Newspaper Page Text
MAS nJ e chin N cws. ism
VOL JQ ( THE MORNING NEWS. 1
* j established xaoO. - -Incorpc rated 188 S. >
I J. H. ESTILL, Presiaent. J
THE CATHEDRAL IN RUINS.
NOTHING LEFT OF THE SPLENDID
STRUCTURE HUT ITS WALLS.
l)omu« of the Roman Catholic Dio
cese of Savannah Swept Away in
an Hoar—The Fixe Started in the
Organ Loft—The Firemen Power
lena to Cheek Its Relentless
Sweep—The Bishop’s Residence
and St. Vincent Convent Es
caped—The Loss $230,000 With
About SOO,OOO Insurance.
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist,
yesterday,one of the most magnificent and
imposing structures of Savannah, upon
which years of toil and thousands of dol
lars have been spent, Is a mass of ruins,
and nothing remains but its four walls
and the indislructab'.e parts of Its two
tall spires.
The conflagration that swept it away
before the hour of midnight was frightful
in its grandeur and pitiable in its mag
nlflcenice. It seemed to blot out in a mo
ment the work of years.
The most pitiable feature was the help
lessness of those who stood around to
make one effort even to save the structure.
Two or three miserable little streams of
water that would scarce go across a 20-
foot street were all to be had. The entire
department was then at work on the
River street lire and every available en
gine was there attached to a fire-plug en
deavoring to quench that conflagration. In
the meantime one of Savannah’s most
valuable structures was going rapidly.
It was fully three-quarters of an hour,
before an engine could be gotten. Then
two were sent from Bay street, and
streams were thus secured for the pro
tection of adjoining property. It was im
possible then to save any portion of the
building. It was at that time almost the
mass of ruins that it Is now, though
burning like a fearful furnace.
The wind, fortunately, was blowing to
the southwest, across the square, through
which much of the valuable surrounding
property was saved, 'the breeze was a
slight one, it is true, but had it been in
any other direction, the destruction would
have been largely augmented.
As soon as the roof had burned off, the
powerful draft cseated by the intense heat
carried upward thousands and hundreds
of thousands of sparks large and small,
most of them foiling in the eastern side
of the square. Part of the time the wind
was somewhat toward the south, and
carried these sparks onto buildings Just
•cross the street from the Cathedral, which
were protected with difficulty. This show
er, nir ’ n ms'rnlfiiyn*’ drawer’" - display, |
lasted for an hour or more, and shortly
before midnight, when the fire in the tow
ers was fiercest, the sparks poured forth
from them with seeming renewed inten
sity. Some of them were veritable coals
of fire, falling . ere and there sometimes
upon the hat or coat of a spectator who
■tood too close.
The fire was first seen about ten minutes
liefore 11 o'clock. It was then issuing from
th® front of the building, spreading rap
idly. From the description of it then it
would seem that nothing short of the im
mediate presence of two or three engines
and several strong streams of water would
have saved it. The discovery Is sa.d to
have been by a motorman of the City and
Suburban Railway, who was Just coming
through the square with his car. The cry
of tire of course attracted the attention of
others at once, and the alarm was turned
in very quickly from box No. 27 at Price
and Harris streets.
When the alarm came in there was no
apparatus of any moment at any of the
engine houses to respond. Two or three
hose wagons answered ut once, and the
hose was attached to the neighboring
plugs. The bare pressure from the pipes,
owing io the heavy use of water else
where. was scarcely sufficient to throw a
stream across the street. Firemen hold
ing two of these streams stood on the
Harris street sidewalk, Just outside the
fence surrounding the Cathedral, and
found them barely strong enough to reach*
the first window sill.
Al this time the entire Cathedral was
enveloped in flumes. The roof from front
to rear was a mass of roaring, seething
fire. Hotter than a blast furnace seemed
the fire in the southern tower, from which
darted blue flames, as though of burning
gas. From time to time pieces ’of the
roof or parts of walls or small spires
would fall with a r< sounding crash, and
hotter and whiter v ould seem the rising
flames that followed.
Thousands of people were gathered
•round the square occupied by the Cathe
dral and adjoining buildings, kept back by
policemen and ropes on the Liberty atrcvi
•ide, and m the square by ever falling
■purge »iwh as would burn a hole through
tun. coat or skin wherever they happened
to light. The iH>.iCem< n hud little work to
do on the south side when the shower of
•iwtrks began to fall.
Words were inadequate to express the
hornir and shock to Savannah’s citizens
over the destruction being wrought. ''And
not tin engine here yet." «« nil that
many of them could say when the fire
had been rag mg for half an hour or more,
and tire engine* failed to appear. The
Are on the l ay was. of course, responsi
ble for this. Jt taking some little time to
get them uncoup rd and the teams hitch
ed when they were wanted for the Cache,
dral.
About U:«> twy engines reached the
•cere The pressure from the water
works had before that time been in
crease*! as much <is possible by order* sent
In by Supt Lofton, and several excellent
stream* *<rv secured. The work for the
firemen then was .to wav* surrounding
|»rop.rty; destruction of the Cathe
dral was complete and the Hr*' had begun
to abate somewhat tn fury.
