Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-22
DYNAMITE HELPED F|REhEN.
Explosion Threw Down Building
 Stopped Spread of Flames.

 Fire Started in Building Directly Op-
 posite the Central Fire Station-It
 Spread so Rapidly Bremen Could
 Not Check It and the Entire Depart
 ment Was Called Out.
 Knoxville, Tenn, Dec 22,-Fire which broke out this morning at 1:3U o'clock in the four-story factory of the Knox vile knitting mills on Commerce ave- nue, spread quickly so surrounding structures. The burning building was just across the street from the Central ire station and no sooner had the men of this station turned out than a gen. eral alarm went in calling the entire fire department to the scene.
 In very short time the large build ing was completely gutted and the fire had spread to the building occupied by Broyles, McLennand $ Lackey on the west, and that occupied by the David Commission Go, on the east
 The flames had eaten their way through the walls on each side and made the first evidence of their ap- proach into new fields by a shower of | flying sparks and falling embers Gain- l ing good foothold by means of these auxiliary fires. the blaze made a second grand burst, hurling frenaen in the rear of the buildings to the ground by the force of the explosions caused by the terrific heat.
 At 2:3O the buildings on the east side of the street between Commerce and 1 Wall avenues seemed doomed Water which was poured on the threatened | structures turned into steam as soon l as it hit the red-hot walls. A few minutes later the large five story building of the George T. Brown Hardware Go, located on Gay street, caught at the rear of the fifth floor. The fire soon spread through it, drop ping to the fourth floor, then down to the third until the building was totally ruined. In the meantime on the east of the burning structures the building | of the large wholesale clothing firm of McTeer, Hood & Co had caught fire on the top floor, the fifth, and it was l slowly devoured by the flames.
 At 2:35 a. m. the Davies Furniture Co.'S building was in flames. Then fol lowed the plant of the Claiborne, Tate & Gown Clothing Go.
 | Chattanooga was asked for aid al 2:3O a. m. and the answer came that an engine company would soon leave that city.
 The B. H. Cate & Co.'S wholesale liquor house was next to go. This same building is occupied by the Shanklin Grain Go and Merchants | Transfer Go.
 The buildings which are doomed are II ~ asol F. TT o <S. I wholesale boots and shoes. at 312 Cav street; Gillespie, Shields & Go, whole sale clothiers, and Brown, Payne Reavor & Go, wholesale dry goods al SIS. 320 and 322 Gay street. If these l burn another million will be added to l the loss. The burning of the big l Brown store was made doubly danger. l ous owing to the large number of car 1 tridges stored in it which exploded like 1 punches of firecrackers. At 3:15 o'clock the fire crossed Gay street westward but the attention of the firemen was 1 directed to the blazing building and if was saved.
 l At $40 it looked as if the fire would not spread farther south than the | Brown. Hardware Go, and the firemen would have better chance of getting 1 1t under control than at any time since it's origin.
 The falling in of the Brown build ing and the explosion of a quantity of l dynamite was a godsend to the firemen and they have taken advantage of the opportunity.
 The entire wire service, street car. electric lights and telephone are par- alyzed, poles having been burned and l wires fallen by the hundreds. No one has been more than slightly hurt. | The origin of the fire is a mystery Charles Parham, owner of the Knox vile Pants Go, in which the fire start l ed, visited his place Sunday. He says there has been no fire in it since Sat urday.