The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-02-20

HAS BIG FIRE
Business District Threatened.
Loss Over a Million.
FIRE SPREAD BY OIL EXPLOSION
Three Hotels and Five Other largs Build
Ings Were Destroyed In the Most
Spectacular Fire In History Of City.
FIRE SPREAD BY OIL EXPLOSION

Indiana polls. Ind. Feb. ga hre which
started last night in the warehouse OF
Fahnley a McCrea, wholesale millinery
destroyed property valued at sl.1Ooooo.
For four hours the wholesale district,
bounded by Georgia and Meridian streets,
Jackson place and the Union depot sheds,
was menaced.
At $3.50 o'clock three general alarms
brought into action every engine in the
city and suburbs When the fro was
brought under control eight buildings,
among which were three hotels. had been
completely destroyed One Of the fire.
men was hurt by falling walls.
Fire brands fell I'm perfect storm over
the business portion OF the city. and on
every building were stationed companies
OF men equipped with fire apparatus, and
their united efforts succeeded In pre-
venting a general confsgTation.
In the A. Kiefer Drug company's ware
rooms where many barrels OF oils and
explosives were stored. and in the Del
metsch companys wholesale house. where
a big supply OF fireworks were located.
several serious explosions occurred.
MANY NARROW ESCAPES
Crea millinery house, which faces on
Jackson place, across from the Union
station. fell within 80 minutes after the
fire started.
One fireman sustained broken leg,
and in the rush 10 escape from their
perllous position near the falling walls
hundreds OF spectators who thronged the
space in front oNAhe Union station mar
rowly escaped with serious injury.
fell across Meridian street. completely
blocking traffic. but no one was injured
The flames which spread across Louisiana
street were communicated TO the roof OF
the Union station train sheds and for
several minutes the efforts OF the fire.
men were centred in that direction.
The fire. which was one Of the most
spectacular in the history of the city
was under fun headway before an alarm
was sounded.
The first intimation OF a fire was re-
ceived when watchman saw the win
dows on the second and third floors OF
the east front of Fahnley & McCrea's
building burst open, allowing sheets OF
flame TO escope.
THREE ALARMS IN.
general alarm followed by two 9TH
ers in rapid succession, was turned in
and by the time the first company reach
ed the scene the millinery house was al
most completely gutted and the fire had
spread 10 the Kiefer Drug company's
building.
simultaneously the flames broke out
In Jackson place, which bounds the
Fahnley d McCrea buildings on the west,
and almost instantly the flames were
communicated TO the St Nicholas hotel
and the Griffiths Brothers millinery
house in Jackson place and the Savoy
hotel I'm Louisiana street. The occupants
OF the hotels, many of whom had not re
tired, escaped without injury.
Repeated explosions in the burning sec
tion, sent sl1ywar'd a verftable storm of
burning embers. which. fanned by a stiff
breeze from the southeast. we're carried
into the retail district, where they fell,
still burning upon the roofs of the prin-
cipal business houses. Within Is minutes
eight buildings I'm the threatened district
had been totally destroyed.
THE FIRE LOSSES
The following are the principal losses
as estimated by a prominent insurance
man:
Fahnley e. NcCrea, building slB.OO;
loss on stock. 5000 Insurance $3.50. 600:
A. kiefer Drug company. building So
90. stock $250o0, insurance s2i5,Oo0: Grif-
fiths Brothers, building $4,000. stock $780,
600. insurance $4,000: f. G. Delmetsch
company. building SO.Oo stock $4,000 in
surance $500. sherman House, building
SIS. .0o0 stock $4,000. insurance, Sc. 900: Sa-
voy hotel building $4,000. stock $4,000.
insurance $1,000. ST. Charles hotel. build
ing $4,000. stock $4,000, insurance sli. 900;
Muir Millinery company, building 5000
stock $4,000. insurance $4,000. Total loss
81 10000