Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-04-24


Destructive Fire at Platteville--
Eleven Business Houses Destroy
ed--Others Badly Scorohed--Loss
Nearly $4,000.
The Grant County FITNESS gives an &C
count of fire on the might of the 18th,
at Platteville, one of the most destructive
that ever visited that place. The FIRE
broke out about 1880 P. NJ, on Second
street, occupied mainly by wooden build
ings, and a part of the town which its
citizens could better afford to have cleaned
out than any other. By o'clock eleven
places of business were laid in ruins, and
half dozen others so badly scorched that
| it will require considerable outlay to re-
pair them. The FITNESS says:
"The fire started in Mr.. A. S. Lottman's
saloon, and from there it extended north,
destroying VIM. Meyers harness shop,
John Kruse's meat shop and G. Kistler's
Ijewelry shop. Here its progress was ar
rested by the large brick building of Mr..
Franz Berg. The flames leaped across
Second street and fastened upon two
story wooden building belonging to Jacob
Hooser, ST., but by almost superhuman
exertions, they were subdued after they
had destroyed the weather boarding on
the front.
"In the meanwhile the fire was extend
ing south, and first the saloon of j. R.
Stephens was destroyed, then that of
Siemers & Thicle, then the dry goods store
of G. Kettler, and the boot and shoe shop
Of T, Karman, the cigar ..manufactory of
S. Steinbach, the drug store of I. O..
Drinkall and the grocery store Of D. Will
son were all totally destroyed.
"The wind was blowing from the north
and for while the buildings on the south
side Of Main street, including Mr.. e. Bay
leY's block, the postoffice and Mr.. Cum
mings' building were in imminent danger.
Most of the contents of these building
were removed, but by extraordi-
nary exertions they were saved. Mr.
Cummings had supplied himself with
force pump, to which he had attached a
piece of hose, and with this he threw a
constant stream on the front of his build
ing, thereby saving it from destrution.
The crowd worked WELL The ladies
turned out and assisted in forming lines
and saving goods, and by their presence
as well as example did much to stimulate
the men to greater activity.
"Of the losses it is almost impossible
to arrive at anything like fair estimate. A
great many goods were saved, but some
lin damaged condition. The heaviest
losers were Messrs. Siemers & Thiel, who
estimate their loss at $4,000. Mr.. T. o.
Drinkall thinks his loss will reach So, 600.
Mr.. Stephens estimates his loss at $4oO
Mr.. Myers loss is about $1,000. Mr.. D.
Wilson estimates his loss at $500. Mr..
Steinbach, we understand, estimates his
loss at about 81 900.
There is some disagreement as to the
origin of the fire. A boy name Kisler
was clerking for Mr.. LOTHIAN, and shortly
after the fire broke out he told several
different persons that there were some
men in the saloon playing cards; that they
got into some kind of scuffle, in which
they upset the table, upon which there
was kerosene lamp, which exploded,
scattering the fire in all directions: that
they tried their best to extinguish it but
were unsuccessful. Mr.. j. R. Stephens
who kept the saloon adjoining, told US
taht when he retired he noticed his room
was full Of smoke; that he went down
stairs. that there was light in Lottman's;
| that he gave the alarm to them, and they
set about to find out where the fire was,
and that they discovered it in the floor in
close promixity to the chimney, and that
| it must have originated from defective
| hue.
| The Witness closes its account by seek
| ing to enforce the lesson of the fire, which
| is equally applicable here, of the need of an
engine of some kind to cope with such
fires, showing that Mr.. Cummings force
pump saved his building, and that not a
building en- Main street need to have been
destroyed if there had been an efficient
organization with machines under perfect
control.