The steamer from engine house No &.
which had been at the Bay street rtre.
At lHe tire About <h«* AAnit* t!Tn«* a* ■
lhAt from houre No, & it waa
station rd at the center of Harris and
Abercom streets and gut to work about
the same Hun? as steamer No. X
The trend of the-fire showed the proper
place for the two additional streams was
in protecting the Bishop’s residence. The
hose had already been laid and the only
thing to be done was to make the connec
tions and start. Both streams were em
ployed with the view to protecting the
residence, and on account of the weak
pressure the firemen carried the hose
tnrough tne building and began throwing
water from the third floor. No effort
was made to handle the main fire, of
course, which was at this time sweeping
with irresistable force over the southeast
corner of the Cathedral. Effective work
was done, though the extremely light pres
sure made it impossible to throw the
stream where desired.
The east wall protected the firemen from
heat and for a time they were not subject
ed to it, and were enabled to move from
one window to another with more conve
nience because of the fact that everything
was removed from the house. The slate
roof soon began rattling and falling. Then
the flames licked through the roof, and
every additional hole made an opening
through which came clouds of smoke and
a firmament of flying sparks. The roof
being of slate, lessened the danger to
other buildings from sparks.
When the alarm was first sounded Chief
Maguire, with ore of the hose reels, start
ed from Bay street for the Cathedral. On
reaching there he was met by Commis
sioner Willink, Mayor Meldrim, Hon. J.
J. McDonough, Capt. John Flannery, Coi.
William Garrard and otheis. A hasty con
sultation was held while waiting for the
engines to arrive. The combination hose
and chemical was first on, the scene, and
when it was seen the Lawton residence.
Just south of the Ca'hedral, was about to
catch from the roof, Chief Maguiie ordered
the chemical there in an effort to save it.
The steamer from engine house No. 3,
which had been at Bay and Montgomery
streets, took a position at Abercom and
Liberty streets. Two streams were played
on the Cathedral from the convent side.
The object was to protect the convent and
at the same time check, if possible, the
Cathedral fire. One stream was playing at
the east end of the convent, the hose pass
ing through the space between the school
building and the dormitory. The other
stream protected the west end of the con
vent, the hose passing around Abercorn
street. There were two men at each noz
zle, and very effective work was done,
though the wind, which was light and
blowing in a southeasterly direction, had
much to do with the protection given the
convent. Very few sparks flew toward it,
and they were not sufficiently large to give
any alarm.
The little engine panted heroically, and
notwithstanding it had been do
ing iiard service at the Bay
street fire. it did not seem io
have had any fatiguing effect. While in
Its hardest strides, however, fate went
against her, as the hose connecting the
stream playing at the east end of the con
vent, become suddenly detached. The lit
tle steamer increased its panting to such
rapidity as to give ala<n to the hundreds
who thronged Liberty and adjoining
streets. All thought it was about to ex
plode. and there was a mad rush in every
direction. In the rush the hose had not
been securely adjusted and broke. It was
readjusted in a few moments, however,
and tj^e-..stream was RF atn in operation.
•'.'lie wNftit 61«*in$ c rXtv wefci e»»«| of t>e
convent continued without Interruption,
while the other was out of trim.
It was believed the Bishop’s residence
would go, and many a i willing hand
went to work to aid *in the re
moval of its contents. Furniture,
carpets and pictures were brought out in
short order. Books, many of them
no doubt valuable ones, were
thrown from the windows of the
upper stories on the Lincoln
street side, and were damaged or destroyed
In their fall. The building was quickly
emptied of its entire contents, which were
spread out upon the street, but soon gath
ered up again and removed to a place of
safety.
Two of the streams secured were used
there to protect the Bishop’s residence.
This structure the firemen succeeded In
saving, as the thick walls aided in pre
venting the fire from communicating to
it from the burning Cathedral.
The Cathedral, which cost nearly $225,000,
was insured for less than SBO,OOO, divided
between four of the agencies In Savannah,
There was saved from the building only
the valuable paraphernalia from around
the altar, some of which was broken in the
effort to get all of it out.
The bishop's residence was saved, due
in part to the direction of the wind, in
part to the fact that two streams of water
were brought upon It as it waa about to
catch. To the same thing, too, was due
the saving of the convent St. Vincent de
Paul.
The Convent St. Vincent de Paul was
thought to be in danger in several places,
and protection was given to it. The sis
ters carried but $5.t»W insurance on their
building, and had no insurance whatever
on its contents. Through the efforts of
the firemen, with the aid of an opposite
wind, the building was practically un
harmed.
For a time other surrounding property
seemed in great danger. The residence of
Mrs. W. S. Lawton. Immediately across
Harris street from the Cathedral, was in
great danger. Many friends lent willing
hands, and the contents of the residence
were removed In short order across the
square. In the meantime, large sparks,
some of them ablaze, were falling upon
and around the residence, which at
one time caught fire, though only for a
moment. By destroying the sparks and
keeping a lookout on the wood
work, Mrs. Lawton's residence j
was saved from any material dam- j
age. It was covered by insurance.
