Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-15

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK SUFFER
ED DAMAGES EsTIMATEp
At 100000.
ASKED AID OF OTHER TOWNS
Business Buildings, Churches ana
Residences Went Down In Quick
order--MIlitIa Guards the
Ruins.

Rochester, N. Y, Apr 14.--Swept
along in the face OF rs mile gale fire
yesterday destroyed several sections
Of the city and did damage estimated
at 100000. For time 1t was thought
that great portion Of the city would
30 swept, and aid was summoned from
Buffalo and Syracuse. Last night
100 families were homeless and MILL
tiamen guarded what little the people
saved Of their household effects,
Mayor Edgerton has issued call for
relief funds for these families. Some
Of them are quartered in precinct
houses and large number spent the
night In public school.
A heavy rain set In at 6 O'Clock last
night and while 1t helped extinguish
the smouldering ruins. 1t was hardship
on the homeless. Thieving was stop
ped by the militia.
The Palmer building, a four story
brick structure devoted to manufacture
inx interests, at Main and Gibbs
streets, was the starting p-ilt Of the
confederation, which spread over a
wide area, and then jumped nearly q
mile and started second series OF
fires.
The loss includes 100000 on the Pal
1ner building; 100000 on the Hunting
company, manufacturers plumbers sup.
plies: $4,000 on the beautiful Jewish
Temple, Berth Kodesh, which is In
ruins.
Fifty residences, First Reformed
Church Of America, the Ward Apart
ments and First German Lutheran
zion church, were destroyed. The st.
Peters Presbyterian church was dam
aged.
BY the time fire hose had been laid,
the flames had jumped across the
street and onto the roof Of st. Peters
Presbyterian church. At the same
time fire appeared in the belfry of
Berth Kodesh temple, occupying the
opposite corner. The blaze at st.
Peters was Quenched and at no time
was the IRE allowed to gain Roadway
there, although the sparks fell In
showers for two hours. The water
tower and rest Of the hose was kept
playing ON the Palmer building and
the Are ate down through Berth
Kodesh temple uninterrupted for some
time. When the firemen turned their
attention there the flames were be-
yond control. The building was
sacrificed to the fire. 1t was one OF
the most handsome church buildings
Ia Rochester.
The walls Of the Palmer building
soon begon to fall and several firemen
we're struck by the falling bricks and
/ hose cart was buried beneath the
ruins.
The many scenes Of panic among
the residents can only be imagined.
Apparently there was but one thought
the city was doomed. Some of the
women threw from the windows Of
houses not yet burning, beds, bureaus,
tahlas and all sorts Of articles OF fur
niture and personal belongings. In
this way considerable property was
needlessly demolished.
The fires broke out so frequently in
the northeastern part Of the city that
companies could not be despatched to
ali Of them, but volunteer brigades !
helped in keeping down the FIRE loss l.
From the Palmer fire the sparks
carried a mile and set the First Re
formed Church Of America ablaze,
destroying it. Little at
tention was paid to the new IRE At
first but soon alarm sounded from half
. dozen BIKES in the same vicinity.
Jets Of gire were beginning to appear
On buildings scattered over wide
area. The Reformed church fire help
Cd to spread the destruction