The Daily News Batavia, Genesee County, New York State Wednesday Evening, February 1-1888 FIERCE FIRE IN BUFFALO. Barnes, Hengerer & Co.'s Great Establishment Burned. Adjoining Structures Damaged--Loss Over a Million Dollars--500 People in the Building--Four Lives Reported Lost. Buffalo.--A terribly destructive fire is raging on Main street. Fire broke out at 11:45 this morning in Barnes, Hengerer & Co.'s mammoth dry goods establishment, 256 to 265 Main street, and in a few minutes the whole interior was a mass of flames. At noon the walls on Pearl street fell in, burying in the ruins four girls employed in that part of the store. At 12:30 the front walls fell in, and the whole structure is in ruins. The fire spread to the adjoining buildings occupied by DICKINSON's jewelry store and PARTRIDGE's dry goods store and leaped across the street to GLENNY's china and glassware emporium and MORGAN's carpet store, and threatens the Academy of Music. The Bank of Buffalo, in the same block with Barnes, Hengerer & Co., have put all their books and papers in the vaults and vacated the premises. The Board of Trade building is in danger. Barnes, Hengerer & Co.'s stock is valued at one million dollars and the building at $250,000. The efforts of the firemen were at once directed towards preventing the spread of the fire and they were so far successful that the flames obtained no foothold anywhere. Beyond the damage to the adjoining buildings and to the front of those opposite on Main street, and also on Pearl, the loss is confined to Barnes, Hengerer & Co. and the building they occupied. At 1 o'clock the fire was under control. The names of the girls said to have lost their lives are not known and will probably not be until a roll call is made of the employes. One fireman had his leg crushed. The building occupied by Barnes, Hengerer & Co. was owned by C.J. HAMLIN, the great horseman, and was a handsome iron-front structure. The fire originated in the basement about the center of the building and in an incredibly short space of time a great flame burst through the floor. The alarm spread from floor to floor of the great building and a rush was made for the street. There were about 500 people in the building, half of whom were clerks, mostly women and girls. The immense volume of flame swept through the building as though driven by a cyclone, and bursting from the windows and doors leaped far out into the street. Although the fire department was quickly on the spot, no power could stay the flames, so fiercely were they spreading through the inflammable merchandise which the store contained. The flames made rapid headway on the Pearl street side of the building and it is there the four girls are said to have been seen to fall back into the fire, but the report is as yet unconfirmed. The tongues of flames shooting out from front and rear stretched across the streets and threatened to communicate to the buildings opposite. The woodwork of several took fire, and the firemen, seeing that all hope of saving Barnes, Hengerer & Co.'s was past, confined themselves to saving the others. At one time it looked as though the block between Seneca and Swan would go, and the Board of Trade with it. This was happily prevented and though the stocks of the occupants suffered heavily by flooding, the buildings were but slightly damaged. The losses outside of Barnes, Hengerer & Co. are at present unobtainable, but the insurance on this building and stock, is considerable over half a million. The other sufferers are FLINT & KENT, MORGAN & Son's, BARNUM's, JENNING's, interior decorations, DENTON & COTTIER, music store, DICKINSON's jewelry store and PARTRIDGE & Co. dry goods. + + BRUTAL MURDER IN BUFFALO. John CULLEN, a ship-caulker, murdered his mother in Buffalo last night in an exceedingly brutal murder, while under the influence of liquor. After committing the crime he made a tour of several saloons and in each announced in a loud voice that he had killed his mother. As he was drunk but little attention was paid to his remark at first, but finally he was arrested, and a visit to his home showed that he had told the truth. He had taken his mother's life by means of an axe, his reason for the crime being that she had made some comment upon his condition. CULLEN is about 30 years of age and unmarried. He has brothers and sisters, but all were away from home at the time the murder took place. + + REVISION OF MARRIAGE LAWS. Senator WALKER of Batavia, the Rev. Dr. J.E. NASSAU of Warsaw, and the Rev. Dr. T. Ralston SMITH of Buffalo, the committee appointed by the State Synod of the Presbyterian church to petition the Legislature for a revision of the marriage laws, have sent in the petition, which asks for the following changes in the marriage laws of New York state: First, forbidding under proper sanctions the solemnization of marriage between minors without the consent of parents or guardians; second, prescribing a system of marriage licenses; third, increasing the stringency of existing provisions concerning the matter of divorce. + + CONKLING WRITES A LETTER. New York.