The some practically was true of the
residences of Mr. 8. P. Hamilton and Mr.
David Wells, which were just across Ma- !
con street from Mrs. Lawton’s residence.
Upon these, too. when the wind was to- j
ward the south, the sparks rained fiercely.
Small hose and buckets of water were j
brought into play, and material damage !
to these buildings was thereby avoided.
Mr. J. J. Dale stood upon the back piazza ’
of Mr. Wells’ residence, with hose in hand ;
like a sturdy fireman, and soaked the ‘
woodwork well.
Similar efforts were made upon other I
buildings around the square. From many •
of them things were moved at first, but |
it seemed apparent soon that the Cathe- I
dral fire Itself would not spread. The i
thing to be avoided was the starting of !
other fires from the sparks. In this,
fortunately those at work were success
ful.
The blaze was a l confined to the :
Cathedral. The loftiness of the building
kept other property from catching through
the Intensity of the heat, which was rather
carried upward by the draught. The roof
gone, the supporting rafters fell one bv
one, or two or three at a time, as the
case might be. Now and then one of the
minarets, a portion of the roof or of a
wall would fall with a crash. Shortly be
fore midnight it became apparent that on*
of the gable ends of a wall in the rear I
to the church on Harris street side was j
going to fall. Firemen and others work- I
ing there were warned to keep away. ]
but they still remained, and as I
SAVANNAH, MONDAY. FEBRUARY 7, 1898.
the brickwork topled and fell
from a Light about sixty or seventy-five
feet above the street, the shout went up
just in time for them to rush back out of
the way.
The saint’s figure standing in the arch
of the northern tower was lighted up by
the flames from the tower opposite, and
with its outstretched hands looked like a
human being appealing for aid from the
sea of flames below.
For a time many thought that the tow
ers would fall, but it seems they were
pretty well anchored and stood firm. The
shaking of their foundations was the on
ly thing that would have thrown them
over, and these stood well. The fire seem
ed fiercest in the towers at a point about
on a line with the top of the roof, but in
them, the fire did not go above that
point, the material above being all iron
and slate. The towers and four walls
are all that remain standing to tell the
story.
It appears that the fire started in -the
organ loft, though just in what manner
is a mystery. Evening services Were con
cluded about 9:30 o’clock and the Cathedral
was closed, it was about an hour and
fifteen minutes later that the fire was dis
covered, and at that time it seemed to
have made considerable headway, having
broken through the exterior of the front
of the building.
The talk of incendiarism due to the mul
tiplicity of fires, naturally led at first to
some such theory in connection with this
one, but on second thought such did net
seem probable..
There* seems to be no doubt that the
fire came from the organ loft, as that is
where it was raging when discovered.
Prominent members of the congregation
were at a loss to account for it, but none
of them believed that it was of incendiary
origin. It appears to have been very sim
ilar to the Christ Church fire of almost a
year ago, which was said to have been
started by a lighted candle which the or
gan pumper carelessly left, in the loft.
At 2:30 o'clock the firemen seemed to
have the fire where there was no danger
to the Bishop’s residence. Their efforts
throughout had teen directed toward sav
ing It.
Some criticism was heard from those
who possibly did not grasp the situation
about the method emp.oyed in fighting the
fire. The mtijorty of the spectators, how
ever, were of the opinion that excellent
judgment had been displayed. Some
thought that the firemen should have di
rected their streams through the windows
into the blazing building. This would have
been useless, as the fire had progressed so
far by the time the department arrived
that an attempt to save the building
would have proven of no avail. The devo
tion of their entire efforts to the protection
of the Bishop’s residence and the convent
was regarded as excellent management,
and the chiefs were commended for having
adopted this plan.
The streams first thrown upon the build
ing were rather feeble. This was owing
to their being merely hose streams. All
of the engines were at the River street
fire when the Cathedral alarm sounded.
Oniy the hose wagons could get away.
.They made a quick trip to the new loca
tion, and ran off their lengths of hose.
The firemen started to work, but could
not hope to achieve any great results un-
;va' cr. 'lire liiLl :
to take more time in order to get in read
iness for the new run. When they ar
rived no time was lost in getting to work.
As soon as the engines’ power was felt
a gm?at difference was perceptible in the
streams.. The feeble hose strums -were
swelled In strength until they reached to
the topmost gables of the Cathedral.
Supt. Lofton of the water works was
at the fire and was interested in noting
how the water supply held up. He was
pleased with what he saw. Mr. Lofton
said that the station has been pumping
9,000,000 gallons of water a day since the
epidemic of fires began. Ordinarily the
amount Is something more than 5,000,000
gallons. He has regarded it as necessary
to keep a heavy pressure on in view of the
many fires, and the wisdom of this was
shown in the department’s work yester
day. There was no lack of water. It was
impossible for enough pressure to be se
cured, the- superintendent said, unless the
assistance of the engines could be had.
