The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-02
Three Tall Building and One Small Structure in Business
 District Burned.
TOML|NSON BUILDING IS
 INCLUDED IN THE LOSS
Fire Originated on Morris Avenue But Quickly Spread to First Avenue. Colonel Tominson Will
 Rebuild at Once.

Birmingham yesterday morning suffer- | ed its most destructive fire since the early nineties when the six story Caldwell hotel and a block of buildings directly across | Twenty-second street were destroyed by | the flames
 l As a result of the confagration yes terday three handsome four story brick buildings located on the south side of l First avenue, between Twentieth and i Twenty-frst streets, in the heart of the business district and making up a part of one of the most substantial business 1 blocks in the city, with another smaller building were almost totally destroyed by l fire. Two of the four story structures, as they now stand may be used when the rebuilding process begins, but it is doubtful. They are practically shells and 1t now appears as if new stru.tures will be erected for probably two hurlred feet along First avenue. One of the large buildings is a total loss. only the front wall, blackenfd and chared. remains, and this will probably have to be pulled down to insure the safety of pedestrains
 Nearly $f5o,ooo Loss. The loss from Fire Is estimated by. the insurance peoYAe-; d others to be nearly s15o,00o with between $75,oOo and sS500o of insurance For time 1t ap- peared as if the entire block would be ] consumed by the flames, but through the heroic efforts of the fire department the l flames were checked within three hours time. Two hours later the conhagration had been almost entirely extinguished, although it was found necessary to play two streams of water upon the debris 1 all of yesterday and last night 1 The fire as stated in Sundays Age-Her- aid, was discovered shortly before 1 1 o'clock It started in the one-story es- tabIishment of A. T. Kllan. wholesale grocer and produce merchant at No 2023 Morris avenue. from an unknown cause l The building occupied partly by Klllan | is a one-story brick structure belonging to parties in Mobile. The flames originated in the rear of this store spreading to the place of business of P. Glacoppazzi, No. 2O2l Morris avenue, which was also a one story building.
 When the flames were discovered they were shooting out of the rear of the Fil- Han and the Giacoppazzi buildings. The department responded promptly
 Range of the Flames.
 On either side of the Killian- Giacoppazzi building are rather tall brick structures, and the walls of these were smoked. But the range of the flames was backward through the open court. There were no wire doors or windows in the four-story brick building fronting on First avenue. and the fire leaped to the window sills, soon eating It's way into all of the four | floors. At first the efforts of the fire men were directed to the little structure on Morris avenue but the scene changed and the fire apparatus hurried away to the buildings on First avenue. l If was easy to see at once, however. l that at least one of the four buildings on First avenue was doomed to de- struction. This was the building owned l by Gen. George P. Harrison of Opelika and occupied by T. V. Boardman and oth- CTS This building was purchased by General Harrison last fall. the price paid for the same being s4o,00o
 The Tomlinson Building. | After this building was gutted the flames spread to the east. setting fire to the building owned by Col. John W. Tom- llnson. and Mrs. F. w. Turner of Ash- vile, and known the Tomllnson build ing. w. D. Colby and Askin and Marine. occupied the first floor of this building anc there were law offices and meeting halls on the other floors.
 The flames also leaped to the west. set- ting fire to what is known as the Office building, owned by John M. Caldwell of Birmingham and Mrs. MeInetts of Att lanta. --- From the tops of the adjoining buildings the flames were fought by the fremen, number of streams of water heinz used. All of the apparatus in the fire department of Birmingham was brought into service The aerial truck was stationed on First avenue and 1t did good work.
 When the flames burst through the win dows of the Harrison building the hum dred or more spectators who had gath cred to witness the fire fell back. Glass windows on the north side of First ave- nue in the block just in front of the burn l ing buildings were broken by the intense heat.
 1 It was just before daylight and the | shooting flames lighted up the skies bril- liantiy and the fire could be seen for miles around. Yesterday hundreds of people visited the ruins.
 Fire Works Explode.
 A. Killian stated yesterday after l ~- 1 Continued on Second Paoe.l