The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-06


 Birmingham, Feb. Is.--(SpeciaL l---A conservative estimate made of the Iosses and insurance by the eonfiagra. tion which started this morning on Morris Avenue and Twenty-first Stree, in the second story of the building oe- cupied by Stiles, Franklin & Stiles, pro- duce commission merchants, and which lasted several hours, at one time threat ening the entire business portion of the city, gives insurance involved about $201,SS7 and the losses S1I0,00O. Con- siderable of the insurance Is carrie out of Birmingham. so that it will bs day or two longer yet before the ex- act amount Is known.
 The fire originated from a stove, 1t Is believed, and when the police odicer saw the blaze 1t had gained much head way A telephone alarm was sent to the fire department, which responded promptly. A second and third alarm called out the Highlands departments, and every piece of apparatus in the city was soon at work There had been rain falling for several hours previous to the fire and the sleet and ice of yester- day morning was still on the building tops, which probably accounts for no other bIazes In other sections, many sparks and chdnks of fire being carried from the connaBration by heavy wind which was prevailing at the time.
 The fire was discovered at 12:55 o'clock this morning. By o'clock 1t had not only wiped out the two-story structure on Morris Avenue, in which 1t started, but had totally consumed the four-story building on First Avenue and Twenty-first Street, occupied by Robert Garry & Co.,, wholesale dry goods and notions. on the lower floor; pr. O. T. DozIer G Son. on the second floor, and a number of offices on other floors; the four story building of John W. Tomlin- son, adjacent to Garry, occupied by Buchannon's Candy Company, and the Colby Decorating Company Sn the low CT floors, law offices, Camp HArdee. Con federate Veterans meeting place. on the second floor, and other offices on the upper floors. On Morris Avenue, a three-story building. occupied by F. F. Norton and the Cooper Produce Com pany. was also destroyed, and a single story building adjoining badly dam aged. The fire went across Twenty first Street on First Avenue and dam aged the Steiner Bank building at least S5, 900; while a portion of the walls of the building occupied by Garry 6 Co. fell in and crushed through the bridge extending over the railroad tracks and which belongs to the city.
 s The recently constructed walls of the fOur-story building occupied by c. c. Snider, wholesale tobacco and cigars, and belonging to General Harrison of Opelika. stopped the fire.
 During the progress of-the fire one of the city steamers blew out a valve. for tunately not injuring any one. The en- zine went out Of commission.
 It was after 2 o'clock this morning when all the nremen were withdrawn from the scene, and more tired set of men has never been seen here in some time.
 Notwithstanding the very indictment weather and the 1ateness of the hour. when the fire was discovered, a large number of citizens turned out and watched the bla3e and a number offer CT assistance to the department. Among the latter was George B. Ward. the next Mayor of Birmingham who had been to a reception. In his best cloth ing. he worked hard in the rain and within close range of the seething flames.
 Most of the insurance carried in Bir- mingham on the fire of this morning was placed through John F. Smith C Co. W. B. Leedy & Co. Underwriters Insurance Company. As stated above, considerable insurance was placed out side the city; In fact almost ali Of that carried by Robert Parry 6 co, whose