United States Of America | East North Central | Wisconsin | Racine | Racine Daily Journal, The | 1901-03-14
BAD BLAZE IN KENTUCKY
Disastrous Early Morning Conflagration
Visits Cloverport
All Business Houses Gone and Half the Residences — Tobacco Warehouses Burn—Relief Trains Sent Out.
CLOVERPORT, Ky., March 14.—In the biting air of the early morning hours the citizens of Cloverport looked on, almost powerless to act today, while fire destroyed $500,000 worth of property and left 1,000 persons—half the population— homeless. Every business house was burned, and the distress of hundreds of women and children was relieved only when trains loaded with supplies arrived from Louisville and Henderson.
At noon, the fire was still burning in spots but the remaining structures were scattered and no further spread was anticipated.
By the bursting of a natural gas pipe in the kitchen of a private house shortly after midnight, the building was set afire. A high wind was blowing and the burning embers were scattered in all directions, greatly hindering the efforts of the fire department.
Burning embers were carried to the immense tobacco warehouses owned by the American Tobacco company. These buildings were soon wrapped in flames and efforts to save them were abandoned in order to fight the fires which were springing up on all sides. The tobacco company’s plant, consisting of two stemmeries and one million pounds of tobacco, were soon destroyed and the fire continued to spread. The local fire department was totally inadequate to cope with the fire and Louisville and Henderson were asked to send assistance. As Louisville is 75 miles distant, however, no help arrived until 4:30 o’clock, and by that time the fire had about exhausted its material. Every business house was gone, together with all provisions and clothing. Over half of the residences, too, had been destroyed and 1.000 people were wandering aimlessly through the streets, slaving at the ruins.
Here and there on the outskirts of the town, fires were seen, in some small frame cottage, but these gradually died out and by noon the flames had been almost entirely checked.
Relief trains were made up at Louisville and Henderson and brought 5,000 loaves of bread, a large supply of clothing, etc. The coaches will be placed at the disposal of the homeless until they can find other temporary homes.
Adjutant General Murray today shipped 500 tents from Frankfort.
A number of persons were slightly injured in fighting the fire.
Heading the list of losses, of course, was the American Tobacco company. No estimates have yet been made, either on the losses or the insurance carried by this company.
The other losses range from $1,000 to $50,000.
United States Of America | East North Central | Indiana | Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, The | 1901-03-15
MANY HOMELESS.
CLOVERPORT. Ky.. March 14.—The fire which broke out here at midnight caused by the bursting of a natural gas pipe, destroyed property worth a half million dollars. The greater part of the little town was completely wiped out, and over a thousand persons, about one-half the population, are homeless, and up to the time a special relief train from Louisville reached here, was in great distress. The greatest loser is the American Tobacco Company, which lost two large stemmeries and one million pounds of tobacco. Other large structures destroyed wore Lucille Memorial Methodist church and the only two hotels in the town—the Breckinridge Inn and the Cloverport Hotel. The losses on these have not yet been computed, the owners and occupants devoting themselves entirely to fighting the flames in other parts of the little city and doing what they could to succor the women and children huddled in little groups wherever shelter could be found from the biting cold of the night and early morning.
The following business houses are a total ruin, and their losses are estimated to be: M. Haman & Son, furniture; $25.000; F. Frazee; $15.000; F. N. Depuy; $40,000; Seaton & Sippel; $20,000; Haynes & Co.; $15.000; Moreman & Owen; $5,000; Alex Boyd’s building, $3,000; Short & Haynes, druggists, $8,000; C. and L. Lippet, confectioners; $1,000; W. H. Bowner, two-story building; $2,000; the Breckinridge News; $15,000; Breckinridge Bank, loss unknown; Fisher, druggist, $5,000. Many other business houses were destroyed, but the losses have not been estimated. Dozens of smaller houses were burned.
United States Of America | Mountain | Montana | Anaconda | Anaconda Standard, The | 1901-03-16
Half a Million Blaze.
Cloverport, Ky., March 15.—Fire caused by the bursting of a natural gas pipe destroyed property valued at $500,000. The greater part of town was completely wiped out and over 1,000 persons, about half the population, are homeless. The heaviest loser is the American Tobacco company, which lost two large stemmers and 1,000,000 pounds of tobacco. Other large structures destroyed were Lucille Memorial church, Methodist church, Breckinridge Inn and Cloverport hotel. The flames were fanned by a high wind and spread with great rapidity.
United States Of America | East North Central | Wisconsin | Marshfield | Marshfield Times, The | 1901-03-22
News of the World
The bursting of a natural gas main at Cloverport, Ky., caused $500,000 damage and left 2,000 persons homeless!
United States Of America | Mountain | Montana | Anaconda | Anaconda Standard, The | 1901-03-16
A Heavy Loss
Cloverport. Ky., March 15.—It is now estimated that the loss by Tuesday’s fire here will be close to $400,000, with $128,000 insurance. Seventy-one buildings were destroyed. A second train of relief supplies from Louisville reached here this afternoon and a third will arrive to-night.