BUFFALO’S GREAT FIRE

Forty Buildings Destroyed or Badly Damaged and One Life Lost

[Welland Tribune, 8 February 1889]

BUFFALO, Feb 8- The most damaging fire that ever occurred in Buffalo, so far on the wholesale destruction of property is concerned, broke out at 2.45 a.m. today. It raged with terrible fury for upward of four hours, and in that time destroyed several large business buildings, a hotel and several smaller structures. A high wind prevailed, which materially helped the progress of the flames. The fire started on the fourth floor of Root & Keating’s five storey building on the south western corner of Carroll and Wells streets. The flames quickly reached the top storey and roof and also worked their way down to the lower storeys. A general alarm was ordered, summoning the entire fire department. The building burned with the utmost rapidity. The whole city was illuminated almost as bright as day, and people living three miles away were a wakened by the brilliant glare on the windows of their houses. Root & Keating’s building was a massive structure of brick, with a frontage of 134 feet in Carroll street and 127 in Wells street. Directly across Carroll street from the Root & Keating building, fronting on Seneca street, was the five storey brick and iron stove warehouse of Sherman S. and Jewett & Co., supposed to be a fireproof building, and also the new six-storey candy manufactory of Sibley & Holmwood, erected in place of that destroyed by fire two years ago. These two large structures were next attacked by the flames, and their destruction was only a matter of a few minutes. On the opposite side of Wells street, a little further north, the Broezel house, a massive six storey structure, whose guests were up and dressing a few minutes after the alarm. They were frightened, and they had good reason to be, for the commercial men, who largely composed its guests, had painful memories of hotel fires in Buffalo.

These three great buildings were rapidly destroyed and then the six storey building occupied by Moffatt Brothers, Hoffield & Co., and other firms. The flames spread along Seneca street, and were only brought under control about five o’clock. When the walls of the Broezel house fell, several firemen had a narrow escape with their lives. One was felled to the ground, but a heroic fellow worker carried him out of the reach of danger.

ONE LIFE LOST

About noon a number of firemen were at work in the ruins oat the rear of the Arlington hotel, when the western wall of the rear extension fell without any warning. All of the men were out of the way of the falling bricks and timber except Dominick R.Marion, of engine 10, and John Moest, foeman of engine 9. Moest was struck on the head by some of the bricks, receiving a bad scalp wound, and being otherwise injured. Marion was buried in the ruins, and if not killed at once his life must soon have been crushed out by the immense weight resting on him. Frantic efforts were made by his comrades to reach him, but without avail. He was about thirty-four years old.

THE BURNT DISTRICT

The official records show that between 3 and 5 o’clock this morning the wind maintained a velocity of thirty miles an hour, and at times between 3 and 4 o’clock, it reached thirty-five miles. The fire, beginning in the big Root & Keating building, spread by contact or the force of the big wind blowing at the time in all directions, but chiefly to the northward and eastward. Wells street is a complete desert from Seneca to Exchange streets-an appalling chaos of brick, twisted iron, and an extricable tangle of wires. The total area included in the burned district is roughly estimated at seven or eight acres, and the total number of buildings destroyed or gutted at forty.

LOSSES

The principal losses re figured are about as follows: Root and Keating, $250,000, their tenants, $200,000; S.S. Jewett & Co., $200,000 Broezel house, $160,000; Sibley & Holmwood, $$150,000; Fowler & Sons, $$80,000; S.F. Egan, $40,000; Sidney Shepherd, & Co., $50,000; the Arlington hotel, $40,000; A.T. Kerr & Co., $30,000; Strootman building and tenants, $500,000. Losses on Exchange street $75,000. Losses on north side Seneca, $200,000. Other losses, $150,000. This could make a total of $2,785,000. Opinions have been given, however, that that the entire loss will not fall short of $300,000.