--A special to the 'World' from Ashland, Wis., says that Charles WELLER of Milwaukee recently wrote a letter to Roscoe CONKLING in which he describes himself as an "old Chenango county CONKLING Stalwart," and protesting against Mr. CONKLING's reported sympathy with the movement to nominate Jerry RUSK for the Presidency. In his reply Mr. CONLKLING says: "You must not believe what you read in newspapers. If all that newspapers have said of me had been true I should long ago have hidden myself from the sight of men." After denying that there was any truth in the rumor referred to, Mr. CONKLING goes on to say that he believes the Republican party sustained a great loss in the death of Senator HOWE and that "it is also true a matter of regret to me that the party in which you and I believe so much has not maintained its usefulness and vigor. Quite out of the current now myself, and powerless to influence the counsels of those who manage and direct, I shall hope for the best and trust that the leaders will find some way to bring back the earnestness and wisdom which now, as much as ever, since the war, are needed, and which would make the party again victorious and a blessing to the country." + + MATTERS OF LOCAL INTEREST. Something About the Masonic Bodies, Contributed by a Member. Since the annual election of officers of the various Masonic bodies in Batavia, interest in the order has received a new impetus and matters are progressing admirably. The present Master of the Lodge, Mr. Alexander HAYS, is a gentleman of great executive ability and thoroughly qualified for his position. Already his influence is felt. In the Chapter, Dr. J.M. SHOWERMAN, the H.P., is bringing up the work to a standard of excellence long needed and happily appreciated, while in the Commandery, Capt. O.C. PARKER, the E.C., naturally possessed of a military spirit, is infusing into that body a spirit of emulation that will soon put it in the front rank of Commanderies in the State. The selection of subordinate officers in the various bodies has been most fortunate. They are all men of intelligence, thoroughly versed in the work, and valuable auxiliaries to the presiding officers. Arrangements are being consummated with Prof. MORSE to assume entire charge of the music of the different bodies of which he is a member; for the profane must know that music as an art and a medium of worship enters largely into Masonic ritual. A quartette will be formed and a portion of the ritual chanted as in the Grand Lodge of England. + + Law Suit Over a Gasoline Stove. A suit being tried to-day before Justice CROSBY, the outcome of which is looked forward to with great interest by a good many in the community, is that of J.B. FONDA, the hardware dealer, against the Rev. C.W. WINCHESTER. Last summer Mr. WINCHESTER purchased a gasoline stove of Mr. FONDA, making a part payment on the same. Mr.WINCHESTER claims that the stove was purchased subject to a warranty and it did not fill the bill, so he refused to pay the balance. MR. WINCHESTER had the stove returned to Mr. FONDA's place of business, but the latter declined to receive it and it has been standing on the sidewalk in front of Mr. FONDA's for some time. Mr. FONDA brings suit to recover the balance due, claiming that the stove was precisely what he represented it to be. + + The Courtney Quartette Referring to the famous Courtney Quartette, which appears at the Opera House tomorrow evening, the Troy 'Observer' says: "Seldom, if ever, have we heard a quartette sing in better unison or with more expression than did the Courtney Company. Their opening piece, 'The Gypsies' Laughing Glee,' was faultlessly rendered. Their solos and duos were also warmly applauded and encored. Miss HALLENBECK's solo was superb, very difficult of execution, and rendered in a highly artistic manner. Mr. COURTNEY showed himself to be a great artist and the possessor of a telling, pure, tenor voice. Miss CLAPPER, the contralto, may justly be termed 'Cary No. 2.' She made a telling hit and lasting impression on the audience." Secure your seats at PATTERSON Bros. + + contributed by Linda C. Schmidt