Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-04-15
THE FIRE SATURDAY NIGHT.

THE FIRE SATURDAY NIGHT.
About $50 o'clock Saturday night
the alarm Of fire was sounded and
the flames were found to come from
. building on Pamela street, occupied
by Clay Landry and owned by Mr..
Louis Blackman. The fire is supposed
to have been caused by a coal oil
lamp exploding. Clay was at home
when the explosion occurred and did
what he could to extinguish the
flames, but scarcity Of water, de-
spite the frequent-almost daily
rains, due to inadequate waEer con-
tanners, prevented his accomplishment
Of that desired end, and the fire
quickly spread over the entire build
ing, which soon became . fiery mass.
The adjoining house, also belonging
TO Mr.. Blaclman, was next to 60, de-
spite every effort to control the de-
stroying element. In quick succession
five tenement houses Of Mrs. Paul
were reduced to ashes and It was only
BY truly Herculesn efforts thak the
stors buildings on Front or Levee
street were saved. The volunteer fire
brigade Of st. Joseph was prompt to
respond to the call, and by pulling
down the kitchen Of Mrs. Paul's store
that large two-story building, and the
buildings adjoining, were saved. In
deed Hrs. Paul's store roof did catch
fire and NO power available could
have saved it but for the heroic work
Of DR.. Clarke, and Mr.. Leonard Of
government fleet, who, unable to se-
cure . ladder, climbed up the gallery
post, and got upon the roof, fully IS
feet from the ground, and tore the
burning shingles off and put the fire
out They was later Joined by one or
two eolored men, who were fortunate
in getting . ladder placed on the roof
Of single story house adjoining,
and By which they climbed upon the
Paul roef. But for this work, the
entire business section Of this street
would have been reduced to ashes, and
Il b not improbable that the Kershaw
bod, on gravel road, though brick,
would also have gone. But for the
abundant water supply on Mrs. Paul's
premises . more disastrous story
might hare been t. d.
Fortunately there was but little
wind blowing while the fine was burn
ing, but soon after It's extinction q
stiff breeze sprang up, which grad
ually increased in velocity, until n.xt
day, when Il had become quite strong.
Had such . wind blown while the fire
was ct height it b Questionable where
the flames would have stopped.
Every building from the Love
hotel down to the Abram or corner
store, this store not included, had BE-
come vacated, al sentenAs being
moved out on the levss, which was
soon covered with household effects
and msEeAandiss, much Of Viii h wa
broken and damaged by th~ quick
trauGigt.
Il b impossihls to gre TOO much
credit to the noble band Of fire tight
en-, white and solorsd slike, who
worked 70 faithfully and heroically,
for ~ common good, every man Civ
ing IL best that WAS In him to the
cause there not Setug . Stacker in
he crowd. Mem fought unit! theft
clothes came of and their skin was
almost parehsd BY the fire. When II
Was feared that the Paul store could
not b. saved . car Vas quickly dis
patched to Hackct. & Garsaud's camp
for dynamite and = quantity Of shia
tsrribh explosive was brought to the
sesus Of aetioL. Happily 1t was MOI
found necessary 70 use, but ~ las'
extremity, ~ . nseahs- Of SAVING thu
rest Of the business section, and pos
sibly more,its final use might have
been essential We are thankful thil
did not happen.
The loss oecasioned BY this fire il
builldinss destroyed 10 in neighbor
hood Of $1,000, while the loss to oe
supants in the practical total destrue
ton Of their household effects vii
reach several hundrsd dollars. Tn.
loss and damage t. eeks and fur
Aiturs moved Oft ~ ,Levee strse'
stores b entirely spesqIitive but v,
doubt II . Thousand dollars woult
cover II, while much damage was ais,
done to some Of thsss buildings. In
deed we are satisfied this fire vii
cost our people fully $4,000, be
sides putting . number out Of doors
Nm. Paul d unquestionably tn
heaviest loser, possibly 50 per cen
Of this figure falling on her, and Of
which she carried no insurance.
In conclusion we wish to say ,
word In behalf Of the strangers with
in our gates. We refer particular.
to Tie young men attached to tn
government fleet, stationed sevsra
miles below St. Joseph. Fortunatel.