The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-20
DISASTROUS FIRE
 AT INDIANAPOL| Eight Buildings Valued at S1,- 100000 Are Burned
BLAZE WAS SPECTACULAR
Repeated Explosions Send Up Storm of Burning Embers and Many Spectators Have Narrow
 Escapes from Walls.

Indianapolis, Ind, February 19.-For four hours tonight the wholesale dis trict bounded by Georgia and Meridian streets, Jackson Place and the union depot sheds. was menaced by a fire which started in the wholesale ware rooms of the Fahnley and McCrea Mill linery company. At 9:3O o'clock three general alarms brought into action every department in the city and suburbs. When the fire was brought under control eight buildings, among which were three hotels, had been completely destroyed causing a loss estimated at $l10O,000. One fireman was hurt by falling walls. Fire brands as large as hen eggs fell in a perfect storm over the business DOT tion of the city, and on every building were stationed companies of men equip ped with fre-fghtng apparatus Their united efforts succeeaeu in preventing a general conflagration
 In the A. Keller Drug companys ware rooms were many barrels of oils and explosives stored. and in the Delmetsch company's wholesale house. where sea- sons stock of fireworks was located, several serious explosions occurred
 Was Very Spectacular.
 The fire which was one of the most spectacular in the history of the city, was under full headway before an alarm was sounded. By the time the first com pany reached the scene the millinery house was almost completely gutted, and the fire had spread to the Kiefer Drug company's building. Simultaneously the flames broke out in Jackson Place, which bounds the F'ahnley X McCrea building on the west, and almost instantly the flames were communicated to the St. Nicholas hotel and the Griffith Brothers millinery house in Jackson Place, and the Savoy hotel in Louisiana street.
 The occupants of the hotels, many of whom had not retired, escaped without injury.
 Repeated explosions in the burning sec tion sent skyward a verltable storm Of burning embers which, famed by a stiff breeze from the southwest, were carried into the retail districts, still burning IS they fell upon the roofs of the principal houses.
 Eight Buildings Burned.
 Within 45 minutes eight buildings in the threatened districts had been totally de- stroyed, and the attention of the fire men was centered In an effort to prevent the spread of the flames to the ware room of W. II. Thompson x Co. manu- facturers of surgical instruments.
 One of the iiremen sustained broken leg. and in the rush to escape from their perilous position near the falling walls, hundreds of spectators who thronged the space in front of the union station, nar- rowly escaped death or serious injury.
 Within few minutes the east wall 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 entered in that direction.
 Situation Doubtful.
 For half an hour 1t was doubtful whether or not the flremen could cope with the flames on account of tottering wall, which threatened to crush in the building to the north, allowing the flames to spread to the warehouse of Haven x Geddes, wholesale grocers. When the wall collapsed in the alley, without dam aging the building occupied by Thompson & Co.,. the flames were apparently brought under control and several de- partments were dispatched to their sta lions to await possible calls from the districts menaoed by flying embers. The following are the principal losses, estimated by a prominent insurance man;
 Fahnley X McCrea building, S&,0o0; loss on stock $260, 900; insurance, 25oOD.
 A. Kiefer Drug company, building @0,- Ooo: stock s225o00; insurance, s245,OOO.
 Griffiths Bros, building, $o0OoO; stock, sI500o0 insurance. sl60,Ooo.
 E. c. Dolmetsch company building SEQ, ,0o0; stock si0 900; insurance, S6o,CW,
 Sherman house, bui ding, s45'OOO; stock s1O,Oo0; insurance, S35,o00.
 Savoy hotel. building, s2Oo0O; stock slO, . 900; insurance, s15,O00.
 St Charles. building, sl200o stock s10.0o0; insurance Sl10Oo.
 Muir Millinery company, building, s5000 stock. sl0.000; insurance, $l3OOo.
 Total loss sl,l00,000.