Big Fire in Covington, Ky.

A Church Destroyed and Several Buildings Destroyed in the Flames

Covington, Ky., March 5. - Shortly before 2 o'clock this morning flames were discovered breaking from the northeastern windows of the architectural iron working establishment of the Fred J. Myers Manufacturing Company, 410 and 421 Madison Avenue.

The Myers establishment is one of the largest, if not the largest, of its kind in the country.  It is a seven story brick, fronting 150 feet on Madison Avenue, and extending back half a block, about 250 feet.  Almost before the fire department was on the scene the entire building was in flames.  Seeing that no part of this building could be saved, the firemen turned their attention to the adjoining property.

A strong northerly wind was blowing and and the flames quickly spread across to Fifth Street on the north and attacked the Fifth Street Christian Church, one of the oldest and largest of the denomination in Kentucky.  In no time it succumbed to the flames, as did the residence of Dr. Robinson, adjoining it.  When the fire in the church was at its highest and had reached the steeple and spire, the flames shot out from these high above the surrounding blaze like a huge torch suspended from the sky.

Adjoining the Meyers works on the north was the Crawford tobacco warehouse, a five-story building, the upper two floors of which were occupied by the Meyers Company and the lower floors heavily stocked with tobacco.  For a time it was thought it could be saved.  Several times the flames that broke through the windows or communicated to the roof were extinguished, but finally it went, too, and is very nearly a total loss.

The two-and-a-half-story residence of Mrs.. Robinson, valued at $50,000, also succumbed to the flames.  The loss on the Crawford works is estimated to be $135,000.  Fred J. Meyers carried an insurance of $80,000.  The Sprague & Matson Eagle Works are fully covered by insurance.  The loss on the plant and the building will aggregate to $135,000.

Three frame dwellings adjoining the tobacco warehouse on the north side were burned to the ground.  The buildings were occupied as tenement houses, and the families managed to save much of their furniture.  The houses were all small dwellings and the property of Charles B. Wallace.  A number of other small buildings adjacent to the property destroyed by fire were demolished by falling walls.  The total loss is estimated at $400,000, partly insured.

|from the New York Times, March 6, 1893. For a map the location, click here.