, 1874-05-26
The Larger Part Of the Business
Portion Of the City Destroyed.
Forty-flve Stores and Business
Houses Swept Away.
One Bank, Two Hotels, and Two Print
ing Offices Burned.
Loss Estimated Mt $BOO,OO0--In-
slrance, $25O,0OO.
Lesser Fires Elsewhere.
At Independence Ia.

At Independence In.
Special Dhapa1ch to 11te Chicago Tribune.
DuDuquE, H., May 25.-A8 1t is quito 1ilsol1
that Chicago morchants are largely interested
in this destructive fro, ! send you tull 10
count Of 1t from an eyewitness. Tho fri
originated In frame building Oh Chatham
street, adjoining tho Bnrr Block, part oi
which block WAS known as tho st. James
Hotel. The flames did not appear to progress
very rapidly at first, but there was no means ot
checking or subduing the fire. Within half ar
hour aftor the fire wan discovered hand-ongin<
md hoHe reached the ground, but it WAS u
ineffective tint tho partieH operating tht
ongne woro compelled to abandon 1t. Mean.
tmo strong wind arose, blowing principally
from tho wost. This caused tho flames t<
spread rapidly, communicating from building t.
bnilding until tho corner OF Chatham and Main
streets were reached, when the wind, at thai
Tina from tho northwest, forced tlo flame east
down Main street,
TIE FIRE CONTINUED TO spuEAD
from house to houao on tho north side Of Main
street. progressing towards tho river, gradually
heating tho buildings On the south and rendor.
ing thom In a condition to ignite easily. Wt1oox's
new block, which extends nearly to tho river on
the south sido Of Main street, waa the first II
catch fire on that side of tho street. Tho 1ra
spread through thiB block, and IN Bhort time
tho entire building, which extends from Main
to the street running parallel in thu
rcar, vaH one mass OF flames. From
this block tho flames extended both east and
weBt, until eyory building between the river and
Walnut street WIS destroyed.
While tho fire waa burning on the south side
Of Main street, another effort WAS mado to mako
tho hand-ongno useful, but, like tho frat effort,
proved unsuccessful.
THE WANT OF FIRE ENGINES
became apparent. Last Friday stoam aueine,
which lad been ordered by tho city authorities,
arrived, but Ind not boom takon from tho Depot
as lho city ofllcials wero awaiting thu
| arrival Of m agent Of tho manufactory,
| before whom the engine WAS to hayo been
| fairly tested. About hnif-past 9 o'clock a party
| Of gentlemen unbound tho steam engine from
| the festenings placed around it for security in
Shipping, fred up, and attempted to uso 1t in
Bubluilg the flames, but really accomplished
nothing.
All the best buBinesa ltouBes in tho city arc do
stroyed. During t1o Inst few years many hand
some and substeStial buildings hayo boon
erected in independence, md their rllus extend
| from the Montana House, corner Of Main and
Walnut strootB, down the south side OF Main
through to tho back street to tho
/ river thence across to tho north sdo Of
| Main to Chatham street, and down Chatham to-
wards the depot to the street crossing Chatham,
on ono aldo Of which the st. James Hotel
| frontod.
! THE LOSS.
At tlis time It is impossible to
arrive at any correct estimate Of tho
1oas, but some OF the prominent citizens
! r,,5a mt fall ST.
| $500, ,O00.
Tile manner in Which tho fire originated is
complete 1nystory. Thousand rumors and
coniectureA nro ationt concerning tho origin, but
nothing definite is known.
Throughout tho State Of Iowa there was nes
totpriaing inhabitants than Independence, aud
this will prove not only disastrous to her pros
pority. but will he felt By merchants in all tho
commercial citios Of tho 1Nsst.
The Indies oftha city dtsp1ayed tho groatoak
hcroniBm aud: courage; instead OF becoming
weak with fright they worried with energy aud
determination, aud through their efforts many
Thousand dqll9ra worth Of goods t were sayed. Ihs
credit for their conduct last night.
RuMoRs OF DEATH IN THE FLAMES.
It was rumored tlls morning. .that three nen
woro burned to death in hlyora' store Parties
utore. Immediately after which tho up
per floors foil in, and nona OF them
were ovor seen to leave tho build
Ing. Waltor Cummings was also, severely
o'clock, 8 little girl was observed crying bit-
torly on the atroot and when asked what tho
mattor WAS, replied TINT her father onterod \
burning building and did not como out.
NAuEs OF THE surrEnEna.
Tho following nro tho uamoB OF tho firms
burnt out on the houth side Of Main atreet: J:
II. OBgood millinery, sowing -machinos, aud
organs; Morse y narnott, dry goods and Cloth
@ JOSEPH sqyan HaD dry reess gesas sna clothing e.
dry goods and millinery; Dowloy l. oroutt.
dry goods; II. Il. Plane, hardware Fischer
grocofs oloso q Motz5a'l Sroso1s
Moore Il Chamberlain. dry goods and clothing !;
MaHs Il Dau1n, dry gouds and clothing, King q
Konyon, llardwar9; Augnst Myers, dry goods es
a,'d clothing; Taylor ho9erts ha!waro ala
Offices, and a, +. Williams d Son, burnt out ID
+ tho fire last winter.
on tho opposite siae h Of the stroot' Kimball's
ssas sHs% s%a 9R!sr ) Sns SSsas Sas
: aud notions; aaSd tie Montana House.
IL tho ro"r Ct 9i..;1s slain street, on tha
sGs!1 ss43 psFs as fo S"rt3' snsfxoos BARNETT, yar,
burn; T. sherwood's, i. Hunters, aud William
Kenyon'a residences. Tho uppor-Atories Oh she
south Hido Of AIaiu street we're used prinoipall,
for ollices y list Of which We give 8. 3. Allen
!. attorney ind real pBtato agent J. Woodward,
attorney; i1oHmor Il Druekhart, attorneys
Loo 4 Mcart. attorneyB> Holdridgc, attorney 2;
Q. r. II. lsozoll, sttoruey;' Wilcox Opera House
the Conservative printing o1lcs Da5nhart Bros,
:. Odd Fellows, and Good Ten,plars Halls Josliu'e
insurance office; barbas-shops OF J. burk. n
s On the nor north side Of Maiu street, fron tht
. river oast, II. Uuger'a baheryi William stsn,ble
= ogar mnnllfaotoryl john dorman, merchant