Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-04-14
HOMES OF ONE HUNDRED
FAMILIES DESTROYED
Fire IN Rochester Cost Half million
10 Money and Untold Human
Hardship.
MILITIA GUARO HOUSEHOLD GOODS
Members Are CHARTERED in School
Houses-Rain Helped to Extinsuish
MILITIA GUARO HOUSEHOLD GOOD!
Members Are CHARTERED in School
Houses-Rain Helped to Extinguish
Flames, But Ruinous to Exposed e.
feets-Fifty Residences Were De
stroyed Besides Business Houses.
NV Associated Press.)

ROCHESTER,, y. T.. April ID.
Swept along in the face of a 25-mile
gale. fire today destroyed several sec
lions of the city and did damage es-
timated at half a million dollars.
For a time it was thought that a
great portion of the city would be
swept and aid was summoned from
Buffalo and Syracuse. Generously
and promptly the out OF town firemen.
with apparatus, responded, but ere
they reached the scene the heroic
work of the local department and vol
unteers had got the flames under con-
troll. and their assistance was not re-
quired.
One hundred families tonight are
homeless and militiamen are in the
affected zones guarding what little the
people saved of their household ef-
fects.
Call For Relief.
Mayor Edgerton has issued call
for relief funds for the families. Some
Of them are quartered in precinct
houses and a large number are spend
ing the night in a public scnooL A
heavy rain set in at six o'clock to-
night, and while it helped in ex-
tinguishing the smouldering ruins it
was a hardship on the homeless. es-
pecially those whose household effects
are in the open.
Thieving. which started early in
the day, has been stopped by the
presence of the militia.
Insurance Rate Advanced.
Because of the numerous fires
which Rochester has had lately the
board Of fire underwriters has in
creased rates here on all buildings
except dwellings % cents on every
500. The increase went into erect
at five o'clock today.
The Palmer building, a four-story
brick structure, devoted to manufac-
turing at Main and Gibbs streets,
was the starting point Of the con-
fiagration, which spread over a wide
area and then jumped nearly a mile
and started a second series Of fires
Of such proportions that aid was sum-
moned from Buffalo and Syracuse.
By the time the out Of town fire.
men arrived, however. the local fire
men were masters within both fire
areas.
60ksVtaSS W eOooSos
Although accurate estimates cannot
be made at this time the loss is es-
timated at least 100000. This in
cludes 100000 on the Palmer build
ing: 100000 on the Hunting Com
pany manufacturers Of plumbers sup
plies: So. 600 on the beautiful Jewish
temple Birth Kodesh, which Is in
ruins and the rest in small amounts
is apportioned among manufacturers,
house owners and tenants.
Buildings which we're destroyed In
addition to about fifty residences we're
the Palmer building, temple Birth ko-
desh First Reformed Church Of Amer
lea. the Ward apartments and First
Lutheran church. The st. Peters
Presbyterian church, the Palmer lum.
her Yards and several small firms on
Main street were damaged.
Several dremen were injured by
falling walls or were overcome by
smoke. but noneAw was seriously hurt.
The origin Of the fire which started
in the Palmer building has not been
determined.
Spread very Rspsd.
The spread of the flames. once they
had gotten a good start in the Palmer
building vas rapid. Here and there
sparks, carried by the swift ind, kin
died new fires. Residents became pan
ic-stricken. Apparently all reason was
lost. and there vas but one thought
the city was doomed. Some Of the
women threw from the windows Of
houses. not yet burning beds, bureaus
tables and all sorts Of articles Of fur.
niture and personal belongings. In
this way considerable property was
needlessly demolished. The hres
broke out so frequently in the north.
eastern part Of the city that com.
panies could not be dispatched to all
Of them. but volunteer brfgades helped
in keeping down the fire loss.
searks csrrtsd . nile.
From the Palmer IRE the sparks
carried O mile. and set the First Re
formed church ablsze. destroying II.
Little attention vas paid to the new
alarms q: FIRST. but alarms sounded
from half a dozen boxes In the same
vicinity. Jets Of ERE were beginning
90 appear on buildings scattered oves
4 vide area. The Reformed church,
arst aided by the wind. helped spread
fCanssuued IN Fffth PaeeO