Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-06-07
Extensive Connagration.
Destruction OftI.e Empire BreaU-
e7U Ice Houses and Music Hall.


Yesterday shortly after l o'clock smoke
was seen TO issue from the top of the ex-
tepsiye ice houses connected with Fuer-
mann's Empire Brewery and soon the
roofs of were enveloped in flames The
alarm of fire brought out both fire COM
panies, but great trouble was experien-
ced in procuring teams to haul the Abr
ems to the scene of the fire and this un
fortunate delay gave the flames an OPP
portunity of getting under considerable
Roadway before both engines began to play
on the burning buildings. The firemen and
citizens worked heroically to bring the fire
under subsection and the steady streams
poured on the structures from the two fire
engines told effectually on the flames.
The fire made quick work with the east
ice house which was constructed of wood,
but the west one did not burn so readily
being composed OF heavy brick walls.
The north wall of the latter finally
fell in with loud crash and the efforts
of the fire companies were next directed
to prevent the fire from communicating to
the brewery proper adjoining the brick ice
house and to Music Hall Immediately on
the east of the frame ice house The heat
in the vicinity of the fire had become in
tense and Notwithstanding the well direct
ed efforts of the fremen the flames burst
out on the inside of Music Hall and en-
veloped the building resulting in its COM
plete destruction with the exception of a
portion of the walls which are left stand
ing but rendered wholly unfit to be used
again. The dwelling house of G .Eberle,
adjoining Music Hall on the south, was
by the most stenuous efforts saved from
the flames Nearly all the contents of
Music Hall were saved. Taken as a
whole this is the most serious conhagra-
ton that has ever occurred in our city.
At one time it threatened to be far more
destructive than it proved to be. Had it
not been that the wind was from a favor
able direction the visitation of the fiery
element in the locality would have been
attended with far more serious conse-
quences. Beyond doubt the fire origina-
ted from a combustion of gases in the hay
and straw covering the ice as just before
the fire was seen a loud explosion was
heard
During the height of The fire III. Null
berger took the responsibility of tele
phoning for the Jefferson fire company
to come to our assistance, but this order
was countermanded wnen it became evil
dent that our department had the fire un-
der control A dispatch, however, from
Mayor Reed stated that the Jefferson
boys stood in readiness to come to our
aid for which they deserve the
thanks of all our citizens. The loss
on Fuermann's ice houses is es-
timated at from $4,000 to $4,000. Upon
| the ice houses and beer therein there is
an insurance OF $500 distributed near
ly equally among the following companies
represented by H. Mulberger: Under
writer's, Phenix, of Brooklyn, Northwestern
National, Niagara, German American and
| Franklin. Music Hall was insured in the
Pennsylvania Fire for 81, 900 and Hart
ford for 500, with an insurance of $500
on the contents in the Hartford. The in
surance on the building does not more
than half cover the total loss.