even IL tho downpour the
great crowds OF people grew ana the police
reserves were called out from many stations.
and kept the people back for blocks. Great
showers OF sparks were carried in all d.
rectioas by the gale that blew sixty miles
an hour. II was picturesque fire. The
Home Life building was occupied by that
company and by large number OF promi-
nent men in various lines of business. AN
effort was made 10 save the valuable papers
stored In some of the Offices, but many OF
them were lost This offices OF this RAPID
Transit company were on the ninth floor
of this building and it is believed that all
the plans ana schemes of work with which
the commission has been working this
many years have been destroyed,
In the Postal building as We'll there
We're many serious losses of a private ma
tune and whom the flames reached the
operating room, which they did In three
hours, one or two solitary operators who
remained at their posts We're compelled to
flee for their lives, leaving uusent mes
sages ut the keys.
The fire burned even more fisrcely In
the Home Life Insurance building owing
| to the great height of this structure and in
| an incredibly short lime the upper half Of
this magnificent building was in flames.
| Tbs water towers In the street were I'M
able to throw their heavy streams only into
the lever part OF the structure AMI the
| iiremen. though th.y worked with great
bravery and untiHngly. could accomplish
little.
1t was only a question OF time when the
Postal buildings - far as the upper stories
were concerned. waat the way OF the 9th
ers.
Tho estimate of the losses by Chief Boa
ner ut midnight Wa u million dollars, with
probably mere losse.s II the lire continued.
lh9 believed however that he haa he firs
under control
AT o'clock, h<~..yer. it was sin burn
ing r!ercely In FROM and although not 90
5ervAble by the thousands OF spectators.
was burning stun mpre lIercelY An / extend
ing lower down IN rear, IN insurance
man roughly estimates tho losses as fol-
lows:
Rogers, pect * Co.. building and stock.
$3.50 GOO Home Life Insurance. building
and lcsses 10 other tenants, S0Oo0OO, Postal
Telegraph company, building aud losses TO
other tenants. 100000 Losses 20 sur
rounding buildings. $4,000. Chief Bonner
Thought this estimate on The basis II
$l.o00.000 was about nearly coTreot
The fire started in the basement OF the
building occupied by Rogers. Peet & Co.
elouhiers. about O'Clock. Two policemen
standing within half block Of Warren
street heard a loud explosion and a moment
later saw a thin line of smoke curling up
from the side OF the building y; that lime
rain was falling in torrents and che wind
blew a gale. An alarm was sent in, but
before the first engine turned in.o Bload
MAY the Rogers. Peet " Co. basement VAS
tCgsl.g furnace win great flames bursi-
ing rhr0ugh the floors above aDd rushing
Hereby TO he root. Wthn ten AM dteS
live alarms had been sent in, bringing ea-
Sllo after engine 10 tAe scene
by 10 o'clock so rapidly and flercely did
the flames make prJg.ess that mere VS.
no hing but the shell OF the Rogers buald
ing left with the flames roaring 100 feet
across 10 the adjoigdng structure, the Home
Lite Insurance company building. In tle
blindllng rain the tlrsmen worked. stretsn-
ing the iiaes OF hose through she building.
zig !Nt.ng The flames from every side. ssoa
II great wave of fire swept across Warren
street and caught the United States Lie
Insurance company's building at the cor
ner OF West Broadway. The woodwork Oh
4 dozen Windows MAS aflre .a momen%,
and from that time on several streams were
playing on thls building 10 save /. from de-
alructlon.
When the Warren street wall fol- at 1890
a lireman was injured, but not seriously.
Aotng Chief Pesle fell hut was DRAGGED TO