The fire on River street had made a
great demand upon the supply, and the
continuance of the streams on that fire
while that at the- Cathedral was being
fought was sufficient to make the streams
less powerful than they would otherwise
have been.
At 3 o'clock that part of the Cathedral
next to the Bishop’s residence was still in
taft. The windows were not burned out,
and It looked as if the firemen would be
successful in preventing any further loss.
Even there the Cathedral was badly dam
aged by both fire and waler, but the loss
of woodwork is not total, as in the greater
part of the building. It was charred and
smoke stained, but had not burned away.
THE CONVENT THREATENED.
The Sister* and Pupil* Moved to
Nearby Honne*.
The sisters in the Convent of Mercy
were first warned of the fire, after the
alarm had been turned In. The young
lady students were aroused and the con
vent doors were opened to admit many j
whose anxiety and thoughtfulness made !
them think of the sisters and their safety
at once.
Naturally, the sisters and the pupils
were alarmed. There was very little dan
ger, though, of fire communicating to the
convent, unless the wind should change.
Father Hennessy, assisted by a dozen !
men, looked after the furniture and the !
more valuable belongings of the convent
were removed. All of the convent rec
ords. with the paintings, some statuary ■'
and other furniture, were taken to the res- i
idence of Mr. James McGrath, across the ■
street.
Mother Bonaventure and some of the
sisters were also taken to Mr. McGrath’s ;
house. Some of the sisters and students !
were also taken to Mr. Harry T. Wil- *
son's and some went to St. Joseph’s In- I
flrraary.
At one time it looked as if the south
-of the school room and chapel, which !
projected to within a few feet of the Cathe
dral would take fire, but a small stream |
was kept tn readiness for such an emer
gency.
The furniture In the school room was
scattered about and some of it was remov
ed. but when there appeared to be no dan- I
Ker of the fire communicating to the co«i
vent. Father Hennessey gave orders not '
to remove any more.
Besides the large number of men who
looked after the convent and the furni- I
ture, a number of ladies of the congn-ga- I
tion *-vnt to the aid of the sisters and did 1
a great deal toward quieting their fears,
reassuring them that the convent was not I
in danger.
Had the convent burned the loss would
have been total and almost irreparable, as ;
there was but SS.AK» Insurance on the i
building and none on the furniture. As it i
is, the only loss will be to the furniture. :
some of which was damaged iu being re- I
moved.
BAY STREET LIT WITH FLAME.
ODE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
OF PROPERTY DESTROYED.
Conklin <fc Co.’s Wholesale Hard
ware Warehouse, the G. and A.
Railway’s River Street Warehouse,
Dixon's Lumber Wharf, Savannah
Grocery Co. Stable, Teeple’* Furni
ture Werehouse, Jackson’s Cotton
Pickery, W. I. Miller’s Produce
Warehouse, Damaged—Six Loaded
Freight Cars Burned—Capt. John
Flannery Owner of the Teeple
and Cotton Pickery Buildings the
Heaviest Loser.
Between 575,000 and 5100,000 worth of
property was destroyed by fire on River
and Williamson streets, at the foot of Jef
ferson last night. The fire started in the
warehouse of the Georgia and Alabama
Railway, on River street, adjoining Dix
on’s lumber wharf, and spread rapidly,
communicating to the lumber on the east
and crossing the street to the buildings on
River and Williamson streets, taking in
six carloads of hay and flour, which were
on the railway track adjoining the ware
: house.
On Williamson street the Flannery build
ing, the Savannah Grocery Company’s
stables and the large establishment of
Charles A. Conklin & Co., wholesale hard
ware, were all gutted, and the buildings
occupied by C. R. Holmes and W. Inman
Miller to the east, were also damaged.
The extent of the loss will depend upon
the damage to the large hardware stock
of Charles A. Conklin & Co. At 9 o’clock
the firemen had this fire completely un
der control, but just before the alarm was
sounded for the Cathedral fire the flames
began to make headway in the Conklin
building again, and considerable fur
ther damage was done, the firemen being
unable with their depleted force to do
more than confine the fire to the building.
The fire was the worst with which the
department has had to deal In some time.
Owing to the rapidity with which it
spread, the amount of property involved,
and the unfavorable location for fighting
it, the situation was a very grave one. The
fire was discovered in the railway ware
house
crews of "We tugs on the river. The alarm
was given first on the Hutchison Island
side. The revenue steamer Tybee, at
Willink’s wharf blew four sharp blasts.
This was taken up by the tug Bachelor,
which steamed across the river and took
the schooner Hilda, which was lying at
the lujnbfer whar^ to a of safety*
A t. 1 •■•t-yi.
wharf was the first to perceive the fire on
that side of the river. It was only a small
blaze in a pile of hay then. The watch
man ran into the warehouse office and no
tified the men of the fire. One of them
ran to the alarm box at Bay and Jefferson
streets. There was a delay in turning in
the alarm. People on Bay street and in
the northern portion of the city generally,
who were looking in that direction, saw
a column of smoke shoot up into the air.
