Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-27
loss 100000.
sRochester, N. Y, the Latest
; Sufferer from Fire.
IA Big Slice Taken Out from Heart Of
: Business Section.
sRsmarkabIy Good Showing OF the
"Firsproof" Buildings.

Rochester, N. Y. Feb. 2S.-The sun
get. tonight, with 10 engines pouring
, streams of water on the ruins of what
was practically the retail dry goods
= district Of this city. for three out Of
Ethe five department stores were con-
stunned In disastrous fire, today, which
caused a loss estimated by insurance
men at 100000.
2 OF this amount $4,000 represents
the loss on buildings and the balance
the loss on stocks of goods and to oc-
Ecupants Of Offices 1t is estimated that
2l,5OO people are temporarily thrown
i out OF work.
The burned district lies on the north
side OF Main street between st. Paul
W. street and Clinton avenue north rum
ming from St. Pauls to the almost en-
tire length Of the block The fire start
ed In the afternoon in the end of the
block in the store of the Rochester
Drygoods Co. and worked west. The
store of the Walkover Shoe Co., the
: next east of the Rochester DrygOOds
Co, was destroyed. but the firemen
!. prevented further spread of the flames
in that direction. Next west was the
store Of the Beadle & Sherburne Co.
i, which was destroyed. then the Marble
block occupied by the Sibley. Lindsay
: & Curr Co. also destroyed. and finally
the history granite building. the lower
part Of which was occupied by the
= Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co, and the
upper part by offices.
& Only the front wall of the marble
building is standing, tonight. The
shell Of the granite building is intact
and the floors are i'm place. but the
- building was Quilted.
& Next west of Sibley. Lindsay & Curr
Co.. with st. Paul street running be-
/. tween. Is the department store of
Burke, F'itZsimmons Hone & Co. That
building was saved. the only damage
being from window glass broken and
water leaking into the storeroom. ON
St. Paul street stood a story build
ing occupied by the wholesale depart
Z. ment Of the Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co.
&, which was destroyed with all its valu
able contents. The loss in this build
d, ing and contents alone is placed at
S1.450.000 The stable of the Siblcy.
Lindsay & Curr co. were also burned
The framework of the granite build
ing is of iron and does not appear to
be injured. The east wall is cracked
In two places and will have to be re-
built. Otherwise the walls withstood
the heat remarkably well.
There was livery stable and some
frame dwellings, on Division street Il
narrow thoroughfarc running in the
rear OF the burned stores and these
were damaged by water and falling
walls The only casualty occurred to
Assistant Chief Frank James. who was
bruised by flying nozzle.
Following is table of the losses:
Granite building. 100000: marble
building. $4,000; Buell. estate. $50. 900:
Cornwel! building. 100000: Kirlcy
building. s35.OO0: Walkover Shoe 90.
10000: Sibley Lindsay & Curr CO..
325O.OOO
The losses on stock was as follows:
Sibley. Lindsay Il curr Co. retail
&35O.000. wholesale. $3.50. 900; tenants
In granite building. 100000: Bcadlc &
SherbNrne Co.. $3.50 900; Rochester
DrygoOds Co. slaO.oo0. The smaller
losses foot up to $4,000.
The fire was discovered at 4.5O A. NJ.
by the night Waterman i'm the employ
of the Rochester Dry Goods Co The
Waterman says 1t started i'm the base
ment from fuse which blew out in the
electric elevator connection. Almost
simultaneously an explosion occurred
In the basement of BeadIe & Shcr-
burne5, rCxt door. Smoke and flames
poured through the elevator grating in
the sidewalk and in an incredibly short
time the buildings were mass of
flames.
The fire department did excellent
work. but the apparatus WAS made
uua;e. for assistance were sent to
Buffalo and Syracuse Each city re-
spOndcd. sending two engines and men
to run them. The Syracuse apparatus
arrived at 945 A. NJ. and the Buffalo
company an hour later.
The Gas Go. has been unable to To-
cate the gates in the mains and gas
is pouring into the ruins.
Following is revised estimate of
losses and insurance: Granite build
Ing. value 100000. loss 5000. 200: insur-
ance S1'".OO0; Sibley. Lindsay & Cur
rie Co. wholesale building $50 OOO
total loss-insuranCe $3.50. coo stock
900. loss total. insurance $3.50 900 {:
Sibley. stock in Granite building slCo.-
900. loss total. insurance 100000: tom
ants effects in Granite building $780,
0W. total loss. insurance $50OOO: Buell.
building s15.00O. loss total. insurance
$4,000: Etlwanger and Barry estate
100000 total loss. insurance SIS OG0:
Cornwall building $4,000. total loss.
insurance $4,000: Readle & Sherburnc
stock $4,000. total loss. insurance
$4,000: other tenants $4,000, loss total.
insurance $4,000: Kirley building So
100: total loss, insurance $4,000:
Rochester Dry Goods Co.'S. $l50.o00. to-
tai loss. insurance s15o.OO0: other ten
ants $4,000. insurance $4,000.
The value of other goods destroyed
amounted to about s1o.N0. with in
sUrance for the same amount. The
total value Of the property burned
foots M to $685. and the insur-
ance to s.. 300. $50.
The Parry Manufacturing Co. ri