The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-07-14
Midnight Fire at One Time Threat
ened Destruction of En-
tire Building.
A GENERAL ALARM
Brought All Fighting Apparatus
Which Soon Extinguished Blaze.
CAUSE A MYSTERY, AS 1T START
ED IN PART OF BUILDING NOT
OFTEN VIsITED-DAMAGE WILL
AMOUNT TO $1,000 OR $4,000,
PARTLY INSURED.

Fire, which threatened at one time
to destroy the building and stock OF
the Welles-Kahn Co., on South PaIafOx
street, was discovered shortly before
midnight last night, and but for the
fact that there was 40 breeze, the
place would no doubt have been de-
stroyed, together with several others
adjoining.
When first seen the flames were
coming from the rear windows of the
second story, and volumes of black
smoke were pouring from every win
dow and door on the second floor.
The blaze was seen by officer Burn
ham while he was standing at the
corner of Pa1afOX and Zarragossa
streets, and an alarm from box Il
Sent in, which summoned the depart
ment to the scene.
The flames were confined to the
rear portion of the building, where
was stored a large quantity of paper
sacks, wrapping paper, brOOms, wood
en- articles, and goods or like nature,
and as soon as the department reach
ed the scene work was commenced
there. No one who saw the Roadway
of the fire and the faculties to be
encountered in fighting it believed for
an instant that the building would
be saved, but within ten minutes after
the arrival of the department thu
blaze was under control, although it
Threatened to break out again at any
moment.
A General Alarm.
A general alarm was sent in within
a few moments after the arrival OF
the first three trucks, which brought
all of the fire fighting apparatus TO.
the scene. At that time it was not
known whether or not there was any
blaze below, and the firemen could not
venture inside, on account of the
dense smoke. but were compelled to
fight the blaze from The outside for
some time.
When the smoke cleared so as 10
allow the men to go inside 1t was
found that only the rear portion OF the
second story was ablaze, and several
streams of water were played on this
until it was eXtinguished, when the
men turned their attention to other
portions of the building. It was dis
covered that the ceiling was burning,
and this necessitated cutting through
the roof in order that water mighSs
be played on the blaze. Within an,
hour after the alarm was first sound
ed the fire had been extInguished, al
though the men remained about the
building for some time afterwards, for
fear that there might be some fire
smouldering.
origin a Mystery.
The origin of the fire Is a mystery,
inasmuch as the portion of the build
ing, where the blaze started was used
only for the storage Of light goO.ls,
and consequently was not visited very
often. Mr.. Kahn, who arrived at the
fire just before it was extinguished,
said that he could not account for the
starting of the blaze. 1t is evident
that the fire had been smouIderins
for several hours, and only burst out
when it reached a point near one OF
the rear windows.
Loss Will Be Heavy.
The loss to the firm will be heavy.
amounting possibly to seven or eight
thousand dollars. The greatest dam
age however, is from water. While
the fire itself destroyed a large guam
THY of goods, the water which was
thrown in the second-story and which
ran through the floor to the first floor,
caused much damage to the stock OF
tobacco, cigars. -four, meal, coffee
etc, which were stored just under.
meath where the blaze originated. Mr..
Kahn last night could not estimate
the loss, as he did not have any oD-
portunity to see the extent of the
damage suffered from water The
loss, however, is partly covered by