Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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.