Show WHIlE FIREMEN N CREBRATfD fiERCE fiRE BROKE OUT Three Blocks In Heart of Commercial District of New Orleans Burned Causing Loss of Over Million Now Orleans Klro which brolto out In tho center of tho commercial district dis-trict Sunday afternoon swept over portions of three blocks destroying a large number of wholesale houses manufacturing houses and stores Originating at Blenovlllo and Charles streets tho names worked their way north as far as Conti street and went to Royal with a loss of between one and two million dollars before the flames were finally subdued At the time tho alarm was turned In shortly before 3 oclock the New Orleans firemen were In the midst of their annual picnic at a suburban park and tho engines and patrols responded re-sponded with a mere handful of moo It was fully an hour before tho department de-partment was In a position to mako anything like a successful fight rgalnst the fire and even then the handicap against It was added to by an Inadequate supply of water The fire was ono of the most spectacular spec-tacular that has occurred In Now Orleans Or-leans during recent years Two warehouses filled with wines end liquors were among the buildings build-Ings destroyed Barrels of whiskey and brandy exploded with thunderous roars which could be heard for blocks and which shook tho walls of adjoining adjoin-ing buildings and endangered the lives of firemen engaged In fighting the flames It was not until several hours had elapsed that tho fire was gotten under control and even then it continued to burn well Into tho night |