St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1911-06-17
back of Water to Fight the
Flames Responsible.
Handsomest Buildings In the
Business Section Burned.
Some of the Buildings Car
ried no Insurance.
Insurance About One-Thlrd
of Loss.


At 3:13 p, m. Monday the Ice
Factory sounded the alarm OF hfe.
A moment previous cries OF 'Are'
f,rep' came from the direction OF Joe
grocato's store on Columbia street
The cry was taken up by the people
on the street and by the time tne
alarm sounded the crowds nad al
ready began to gather. The broca.o
store was a low frame structure SIT
ueted between two brick buildings
nnned respectively by E. J. FREDERICK
and Emile Frederick, and i seemsd
,nrobabie that the fire could be Kept
from spreading. Dense columns OF
mich black smoke were issuing from
the roof in the back of the building
when the firemen arrived. As the
moments passed confidence gave place
70 alarm. Lurrid tongues OF NAME
began to push their way through the
Z dense smoke The scorchlng sun
above added its heat to the names OF
destruction and the ovenlike atmo-
sphere became unbearabie except 70
tfose hardened to the work. Ladders
we're run up to the top windows OF
the Emile Frederick building ans
through these windows the hremen
ran hose and attempted to fight ths
fre from the protection of the walls
Meantime the Chemical engine was
pouring it's fluid onto the Duilalns
with no apparent effect. win tns
rising of the wind the fre eat IL
way through the building as II u wa
a pile of shavings. The two prlcf
buildings had caught in the roo1s
Chemical Company, which nad re
moved the horse from the shafts
short time hefore, was compelled =
haul the engine from its position I
escape destruction. People in a.
directions were drawing tubs OF Wate
to wet roofs and throw on the side
ef their buildings. Two water Plug
could not be closed because OF IN
rapid encroachment of the fire: IN
ecnseouence was that water was nc
obtainnbie to fight fire with, The hrt
men had scarcely vacated the to
story of the Frederick building Whe
the walls began to erumhie and tal
All this time the telephone Cir
of the Cumberland Telephone Con
pany, situated in the top story
the building, had stuck to their pcs
Of duty, until warned that they mu
leave. They carried instruments al
other things of value from the bull
inc. returning for more and 1eavlI
the building only short time befo
the cornice fell with crash TO q
pavement below.
Merchants on all sides were
temnting to save their goods. Tear
were scarce, and in their absen
shoulders were made to bear the ou
den. The Garcia Company deposit
a large part of sts stock in a vaca
let, only to see it eaten up by t
flames and hour later, which swe
uncontrolled over the block. l
FitzSimons Company saved some
their goods and other firms say
few articles here and there.
Il. G. Davis of the Eovington Ba
aud Trust Company from, the fl
discovery Of the fire made prepa
titns to secure everything in saf{
rerhoving such things as he Wisl
taken out and placing the resi-
the hia freproof vault:
rhs fire crossed the street, sWe
ing to both ends of the block,
stroying frame and brick atruetu
alike. The fine bank building
the handsome brick structure OF
Hardy Ii, Smith We're Quilted in
time, the contents of the Smith Hit
ware Compauy's store, with
paints and oils stored in the Ia
warehouse in the rear made
hot enough to melt iron.
BY this time apprehension bec'
great that the whole town would
destroyed 1t was certain tha
the Wehrli building on the col
opposite. occupied by P. ]. Lac
as general merchandise store, ca,
afire, that all of the town on
side would be destroyed. Every
fort of the fire department was dc
saving this building. H. j. 81
L. Sons had constructed water
TOR the proEeetfoa otetheir tuild
L, thse middls OF the block, and
tank probably saved that sectio
the town from the fiames. The
Springs Fire Company also sids
savihg the Wehrli building.
ad put their engine on g pa
freight train and reached Sovil
at time when the Covington
were almost exhausted from the
ti.ht they had been Waging.
worked hard and did good
q'ne building was kept saturated
water, and although the reef Il
hack was burning at one tin
was saved and the fire Kept
Spreading. Labat's store on B
street was at one time in da
The shifting of the wind had
tn do with saving both it an
VI ehrli building.
There were several narrow es
frcm death during the fire.
the telephone girls delayed m'
longer in leaving the Free
building they would have
buried beneath the heavy &C