The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-11

many was brief nnd they were forced
to fee scantily clad. into streets glazed
over with leo and swept by the keen
wind
Main Street was soon archcd over with
a canorw OF fire for :. block. and then Tor
two blocks. as the flames fastened them
seives upon building after building. The
firencn fought with every resource OF
their craft and tho impulse OF despera-
ton, but the flames found new avenues
in Ellison and Market Streets. and got
beyond all control.
CALLS FOR RELIEF.
Calls for relief went out to every city
in this portion OF the State and the jad-
cd firemcn labored on through the hope
less hours of the morning. The City Hall,
a magnificent structure, surrhoulted ny
a great clcck-tower situated on WASH
ington. Ellison and Market Streets, flnai-
ly caught, and with it went all OF the
splendid business structures that sur
rounded il. They made q great furnace
Of fire that burned with fierce roar.
There was a series of explosions and
scores OF walls fell when tile tire left them
strengthiAss. FLYING firehrands carried
the confla grafton over some buildings and
around others and it therefore burned IN
an irregular course. These brands were
on the tracks Of Erie and Ramapo Streets
and alishtinc on Straight Street, started
u new area OF fire, in which the destruc-
ton and desolation wrought was nearly
as great as the Other.
This second great fire started at tho
angle of Park Avenue and Washington
Streets AMI swept almost unchecked until
on these two tEorousEfares there was no
more fuel. On the right hand side OF
Market Street it encountered Sandy Iiil
Cemetery as q barrier TO check it, but on
the left hand side. at Carroll Street. IT
claimed ST. Josephs Church, a great
classic stone building. 1t was on TINS
second great fire that The volunteer fire
men from the outside cities did their most
heroic work. They fell back only when
they had to- and When the natural CD
staele interposed they seized the chance
and stopped the fire.
TWENTY-FIVE BLOCKS BURNED.
Tie area of destruction foots up rough
" Twenty-Five city blocks From Main
Street 10 Paterson Street. between Van
little left. On tho block bounded by
Main, Ellison, Washington. and Market
Streets not % single building excepting
that of the Paterson Savings Institution
stands. All along the west side of Main
Street property is wiped out. and Oh the
cast side also, from Market 10 Van Hou-
ten Streets.
tween Washington and Church streets,
great damage has been done. Van tiou-
ten Street is reduced to snofuerlnS debris.
some distance. Ellison Street suffered
from the neighborhood OF Prospect street
on its north side. as far as Church street.
On the south side OF this street thefe- Is
widespread ruin from a distance west OF
Main Street TO the parsonage or the Sec
ond Presbyterian Church, near Paterson
Street.
Main Street to the NIarket-strcet Church,
ON the north Sido and on the south sac.
Nowhere was the scene OF deNastatlon
more marked than north OF the Err ERE ran,
road. in the district bounded by Sixteenth
Avenue and Market Street. There VAS
simply nothing but ashes lett TO ten tiiat
a busy and populouSs section OF inc citS
had ever existed. On WasnliiE.o s go.
between Broadway and Market Stree1,
there is practically nothing LETT. SnuTcn
Street is wiped out on Its west sac. Pc
tween Ellison ana Market Stree's, Us !.
is on the east SIDE.
CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
What started TIC fire is not positively
known. but it is thought one OF the ieea
wires running into the car BARNS W i1s
rcsponsibic From the car barns the
flames leaped to other buildings close ps,
and these we're burned before the hrst
call 1irernen reached the scene. Insloo y.
Two hours the fire had reached Malli
Street. This was the critical POM; NJ hs
firenon sought 10 hold 1t and fai!ed. l i,il't
lrirst Baptist Church was one of the 1lrst
TO go after this $3.50.
The destruction Of the church vas spec &C.
body Of the building. A bis-biazing SPIN
ter was carried through the air anu iots
ed on a window sill. From there NY tne
flames spread mp to the top @ .i.e sp tIs =,
tower blaze6 up and presented a De "a AZ.
fui sight From the tower the flames DC
scended, into the church, and from tlieli
on tho fight was seemingly hopeless. ,,t-
One death was reported as an out
come of the conilagration, q Mrs: Brown,
who. it was said, was oyer eighty YEA .
old.
HOMELESS CARED FOR
The fire mace no headway during me
night. Famed by strong wind, It. burned
,,p fitfully in places during the cary =
hours of the morning. but wherever il
ehare.5 threatening strength the fire
man tnrned streams on 1t and beat y
down. The firen,en were completely eA
hareteil after more than thirty hours
continuous work.. but remained at .ls,l
POSTS. There was conapartiToly S NV
suffering on the part OF tneee rendered
homeless by the fire. and the aIn as.
churches and public shelters opened Ivy .,.l
doors to but few applicants eulins .ne
night Practically every home snat 70
ca,ed Tho flames was thrown open IN q
spirit of broad charity, and nearly every
| refugee found shelter at the. house OF OF
some friend.
The declaration OF Mayor Hincncin1i ta
that the city can care for its own; Is no..
| concurred in by everybody. aud there e., may
| be an appeal later for outside help. Iiio moss,
who are organizing q plan OF reiiet WI ~ !
| soon be able 10 reach a decision O VIZ w:
question of asking aid from other coln-
muniues.
RESUMPTION Or BUSINESS.
With the cmbers still aslow. In the burns
Cd business district commercial Paterson