It was several minutes after the column
of smoke shot up before the alarm went in.
The first alarm was from box 9 at Bay
and Jefferson streets, but attempts were
made to sound two other boxes, which
probably accounts for the confused alarm.
When the firemen arrived the whole
warehouse was a mass of flames, the
lumber was burning at the western end
of Dixon’s wharf, the cars on the River
street track were in flames, and all the ex
posed woodwork on the rear of the build
ings across River street blazing. Some
time was necessarily lost In laying hose
and getting to work. A number of lines
of hose were laid fiom the big main on
Bay street, as this furnished the most
available supply of water. An engine was
also stationed at River and Montgomery
streets, and the fire was fought on that
side. The call for the engines in the
southern section had been sent in imme
diately after the first alarm and these
were soon on the scene.
When the water was first turned on the
pressure was light, but after three or four
minutes it came with full force and there
after the pressure was all that could be
desired. The pressure maintained at the
works during the fire was sixty-five
pounds and during the greater part of
the time the pumpage was at the rate of
9,000,000 gallons a day.
One of the flrat moves made by Chief
Maguire was to order lines of hose car
ried down the alleyway leading from the
foot of Jefferson street between the brick
buildings, to River street. The firemen
proceeded to fight the fire from River
street, their first attention being given to
the blazing woodwork on the buildings
and next to the cars behind. There was
very little space for the firemen between
the brick walls and the blazing cars, and
with the warehouse fire close behind them
it was about as hot a place as they car
ed to get into. When the fire had been
checked on the buildings attention was
given to the warehouse.
The fire had already penetrated to the
interior of the buildings, however. These
were handled by the firemen on William
son street, and the work was well done.
With the fire breaking out In three build
ings at once, the nremen had their hands
full. For a time they checked the fire in
the Conklin building, but the flames had
secured a good hold on the other
two buildings. Within fifteen min
utes after the firemen arrived a stream of
dame was pouring from the doorway
of the stable building of the Savannah
Grocery Company. The building was
gutted, as was also the Flanne-y building
adjoining. The latter budding is the one
in which theTeeule fire occurred a venal
weeks ago. Mr. Teeple had a lot of goods
stored in the eastern half of the building,
and Albert Jackson's cotton pickery occu
ped the western halt. In the Teeple fire
the Flannery bi icing was but little dam
aged. but in the fire last night every bit
of woodwork, including the timbers sup
porting the floors, was burred out, leav
ing the building a hollow shell.
Messrs. Dixon. Mitchell & Co. had $5,0)0
worth of lumber on the wharf right next
to the warehorse which contained the
burning hay. Col. Merritt W. Dixon was
on the acene soon after the fire started,
and as he was somewhat short on insur
ance, the saving of the property was a
matter of financial importance to him.
The fire in the lumber was at the time
confined to a pile valued at about SI,OOO,
which was right next to the warehouse.
Col. Dixon besought the firemen to put a
stream upon this lumber, but at that time
the little outside woodwork of two or three
buildings across the alleyway from the
Teeple building was on fire, and the flames
were rapidly eating their way inside these
structures. They evidently considered this
more important than the lumber, and for
a while Col. Dixon’s request was unheeded.
Foreman Cullom told him he would give
him a stream within a few minutes and
within a short time it was done. Ex-
Firemen Brown, Hogarty, Murphy, Buck
ley, Rahilly and O’Lynn went to work on
the lumber with a will. In the meantime
the tug Bachelor, in charge of Capt. Boyle,
which had just taken the schooner Hilda
away from the burning wharf came up,
and Col. Dixon told them to put on a
stream at once which was done. Soon
afterward the tug Forest City came along
side the Bachelor and also put on a stream.
It was not long before the fire in the
lumber was pretty well out, though Mr.
Dixon said the pile would be a total loss.
The schooner John F. Burgin, which was
to have carried this lumber away, arrived
Saturday, but had not reached the dock.
The lumber on the wharf, valued at
about $5,000, was insured for $2,000 with
Mr. A. C. Harmon in the Continental In
surance Company. Its saving, therefore,
meant a saving to the insured as well as
to the insurance company.
. When an incipient blaze was seen in
the rear of the building just across the
alley way from the Teeple building an un
successful effort was made to get at it,
because of the fact that a wooden shut
ter was in the way. The fire could be
seen then through the cracks. These in
cidents sometimes test the ingeunity of a
fireman. Foreman “Kiffy” Cullom, as he
is familiarly known, demonstrated that
fact that it is not impossible under some
circumstances for a fireman to climb up
the side of a brick wall. With the aid
of nothing but his hands and feet and
a piece of four-by-four timber that was
attached to the side by the wall, he shinned
up for a hight of twenty feet or more,
and with an inch or two of a stone win
dow sill to hold onto, he got over on a
platform some twenty-five feet or more
above the ground. He pulled the shut
ter to pieces with his hands in a few
seconds, a stream was put in and the
fire there put out.
