The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
Loss VIII Reach $5,OOO,OOO. Two Immense Grain EIe-
 Vators Burn
HUNDREDS OF FREIGHT
 CARS ARE CONSUMED
Million Bushels of Grain a Total Loss-FIames First Discovered at Docks a. About 2
 O'clock.

New Orleans, February 26.-Fire involv- ing millions of dollars loss in physical property, and that strikes a serious, if temporary blow, at the immense export trade of New Orleans, swept the river front tonight, and wiped out the vast freight terminals of the Illinois Central, known as the Stuyvesant docks. Nearly a dozen squares of modern wharves and freight sheds. two magnificent grain ele vators, hundreds of loaded cars, and vast quantities of freight, including 10000 bales of cotton, were destroyed. together with a large number of small residences.
 The fire was still raging furiously at midnight, at which time it had almost reached the upper end of the Illinois Cen tral property. It has not been determined whether there has been any loss of life.
 The ocean-gong shipping seems to have escaped serious damage number Of firemen and employees of the docks were injured. Actual estimates of the losses are impossible tonight, though they may exceed $5OOo0oO.
 Extend Twelve Squares.
 The Stuyvesant docks extend from Louisiana avenue almost to Napoleon avenue, a distance of twelve squares The wharves between. those two points were covered with miles of traclSage and steel and iron sheds ran the whole dis tance. The two grain elevators were of the most modern construction, the upper one having a capacity of a million bushels.
 Thousands of bales of cotton, several thousand packages of sugar, great quan- titles of cotton seed oil. and oil cakes lumber and eevry conceivable variety of freight filled the warehouses and sheds Practically all the export business handled by the Illinois Central was put aboard ships at these docks. The docks and improvements have been under con struction for ten years past, ela3orare extensions and immense investments nav ing been made after the constitutional 
 road to invest permanently at this point
 Beyond Control Instantly.
 The fire was discovered shortly after o'clock. It was said to have resulted from a journal that had not been suffi- ciently oiled. The whole plant was equip ped with gigantic water tanks and fire extinguishing apparatus, but the blaze. small at the beginning, almost instan- taneously got beyond control. communi- eating through the conveyers to tLe low CT elevator, and some of the sheds.
 The response of the fire department was prompt. but owing to the fact that the terminals were inaccessible, partly duo to fences and tracks, the engines found difficulty in reaching the James, In half an hour the fire covered two squares, the lower elevator was practical ly consumed. and it was sweeping with irresistible fury both up and down the river.
 As soon as it became known that the scene of the fire was the Stuyvesant docks, harbor tugs hastened to the wharves and vessels that were moored there were pulled out into the river. At the same time switch engines were rushed to the wharves and hundreds of box cars loaded with freight were drawn to points above the upper end of the ter minals before the fire reached them. Many hundreds more, however, were con stunned.
 Many Cottages Burned.
 The wind was blowing down the river when the blaze began, and the fire spread with great speed in that direction. By o'clock the lower elevator and sheds and wharves from Amelia street to Louisiana avenue distance of six sauares had fallen in. Fortunately Louisiana avenue is a very broad thor oughfare. and the further spread of the fire beyond that point into a residence section was checked. Between those points, however, the flames swept to complete destruction many cottages of the poorer classes, the occupants in a great many instances losing all they pcs sessed.
 With the wind in a favorable direction, the river boats, the employees of the har- bor and the fire department concentrated all their energies in an effort to save the upper elevator. between Austerlirz and Constantinople streets, and to check the fire at that point The fire, however. gradually worked past the point occu- pied by the elevator. Heroically the forces kept at work, but ultimately they were beaten back, and the big steel structure, covered with corrugated ironl suddenly burst into flames at 1oSo o'clock and in half hour was complete wreck.
 Heavy Wind Was Blowing.
 At midnight more than nine squares of the terminals had been completely de- gtroyed. and it seems unlikely that the fire would be checked til it reaches Napoleon avenue. which 10 is very broad street. During the 2 heavy wind blew, and the blaze of inde- scribable fury. carrying branA ! great