The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1879-01-07

From the St. Louis Republican
The last entry Of large fires to be
made on the city fire record for the
year 1873 is Scholtenis photograph
gallery, 92O and 922 Olive street. The
alarm started from box 4S, Tenth and
Pine. last night. at 9:4S, but the whole
interior of the extensive establishment
Was mass Of flames long before the
arrival Of the Fire Department; in
fact. the alarm was turned on after
the fremen had appeared on the scene
Of the conAagration. This is ex-
planned by the statement of Mr. w.
II. II. Russell, who occupied the
second story rear room of 922. the cor
ner building, as a sleeping apartment.
Mr.. Russell says that he returned to
his room for the purpose of preparing
his list Of New Years calls 8 o'clock,
and Immediately detected the presence
OF fire in the building from the smell
of smoke. which greeted his nostrils
ON opening the front door. He
searched Immediately on the first
floor and then descended to the cellar,
where, although he could see no
flames, the location of the fire was dis
covered BY the dense smoke to be
in the neighborhood of the large
furnace used for heating purposes.
To the crowd, which had collected
in large numbers. the long wait. from
about half-past 8 o'clock until No. 6
engine drove furiously up Olive street.
was utterly incomprehensible. Several
valuable minutes were also consumed
in making the attachment to the up
right plug opposite the burning
buildings. and be ore a drop of water
fell on the flames the whole house had
become hery furnace.
THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE EsTAB-
| LIsBMENT
aided materially in spreading the
flames. and the nature of the roof,
consisting entirely of glass and tin,
which soon broke in, created a heavy
draft.
The operating-room. containing the
photographic instruments and other
paraphernalia Of the business, COM
prised the entire second floor of both
buildings. forming one large room.
and there thus being no barrier. the
fire broke out Of the second story Of
the corner house. shortly after it
blszed forth from the AT building.
and the destruction of both seemed
then almost a foregone conclusion.
MISS MAGGIE WALSH,
who has been the chief operator IN
der Mr.. Scholten for the past Eve
years. was ON the ground after the FIRE
had been got under control. She
wept profusely, and refused to be COM
forted, notwithstanding the numerous
efforts Of the able-bodied reporters
standing around. She said that at
o'clock in the evening she had left the
building in company with Mr.. Schol-
ten, the only person remaining being
the porter. Seeking the nearest dis
trict telegraph Office she sent q dis
patch to Mr.. s., at his residence near
Lafayette Park. as be had not been
discovered IN the neighborhood Of the
conAagration. Miss Maggie showed
an inclination to thrust herself into
the FIRE, impelled by desire to save
something. The Aremen said they
had done their level best, but the
young lady thought she could save
some Of the pastels or the crayons or
the velvet covered frames, il allowed
to enter the burning structure. The
police interfered, and she was prevent
cd from sacrificing herself. Miss Mag
gle, however. after being restored to a
condition of reason, showed herself
equal to the emergency. She ascer-
tanned that all the negatives of the
large establishment. including the
statuary of the Rensbaw babies,
were in good condition. and had
not been injured by the fire.
The cameras, several in number and
of great value and not to be re-
placed, were destroyed, as were pastels
and crayons, Of Mr.. Daniel G.
Taylor. Mr.. John G.. Priest, Mr..
Alfred Carr, Stilson Hutchlns, Bishop
Ryan and Mr.. j. H. ID. Block, each
valued at 500. that had been ready
for delivery, but were retained ON
hand through press of business. All
the books by which negatives could be
identified, were destroyed, they being
twelve in number and showing the
work Of years. The contents of the
safe were saved, including cash of
untold amount and books showing in
debtedness that. if collectable, will
prove Of great benefit to Mr.. Scholten
in the work Of rebuilding that is con-
templated by him. The young lady