When this fire was at its hight the po
lice found,it difficult to keep back many
of the crowd, who insisted on getting as
close as the heat would allow, they tried
to scare them off by the report that there
were barrels of kerosene oil stored in a
building right next to the fire, and that it
was liable to explode at any moment. On
some this had a momentary effect and
they got back to be out of the way of the
expected explosion when it came. It did
not come quick enough to suit them and
they crowded around again. A second
time, however, the warning did not have
the same effect, and explosion or no ex
plosion it seemed they intended to remain
as near the fire as they could get. The
report, it appears, gi-ew out of the fact
that considerable oil was stored in one
of the buildings several doors away from
the fire, and the outside of the building
was slightly on fire at one time. The oil
was all in the basement, however, and
prevent any danger or explosion;
At the end of a full hour's hard work the
firemen had the fire in hand with little
danger of further spreading, though the
flames still burned fiercely In places. By
9 o’clock the fire was fully under control,
and there appeared to be no further dan- '
ger. Its revival in the Conklin building
between 10 and 11 o’clock added consider
ably to the loss.
The loss will probably exceed SIOO,OOO.
The large stock in the Conklin building
will in itself nearly cover this amount.
The walls of the Flannery building are
badly damaged, and w*ill have to be torn
down.
THE LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
Tlie Total Insurance Between
000 and SIOO,OOO.
Most of the losses are almost, if not
quite, covered by Insurance. Probably the
greatest loser will be Capt. John Flannery.
His buildings had no insurance upon them.
Some years ago a rate that the owner re
garded as prohibitory was demanded, and
the policies were dropped and have not
since been renewed.
It is not kjiown whether Mr. Teeple had
any insurance. He himself was uncertain
about it. He said that he had been un
fortunate on account of the former fire
at Lis place, and was not fully aware of
the condition in which his policies stood.
His insurance, if he has any, is with A.
G. Guerard & Son.
There were a number of insurance men
at the fire, many of whom represent com
panies that have policies on the property
or the stocks carried in the buildings. The
aggregate of all the policies that could be
ascertained was something more than $90.-
000. The companies, represented by J. F.
Wheaton & CO-, carry the largest amounts,
some $36,000, being represented in these six
companies.
Probably the greatest loss will be sus
tained by the companies that cover the
stock of Conklin & Co. It is said that a
stock of about SIOO,OOO value is carried by
the firm, and the damage will be great
on account of the water poured into the
building. It is thought some $75,000 is car
ried. Os this amount $8,500 is in the
companies represented by Wheaton & Co.
John D. Carswell has SIO,OOO on the stock
and another SIO,OOO is carried with the
companies represented by Dearing & Hull.
Mr. John T. Rowland has $5,000 on the
stock. Mr. Goddard of the firm of Conk
lin & Co., was seen, but could not say
just what amount of insurance was car
ried. He said the firm is protected. He
was not able to say what the loss would
be. Hardware suffers greatly when water
is thrown upon it on account of rust.
The hay and grain consumed on the
wharf was consigned to Law A Browder,
who had it insured with Wheaton & Co.
It is not thought that the consignees will
lose much.
The Savannah Grocery Company was
covered, and will not suffer any loss. The
insurance is $5,500. $2,000 of this amount
being with Wheaton & Co., and the rest
with Myers & Holt. It is not known
whether Jackson carried any insurance.
The stock of C. R. Holmes, dealer in
produce, who occupied the building just
east of that occupied by Mr. Teeple was
damaged by both Are and water. He has
insurance to the amount of SBOO with J. E.
Archer & CO. The building suffered dam
age. but to what extent can scarcely be
estimated. This building is owned by an
estate in Boston, Mass. East of the store
occupied by Mr. Holmes is that occupied
by W. Inman Miller. This is owned by
Mrs. Josephine Dieter, who has insurance
with J. L. Archer & Co. to the extent of
$5,000.
The building occupied by Conklin & Co.
and owned by the United Hydraulic Press
Company was insured with Wheaton &
Co. for $17,510, $2,500 additional being car
ried by the Arm on the wharf property,
which is also owned by the Cotton Press
Company.
( DAILY, $lO A YEAR. > ,
4 6 CENTS A COPY. I (),
( WEEKLY 2-TIMES-A-WEEK $1 A YEAR f
SPAIN LOOKS FOR A STRUGGLE
MADRID AND BARCELONA THINKS
THE OUTLOOK OMINOUS.
The Bourse* in the Two Cities De
pressed by the Pessimist Impres
sions Now Current—Senor Sagasta
Informs the United States Minister
That Spain Cannot Entertain the
Suggestion for the Fixing' of a
Date for Completion of Her Paci
fication of Cuba.
London, Feb. 7. —The Madrid correspond
ent of the Standard says: “Senor Sagas
ta’s response to the official note presented
yesterday (Saturday) by Gen. Woodford,
the United States Minister, cornplains of
filibustering expeditions and declares that
Spain cannot Entertain the suggestion for
fixing a date for her completion of the
pacification of Cuba.
