Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1902 — Races to the City Hall. [ARTICLE]

Races to the City Hall.

Main street was soon arched over with a canopy of fire for a block, and then for two blocks as the flames fastened themselves upon building after building. Calls for relief went out to every city in that portion of the State and the jaded firemen labored on, through the hopeless hours of the morning. The City Hall, a magnificent structure, surmounted by a great clock tower, situated on Washington, Ellison and Market streets, finally caught and with it went all of the splendid business structures that surrounded it. They made a great furnace of fire that burned with a fierce roar. There was a. series of explosions and scores of walls fell when the fire lef' them strengthless. Flying firebrands carried the conflagration over some buildings and around others, and it therefore burned in an irregular course. These brands finally cleared the tracks of the Erie Railroad and Ramapo avenue, and alighting on Straight street, started another great area of fire, in which the destruction and desolation wrought were nearly as great as in the other.

Second Fire Started in Park Avenue. This second’ great fire started at the angle of Park avenue and Washington street and swept almost unchecked until on these two thoroughfares there was no more fuel. On the right hand side of Market street it encountered Sandy Hill cemetery as a barrier to check it, but on the left Kand~side~at‘ GnrroH street it claimed St. Joseph’s Church, a 'great classic stone building. „ , . It was in this second great fire that the volunteer firemen from the outside cities did their most 1 heroic and effective work. They fell back only when they had tQ, and when the natural obstacle interposed they seized the chance and stopped the fire. t .

The fire, destructive as it was. caused but three deaths. . Two men were fatally injured and one aged woman died of excitement.