The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-14
MOBILES FIRE LOSS
PROPERTY VALUED AT s5OO,oOo WAS
 CONSUMED.
Commercial Hotel Was Swept Away
 Along Wfth Historic Battle
 House, and Other We'll Known Business Es- tabliahments.
Advertiser Bureau,
 AHaAt1n TnA A

Advertiser Bureau, Mobile, Feb. l3. The scene in Mobiles fire-swept dis
 trict today is a desolate one. Where
 the fine and historic old Battle House
 reared its walls to the skies yesterday
 Is today a mass of ruins marking a
 loss that may reach $50O,000. with in-
 surance estimated at $200,000. At daylight this morning the fire was
 under control. but not before the Con-
 mercial Hotel, owned by A. Daoovich
 next south of the Battle House. had
 been destroyed. A half dozen or more
 other business establishments were also
 burned by the fire which started about
 II o'clock Sunday night in the Battle House.
 The losses and insurance in the Bat tie House fire, so far as can be ascer- tained tonight, are as follows: Battle House. loss $4O0,000. insurance $150,0o0: Sutton Bros, druggists, loss $5.000,
 insurance $2.500; Rosenfeld Tailoring Company, loss $10.000, insurance $2,350; L. s. Graham Printing Company, loss S25, 900, insurance $10,000; Arthur Hall, cigar and news stand, loss $2,500, in- surance $9Oo: Gulf City Pressing Club,
 S1.500; J. w. Scheible. $3,O00; J. C.. Hensch, tailoring establishment. Il St.
 Francis Street, loss $5,000; Provost Goal Company, 69 St. Francis Street, loss
 $500; Johnston Coal Company, 69 St.
 Francis Street, loss $500. insurance not given.
 The Commercial Hotel. adjoining the Battle House on Royal Street, is total loss. Its value was $30,000. insurance $10,O00.
 Many offices on St. Francis Street
 opposite the Battle House were food
 ed. Chief Price and Fireman Frank
 McMahon were slight injured during the progress of the fire. Origin of | the fire has not been ascertained. The work at the fire of the Mobile police under the active direction nf Chief Rondeau and Lieutenant Davis,
 was praised by the crowd which. at o'clock, numbered at least ten thou
 sand persons. Many of those compos- ing the crowd of spectators came from
 long distances and walked, the car ser
 vice of the city being suspended
 through. the fire. The crowds which
 blocked approaching thoroughfares to | Royal Street were attracted by the glow of the fire in the winter sky. For the first time at a big fire in | Mobile tho fire lines which were the subject of a recent ordinance by the | City Council. were rigidly drawn, and | within the dangerous area encompass eo py the towering walls or the bnrn- ing structure, no one but firemen, police, insurance representatives and
 newspaper reporters were admitted This greatly, facilitated the work of the f1remen.
 The Battle House was built fifty
 three years ago and was one of the | landmarks of the South. From it's Royal Street balcony Willard Fillmore, stephen A. Douglass and Jefferson Davis addressed Mobilians.- During
 its entire history. 1t was the head
 quarters of those who made Alabama history, when they came here. Its
 passing has caused many heartaches throughout the State
 Mir Wizard, the owner. is undecided
 as to what his future course will be. All Mobilians hope he will build and
 operate the new Battle Houes