“Pessimist impressions are now current
regarding the relations between Spain and
the United States, and have depressed the
Madrid and Barcelona bourses. Public
feeling among all classes is strong against
America.’’
p ■
Chicago, Feb. 6.—The Tribune’s Wash
ington special says: “Premier Sagasta
has declined the third offer of friendly
mediation on the part of the United States.
This information was conveyed in a cipher
message received from Minister' Woodford
by President McKinley on Friday.
“The message was a most unusual one.
Instead of being addressed to the Secre
tary of State it was addressed to the
President, a thing which has not happen
ed since Consul General Lee’s famous ca
blegrams to President Cleveland of nearly
a year ago.
“This cablegram from Gen. Woodford
was not long, but recited the fact that
Premier Sagasta refused to admit that
Spain had reached the end of her rope
in Cuba, that she was unable' to suppress
the insurrection, that autonomy was a
failure, or that she needed the assistance
of the United States in bringing the Cu
ban struggle to an end.”
FENN DIDN’T SURRENDER.
Wa» Captured and Well Treated Be
cause He Was an American.
Havana, Feb.’ 6.—The American (various
ly named in the dispatches as Henry W.
Faim, Henry W. Talm and Emory Fenn,
the last probably being correct), who has
been serving with the Cuban artillery in
the province of Santiago de Cuba, and
who, it was reported, had surrendered to
the Spanish authorities at Gibara, denies
that he surrendered. He says he was
taken prisoner by the column of Gen. Bi
nares. On its becoming known that he
was an American, he was well treated.
He will sail for New York by the Ward
line steamer Yucatan, but will not carry
with him So.tXftLas reported
At Nii-rian* tWday, •’wtawwd**’”*
tribitted tcr 800 persons.UJn eatm case the
recipient was given a tlcKet showing that
the gift of food was from the United
States.
EASTERN CUBA’S DISTRESS.
Consul Baker Writes That Relief Is
Urgently Needed.
Washington, Feb. 6.—Hon, Charles W.
Russell, assistant United States attorney
in the department of Justice, has Just re
ceived the following letter, acknowledg
ing the receipt of a New York draft mailed
to United States Consul Baker at Sagua
la Grande, Cuba, whose district of Las
Villas embraces Santa Clara, the capital
of the province of that name; San Do
mingo, Remedies and another city in the
same province in the eastern part of the
island.
In explanation of the number of deaths
of starvation up to the time of his recent
visit, viz, 200,000, Mr. Russell says Jie got
that number from the common talk in
Cuba. For instance, he asked a Cuban
what the Insurgents said about accepting
the offer of the autonomy, and the answer
was that Spain had put 200,000 corpses
between her and them, referring evidenlly
to the reconcentrados. The letter fol
lows:
“It is with unfeigned pleasure, as well
as inexpressible gratitude that I acknowl
edge receipt of your valued favor of 19th
instant, transmitting S6B United States cur
rency as a donation to the dlspensario, a
charitable institution, to care for the des
titute and sick children of this city—con
tributed, as you say, by ‘certain em
ployes’ of your department.
“I must tell you and the other good
souls contributing that the remittance
was most timely, as their exchequer was
empty, and as one remarked when this
relief was made known, ‘We had God, and j
only God, to look to in order that our
treasury be replenished. To God and
those charitable are due our
thanks.’ /
“Mrs. S. of Boston has notified me that
she has sent to by address a case of con
densed milk for the same purpose, as also
for ‘the remnants of families of recon
centrados in an old warehouse, of whom
I have heard.’ I assume it was you who
called her attention to these poor starving
outcasts.”
After speaking of the good done by Mr.
Russell’s visit to Cuba the letter proceeds:
"Up to date my district has received
nothing of the relief sent by our people
except through your thoughtful remem
brance.
“Os course. Consul General Lee has not,
nor will he ever, in my humble judgment,
have sufficient contributions sent to xla
vana to share with us, so remote and in
accessible in transporting supplies. In
view of this, contributions—like yours—in
money will aid in saving thousands who
just die without sustenance and medicine
immediately furnished. For instance, this
remittance from the generous employes in
your department wiU prove more bene
ficial than ten times the sum thirty days
hence.
“I have certificates sigred by the Al
caldes of the principal cities and towns
in my Sagua la Grande zone alone show
ing that my estimate of 50,600 perishing
souls * was under rather than above the
mark.
“To my mind, and to all Christian peo
ple. there is but one—solely one issue in
this Cuban question, viz: Destitution and
starvation. The status quo is as when
you left—save the destitution grows and
the death rate increases hourly.
"I have-not the authorities—selected
and named a relief committee, composed
of women as well as men, who will dis
tribute all contributions received and ren
der needed relief to all the destitute.
“Say to the generous people of America
who have never turned a deaf ear to the
cry of the distressed, at home or in a for-
e . ig ” ,an<3 > to send us food, medicine and
clothing for the sick.”
Mr. Russell says that any contributions
of money may be safely sent to United
states Consul Walter B. Barker at Sagua
Cuba. As money can be trans
mitted with greater certainty and prompt
ness to that particular region, he advises
sending New York drafts rather than food
supplies, which can be purchased there.
