The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-03-04
DISASTROUS FIRE
Sweeps Rochester
NEW YORK CITY VISITED BY THE
WORST CONFEDERATION
IN ITS HISTORY.
LOSS is ESTIMATED
AT FIVE MILLIONS


Blaze Begins in Basement of a Dry
Goods Company's Building and
Soon Spreads Beyond Controi-Ap-
pea1s for. Assistance Made.
Rochester, N. Y, Feb. 27.-The worst
confiagration in the history of Roches-
ter broke out a few minutes before five
O'Clock Friday morning in the basement
of the Rochester Dry Goods company's
store at 156-166 Main street, East. The
fire, which, according to the night
Waterman in the store, Thomas Con-
nors, was discovered soon after it start
ed, spread with such rapidity
that by the time ar alarm was turned in
the entire front Of the store was a mass
of flames. The fire department respond
ed promptly. Assistant Chief Jaynes
realized at once the dangerous nature
of the fire and turned in a general alarm.
By this time the flames had spread to
the building occupied by the dry goods
firm of Beadle & Sherburne company.
Chief Little arrived on the scene
shortly after the general alarm was
sounded. He realized that the flames
were beyond the control of the local de-
partr1ent, and appeals for more fire ap-t
paratus were sent to the chiefs of the
Buffalo and Syracuse departments.
Nearly five hours later four steamers
arrived from Syracuse.
Within an hour after being discovered
the fire had spread to the big granite
building occupied by the firm of Sibley,
Lindsay & Curr and by hundreds of bust
ness and professional men. Flames also
spread to the buildings in the rear of
the Granite block. The extreme cold
made fire lighting difficult and hazard
ous, as the ladders were coated with ice.
Assistant Chief Injured.
Assistant Chief Frank A. Jaynes was
hurt about nine o'clock and was re-
moved to Hahneman hospital. He was
struck in the head by the flying nozzle.
This was the only accident reported up
to 1890 o'clock. The loss is estimated
between 81 100000 and SIS, 1000, 900, most
of which fell On the Sibley, Lindsay &
Curr company, the Beadle & Sher-
burne company, the Rochester Dry
Goods company and the Walkover Shoe
company. The loss to the business
offices in the Granite building cannot be
estimated at this writing. The plans
and estimates for the mammoth new
block that the Sibley, Lindsay Il Curr
company contemplated building in the
spring and the original plans and speci-
fications for the new high school were
destroyed. Almost the entire tenth
1oor of the Granite building was occu-
pied by the Vacuum Oil company, a
branch of the Standard Oil company.
The Bradstreet Mercantile Agency also
had offices in this building. Sew
eral engines from the Buffalo fire
department arrived at II o'clock. At
that hour the fire was still burning
ferceiy, but Chief Little believed that
the flames could be kept under control.
as there was no wind blowing. The fire
men used dynamite early in the morn
ing, but the use of explosives was 0
abandoned. A portion of the Kirlev
building, occupied by the Rochester Dry
Goods company, fell. The front OF the
occupied by the Beadle &
Sherburne company also fell into the
street with a dull roar, carrying with it
mass OF burning timbers, brick and
plaster. Trolley wires broke and eight
hremen had narrow escapes from in
jury. The fire zone was guarded by
large details of policemen.
The fire started so early in the morn
ing that very few people were on the
street, but by six o'clock there were
thousands crowding the scene of the
disaster. The explosions of dynamite
used to check the spread of the flames
were supplemented by the thunder of
falling walls. Mayor Cutler and Com
missioner of Public Safety Gilman were
on the scene shortly after the fire
was discovered
Cause Of the Blaze.
The fire is reported to have started
In the basement of the Rochester Dry
Goods company at 4:3O. A fuse
connected with the electric motor that
! ILLS LIZ clcfdCOI DleN Out n the
next moment flames were rushing up
the elevator well. In a few minutes
the building was in flames. The fire
spread to the Walkover Shoe company,
just east Of the Rochester Dry Goods
company, and this building was entire
ly Quilted.
Insurance men now estimate the loss
at from $4,000 900 to $ 5000, 900.
In the afternoon the iremen had the
fire apparently under complete con-
troll.
Fire in Pennsylvania Town.
z Scranton, Pa, Feb. 27.-Fire Friday
destroyed the business portion Of the
town of Nicholson, situated on the
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
railroad, about 20 miles west Of here.
Seventeen buildings. all Of them frame
structures, 81 burned, causing aloss
estimated at $4,000.
Bryan Calls on Mcclellan.