The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1905-02-27
BIG BLAZE AT
NEW ORLEANS
NEARLY the ENTIRE RNER FRONT IS
A snoulDtRING RUM.
LOSS OF FIVE MILLIONS
Dozens of Wharyes and Elevators
Go--Thousands of Bales of
/ Cotton Consumed
BY Fire.

new orieanS, rep, Zf.-E1re fnvoIv-
Ing 100000 loss In physical prop
erty and that strikes a serious tenn
porary blow to the immense export
trade OF New Orleans. swept the river
front Sunday night and wiped out the
vast freight terminals OF the Illinois
Central known as the Strysevant
docks, Nearly half a dozen squares of
modern wharves and freight sheds
two magnificent freight elevators, hun
dTeds of loaded cars and vast quaint
ties OF freight, together with a large
number OF small residences
The Stuysevant docks extend from
louisiana avenue almost to Napoleon
avenue. a distance OF twelve squares
The wharyss between those points
were covered with miles of trackaxe
and steel and Iron sheds ran the whole
distance. The two grain elevators we're
of the most modern construction the
upper one having a capacity OF 1 900 :
600 bushels. Thousands of bales nf
cotton. several hundred thousand pack /,
ages OF sugar, great quantities OF cot
ton seed oil and oil cake, a.ntber and
every conceivable variety OF freight
filles the warehouses and sheds. Prac-
ticatiy all the export business handled
oy the Illinois Central was put aboard
ships AZ the docks. The docks have
been under construction for ten years
elaborate extensions and immense In
vestments having beee made after
constitutional convention of 1895 made
II possible for the road 10 invest per.
nanenily at this point
The fire was discovered shortly a rte,
I O'Clock II was said To have resulted
from a journal that had not been sns
feiently oiled. The whole plant was
equipped with gigantic water tanks
ana h:e extttss;:!sss!i4G d fft-sf atiis. but
the blaze, small at first. almost in.
stantly got beyond control. communal.
eating through the eonyeyers 10 the
rover elevator and sofBe OF the sheds
Inc response OF the fire department
was prompt. but owing 10 the fact
mat the terminals were inaccessible
owing to fences and tracks, the engines
found difficulty Ia reaching the flames
In half an hour thu. fire covered two
squares ana the iower elevator vas
practically consumed.
Al midnight more than nin. squares
or the terminals had been completely
destroyed and IL seemed unlikely that
the fire would be checked until Il
reached Napoleon avenue which In
also a very broad street During the
fire heavy wind blew ana the hLaxa
Was Of tndescTfhable fury CARRYING
brands To a great t.dStanc. rnovin.
back the crowds OF sisthtse~rs I'm
riense pieces OF corrugated iron tuyn
from the sioes Of th. upper elevator
were carried through the afr an N they
were feathers. and dropping I'm every
direction, constantly endangered the
lives of fire men ana spectators
The weather was bright and warm
and probably 10000 people. yisats~i IN.
scene during the progress 1T the fire.
Aside from the tremendous faas in
voivs>d IN the destruction Of property
the nre il calamity Ia New Orleans
IN the temporary abatement Of the i'm
rnense port business 81 the Illinois
Central particularly ia the nsatter ~
grain shipm-f
As soon 40 II bscarae known that
the scene of the IRE was thp .sfuvVe.
SAINT docks, hartor tugs haSfeue-I "a
the NhaFN and vessels that we're
moors.'i there were pulled ont into the
river
switch engines w~re rushed 10 the
wharve-@ and hundreds ~ ears Lpaa-
with freight were drawn to paints
above the upper end ~ the terminals
before tire hrr behind them Mans
hundred mere. however. we're con
summed
The Wind was tlaNflns s8..n the
river when the bla&e ipsswau ard tbs
frss spread with wr~at~v rH-~ssi IN thai
dtre~sstop ny o.rfspk the iawer @ie
vasss ana sheds ana u haFss-s frpsr
Amelia street 10 t.oasstana avenue
distance If six squares had fallen tm
Fortunately Louisiana avenue IL
very bread thosoushfar~. and tha ftaf
shst spread of the ftr~ 60 the r~siaersr
seefloa was rh@ek~A fietW@~u thsms
Tzsanta the ffAus~m K~@frt Go ssssnpl@s~ de
stFucttosA many cottages 20 th~ sss~sF~i
classes. the occupants in xwsai
ananS instances losing all shsy l~ss