Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-02-14

OFFICE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. build
ing, Katz building, Marshall & Balls, Cohn
building, Old Town Clock, Old Kinne
building, Stevenson building.
TELEGRAPH COMPANIES. - Western
Union Postal Telegraph.
THEATER.-The Garden.
NIWSPAPERS,-T Evening News,
Sunday Chronicle.
STORES. - Quackenbush G. Co., dry
goods; Boston store, dry goods; Globe
store, dry goods National Clothing COM
pany, Kent's drug store, Kinsella's drug
store, Muzzy's, hardware and general mer-
chandise; Marshall Sc Ball, chothiers; John
Norwood, paints; Oberg's grocery, Vert
endyke's grocery, =. II. e. W. G.. Shields,
grocery; "The Paterson" dry goods; Jor-
dams piano store; Sauter & Co., pianos;
FEEDER & McNair, shoes; Bendler's confec-
tlonery; Tarpan's tea store, Ragowskfs
millinery, Brochal &c Mueller, shoes; C. Il.
Beach, automobiles Morehead & Son,
clothiers; Paterson Gas and Electric COM
pany, Skye's drug store and Macintosh
drug store.
Five Hundred Dwellings Burned.
An estimate made from general in
spection of the smoldering ruins
placed the number of dwellings and
apartment houses destroyed at 500 and
the number of families left without
shelter at 1000. A reestimate when
order succeeds confusion may alter
those figures.
Spread of the Flames.
The fire began its work of far-reach-
ing destruction at the power house of
the Jersey City, Hoboken & Paterson
Traction company, which frontcd on
Broadway and extended block to the
rear on Van Houten street. 1t COM
menced in the car shed and was burn
ing fiercely when one of the employees
detected it. 1t was leaping through
the roof and the gale was lifting it in
forks and swirls when the fire apparat-
us came changing into Broadway, Main
and Van Houten. The firemen tried
to hem it in, but it speedily
crossed Van Houten street in one di-
| rection, Main street in another, and,
! gaining vigor as it went, burned un-
! checked down into the business dis
trict. Every piece of fire mechanism
in the city was called out, but fire and
gale were masters.
A Canopy of Fire.
Main street was soon arched over
with canopy of FIRE for block, and
then for two blocks, as the flames
fastened themselves upon building
after building. The firemen fought
with every resource of their craft and
the impulse of desperation, but the
flames found new avenues in Ellison
and Market streets and got beyond
all control. Calls for relief went out
to every city in this portion of the
state, and the iaded firemen laboreC
on through the hopeless hours o.
the morning.
City Hall Burns.
The city hall, a magnificent struc
ture, surmounted by a great clocl
tower, situated on Washington, Eli
son and Market streets, finally caught
and with it went all of the splendiC
business structures that surrounded
it. They made a great furnace o
fire that burned with fierce roar
There was n series of explosions ant
scores of walls fell when the fire lef
them strengthless. Flying firebrand
carried the conflagration over SOM
buildings and around others and i
therefore burned in an irregu;a
course.
A Second Fire.
These brands finally cleared tn
tracks of the Erie railroad and Ram
apo avenue and alighting on Straigh
street started another great area o
fire, in which the destruction and des
olation wrought was nearly as grea
as in the other. This second grea
fire started at the angel of Park ay
enue and Washington street an
: swept almost unchecked until o.
these two thoroughfares there wa
. no more fuel. On the right hand sid
OF Market street, it encountere
Sandy Hill cemetery as barrier t
check it, but on the left hand side n
Carroll street it claimed st. Joseph
church, n great classic stone build
ing. 1t was on this second great fir
that the volunteer firemen from TIL
outside cities did their most heroi
and effective work.
Few Casualties.
, Up to IL o'clock Sunday night n
serious accident was reported at pc
lice headquarters. Mayor Hincl
| cliffe, while watching the firemen a
work during the afternoon received
, slight burn on the cheek from fly
, ing spark. Several firemen were ovel
come, but none of them was inca
pacitated for more than a few mil
utes.
Scores of persons were hurt an
burned, but the loss of life is nc
i. thought to be great. There are man
/, persons supposed TO be missing, br
, in the excitement and fright most {
these are supposed to be separate
n from their families and friends. u
til order is brought out of the chao
! which has existed here, nothing del
mite can be known.