CUBA’S NEW CABINET.
President Galvez Explains the Mis*
sion Before It.
Havana, Feb. 6.—JSenor Jose Marla Gal
vez, president of the autonomist cabinet,
says there is no disagreement among its
members, nor anything in the nature of a.
crisis. On the contrary, all the ministers
understand their programme and mission,
which he sums up as “to establish the newr
regime, to prepare for the elections, and
to constitute a Champer of Deputies.”
Under no conditions, declares Senor Gal
vez, is in the mislson of members of the
cabinet to address the insurgents officially,
or to negotiate for peace unless they should
have a guarantee as to the outcome of
their efforts. Nevertheless, the members
of the cabinet in their unofficial capacity
will do all in their power to smooth the
pathway and will contribute to all private
efforts to bring about a favorable issue.
Senor Galvez says the cabinet is expect
ing favorable news from the province of
Santa Clara and assurances that Gen.
Maximo Gomez retired across the trocha
into the Camaguey district, owing to lack
of support and to conflicting opinions of
district insurgents in Eastern Cuba.
Peace will come, he declares by the “com
bined action of arms and politics,” but it
is absolutely necessary to demonstrate the
efficiency of Spanish arms at the same
time that the beneficial influences of the
new regime are being made known.
The French cruiser du Bourdieu arrived
here to-day.
WHITE SQUADRON MOVEMENTS.
Great Activity Shown by the Vessels)
at Key West.
Key West, Fla., Feb. 6.—Ships connect
ed with the White Squadron have dis
played a remarkable activity during the
last few hours. The cruiser Marblehead
put out from port to-day and joined tha
fleet. The Nashville, which left here
Thursday fully supplied with coal and am
munition, has returned to the harbor.
The torpedo vessels have returned, and
the Cushing and Ericsson are in port.
The Dupont will arrive to-morrow from
Mobile.
The supply boats during the past week
have transported large quantities of pro
visions to the fleet.
PANIC AT A DANCE.
Balcony Containing Thirty Specta
tors Gives Way.
Chicago, Feb. 6.—A panic among 200
dancers was narrowly averted last mid
night at the North Shore Hall.
Http balcony watching the dance. The
supports became loosened arid slipped back
to the wall. The balcony sank gradually,
allowing the spectators to slide topsy
turvy onto the polished floor.
When the creaking and pulling com
menced, indicating that the balcony was
falling, the large number of persons gath
ered underneath quickly stampeded to
ward the central portion of the hall, leav
ing John Kruse behind. Kruse was caught
by the falling timbers and had his sido
crushed in.
As the north end of the balcony com
menced to fall the musicians became pan
ic-stricken, and seizing their instruments,
made a dash for the door. The dancers
followed. Several police officers stationed
at thq door threw it shut, and held it
against the panic-stricken dancers, thus
averting a certain catastrophe in the nar
row stairway.
Os the thirty persons in the gallery.
Kruse alone sustained serious injuries. All
the others, however, were painfully
bruised.
BURNING OF THE REDSKINS.
Arrest of Members of the Mob Cans*
Ing Great Excitement.
Guthrie, Ok., Feb. 6.-Excitement pre
vails in the Pottawatomie and Seminole
country over the arrests made there of
men implicated in the burning of the two
Seminole Indians.
Marshal Horry Thompson and six of his
deputies, accompanied by strong posses,
have been scouring the country the past
three days, and so far twelve arrests have
been made, with ten more warrants to
serve.
Three of the men under arrest are prom
inent Seminole citizens. The people in the ’
community where the stake burning oc
curred are in sympathy with the mob, and
the officers are experiencing great diffi
culty in serving warrants.
Gov. Barnes’ reward of SI,OOO is still in
force. Rewards also have been offered
by the department of justice for the ap
prehension of the mob leaders. Marshal
Thompson fears trouble when the prison
ers are arraigned before the United States
commissioners.
SUICIDE IN A BROTHEL.
Infatuation for a Siren End* In n
Well-Known Man’* Death.
Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 6—About mid
night W. P. Tanner, one of the best
known men in the city, shot himself and
died in the house of ill-fame of Birdio
Simons.
Tanner had some weeks ago attempted
suicide by poison in the same house. He
was infatuated with the woman.
He was secretary and treasurer of the
Hermitage Club, the oldest society club
in the city, and until the first of the
year had been for years assistant cashier
of the American National Bank, and was
also treasurer of the Tennessee Centen
nial Company. He was about 43 years old
and married. The suicide will cause a
sensation.
BIG SHOE FACTORY IN DIXIE.
Has a Capacity of S, (MH) Pairs Per
Day and Will Employ 500 Hands.
Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 6.-The large and
thoroughly equipped shoe factory, which
J. W. Carter & Co. have had in course of
erection, is now complete and the latest
improved machinery in place. It has a
capacity of 5.000 pairs of men’s, youths’
and children’s shoes per day, and will give
occupation to 500 operatives. The factor*
will begin operations to-morrow.