Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-16
At CHICAGO.
Total Destruction of Field and Letters
Dry Good Store by Ere.

DA NOouS W =
Chicago, Nov. 14.-At 8 80 this evening
an alarm of fire was sounded from the cor
ner of State aud Washington streets, a fire
having been discovered in Field & Letters
retail establishment. By a fatal mistake
nobody was at the box when the firemen
arrived and they were misdirected to an
other building and had almost concluded
that a false alarm had been sounded when
the flames were seen bursting from the up
per story OF Field & Letters large store
BY this error Of Judgment fully fifteen
minutes were consumed and the fire had
gained much hesdway before the first
stream was directed upon 1t. The origin
dressing stove and some that it was found
in the loft above. 1t quickly commuui.
Gated. BY means of the open elevator hatch
way with the lower floors, and at 10 O'Clock
almost the entire stock Of dry goods was
completely destroyed bv FIRE or by water.
The building seems 10 be completely gut
ted, except on the two lower floors, which
remain less injured than the others.
An accident happened to the firemen by
which one were killed outright, and four
others was taken from the ruins so badly
hurt that they will probably die.
No list of the insurance can be given
tonight. The loss will be estimated and
sent as soon as possible
Mr.. Field estimates his loss at about
100000 on stock. The manager of the
retail department says there was q retail
stock in the store of $4,000, and from
$250.OOO to 100000 of the wholesale stock
stored in the basement.
The insurance on the building is not
known. but is stated to be over 5000, 600.
The stock is believed to be insured for
at least two-thlrds its value.
Accidents were numerous and scarcely
one of the tiremen escaped without bruises.
The following are the known casualties
Chas. A. Dudley, Of San Francisco, but
formerly q number of the Chicago fire COM
pany. which he was assisting tonight,
killed; a Waterman in the building, name
unknown. killed; L. j. Fl. ~Showenberg,
fireman, injured dangerously internally
Francis Flanagan, internally hurt r. G.
Paine, colored fireman, head and mouth,
severity, j. Bailey, pipeman, badly about
the face and hands; Pat Smith, an EN-.
ploye, hurt badly by falling timber which
struck him on the bead. All the injured
are more or less burned. The injuries,
however. resulted largely from falling stairs
and the elevator which fell on account OF
| u OAVQhiok u AORSs AAlCV uCu WcIt
under it and two were probably killed.
The following are missing: John
ORourke, engineer; Sweeney, pipeman,
supposed to be in the ruins, but possibly
alive.
Eight hundred and fifty persons are
thrown out of employment by this disaster,
of whom $50 are women employed as dress.
makers, filters, etc.
MI. Field furnishes the following state
ment to the associated press:
The fire originated in q sort of demistory
or attic, an %unoccupied room Just above
the 5th story. Its origin cannot be accoun
ted for on any theory. Only one mani is
known to have been killed outright, and
his body was recovered. He was the
fireman whose nam has already been sent
The fourth and fifth stories are Quilted, the
stock entirely consumed, and the masonry
valueless. The lower stories MAY be re-
paired at considerable outlay, but it would
be nearly as cheap and safer to tear the
whole structure down and build q new one
The stock Of the lower stories is slmos,
entirely DESTROYED by water, but some of il
may be worth IS cents on the dollar. The
package goods in the basement are less
injured, but o n are intact. Perhaps
100000 worth of goods were carried out,
The stock, wholesale and retail, was worth
from 100000 to 81. 900 but probably
nearest the former figure, and the insurance
$95O,OOO on stock. The insurance cannot
be stated tonight as all the books are
locked up. Any list would necessarily be
imperfect. The wholesale department
being several blocks away, was not affected
Mr.. Field q y the retail business viii
Ebe resumed as soon as suitable quarters ar
obtained.