New-York tribune., 1909-04-14
ROCHESTER LOSS $5OO,OOO
Continued from first page.

Twice spectators shouted warnings to the fire
n,Ap and none TOO soon Some of them were
strucl, bv the falling bricks and were removed
IN .ba hospitaI Hose cart s was buried beneath
the ruins Failing the east wall crashed through
the roofs of adjoining buildings and demohsheo
a part Of the frame structures These oulloihss
were old. and the loss from their destruction Is
small except TO tenants
HEAT DRIVES BACK FIREMEN.
Directly back of the Palmer Building and IN
the path of the flames is Grove Place. Ihe
heat was so intense that the fremen were
driven hack from this position, and the Ward
ansrtnoents. valued at 100000, and owned by
Alderman Frank A. Ward and H. l.. Na1o'
took fire and burned rapidly.
Across the street the flames swept, but there
the fren1en made a stand and saved the houses
The tenants had removed as much of their prop
erty as could be gathered in a hurry into the
Berth Kodesh Temple where later it de-
stroyed.
Sweeping down Grove Place from the temple,
the flames attacked the First German Lutheran
Zion Church, and it question for two
hours whether this building could be saved
While the fremen busy there the fire
rushed to StiIlson street, and from Grove
street northward damaged every house for two
blocks in Stllson street
There were many scenes of panic among the
residents Apparently there only one
thought-the city doomed Without pur-
pose some of the women threw from the win
dows Of houses not yet burning beds, bureaus,
tables and all sorts of articles of furniture and
personal belongings In this way considerable
property was demolished which otherwise
might have been saved
The fires broke out so frequently in the north
eastern part of the city that companies could
not be dispatched to all of them. Volunteer
brigades were formed and helped in holding
down the fire loss.
The Chatham. Nassau and Kelly street sec
ton is in the Jewish district of the city. rhis
was the last day of the Feast of the Passover,
and many of the Polish Hebrews, seeing the
pail of smoke and the fire falling on all sides,
interpreted the situation the outward. Wis
ible sign OF the second coming Of the Messiah
RESIDENTS BECAME HYsTER1CALA
The actions % the residents became hysteri-
cal. Men. women and children tore their hair
and knet in the streets TO pray. Their shouts
were terrifying. Still others seized armfus Of
goods from the houses and rushed with them
into the streets or into other houses, where the
advancing fire later ate them up. One woman.
Mary Kirschnamsky. Of No. 119 Kelly street
went violently insane, and removed to the
Rochester State Hospital
Draymen reaped a harvest A large number
of rigs Of various descriptions invaded the
district and offered for s.. SO or more to re-
move goods TO places of safety. Any amount
asked was given by the half-crazed Polish
Jews and they stored as many of their goods
as possible onto the wagons not knowing their
destination.
From house to house. through street after
street the fires Ieaped along. burning buildings
LyaTI, Ial I
Harrison streets and Hudson avenue. The stand
made by the fremen at Kelly street sue
cessful. even that at Stillson street had been
in stopping the other confagration.
At o'clock this afternoon came another
source Of alarm. Fire had broken out in a three
story brick block North and Delavan streets
and at a brick house further north in North
street. Both are thought TO have been caused
by sparks from one OF the other two fires.
Neither Of these fires allowed to obtain
headway. but the residents or that section we're
more the less alarmed. and were ready 10 vacate
their premises at the slightest sign of real dan
ger. The total number Of houses burned is
about nifty in addition to which several times
as many more have been damaged.
Tonight Rochester is terror stricken. To-
DAYS fires are elimination of an uninterrupted
series of fires for weeks many Of which have
been charged to incendiarism. Added to this
natural fear Is the fact that although both Of
to-days fires have been under control since 3
o'clock this afternoon, the flames still
smouldering in dozens OF places. The wind is
increasing in velocity and close watch is be
ing kept in those districts which in It's
path Fremen and police. reserve forces and
all, will do all night duty. augmented by the
three companies of local militia.
The remains of many households piled in
the open, back Of Grove Place. watched by their
owners and by the militia. The driving gale
and pail of smoke add 10 the cheerlessness.
Lootng has broken out in some sections. but
household goods in the streets and other open
places are being watched The military patrol
will be continued by order of Mayor Edgerton
until something like normal condition Is re-
stored.