Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-08-24
Fires and Casualties.

CHICAGO, Aug. 21-A five story
stone building, corner of La Sale
and Washington streets, occupied by
pany, Union National bank, Interna-
tional bank, associated press and nu-
merous commission offices, was par
TALLY burned at 80 this morning,
and made compile ely minhabitable.
The fire originated in the fifth floor,
used as an operating depart
ment by the Western Union
and within twenty minutes every
description of property on the floor
is a mass of ruins. There were ten
men on duty at the time besides the
night manager The fire originated
by two duplex battery wires near the
switch board and everything was in a
blaze in moment, and within five
minutes from the discovery of the
blaze, sky lighs and transoms broke
from the heat and dropped out. The
| fire department was on the scene
quickly and heavy drenching was
given every portion of the building.
| No special damage occurred to the
main building below the 5th story.
The Western Union Immediately be
gan the -remaEal. of .itG,.la layra'f" Vt 'astr
4 ington street where the equipment,
of the Western Union Co. enabled is
to handle portion of its business
and preparations have been made to
+ remove such business into that struct-
ure for the time being. the market
! and stock quarters have ceased for a
| time and little business was trans
acted on change The loss to the
/ Western Union may reach SIS, 600,
but it is thought it will fall below that
! figure. Loss to the building is
| $50, 900. Owing to the prompt action
of the fire patrol the loss to the banks
and Office tenants is slight. Insur-
ance, $4,000.
CHICAGO, Aug. 21.-The Western
/ Union company this evening has
! evoked system out of the confusion
precipitated by the destruction of their
main operating room. An army of
line men was employed throughout
the day disconnecting the labyrinth
of wires which made their way into
the ruins of the old building, and con
Meeting them with the Mutual Union
building across the way The telc-
graph company estimates its loss not to
exceed S25, 900; no insurance;
loss on building $50, 900; loss to other
tenants will not exceed so, 600 Same
was insured for S130,000 An order
has been given for the immediate re-
construction of the building, and in
doing SO the architect has been direct
ed to plan one of the finest rooms in
the world All the Wheatstone in
struments of the company were saved /:
% wires had been connected with
the new operating room at o'clock
this evening and by tomorrow the
company anticipate having a full
force at work Two ban ks burned
out, sought quarters in the vicinity
and succeeded in transacting their
usual business. The associated press
is temporarily quartered in the office
of the Times. Workmen will com
mence to clear away the ruins to-
morrow morning.
AN AUTHOR DEAD.
Boston, Aug. 21.-Wm. w. Baker,
author of many books and novels, is
dead.
SUSPENDED.
, New YORK, Aug 21.-The suspen-
sion of Scott & Knight, bankers and
brokers at number 6, Wall street, is
announced. Both We're members of
the stock exchange. Liabilities about
S65, 600.
In regard to the Scott & Knight fail
ure. it is stated that the firm never
was considered strong one. They
were in trouble last week but hoped
to pull through. Their failure is as
cribed to the recent decline in Denver
and Reading. No stocks have been
closed out as yet for their account.
Stocks are steady to strong at present.
WALL STREET, Aug. Pill As A.
M.-At the stock exchange nothing is
known regarding the failure of Scott
& Knight, except the official an
nouncement that Knight is son OF
Z. G. Knight of the Erie railroad. II
is rumored on the streets that the
liabilities are much larger than an
nounced
AT DANFORTH.
/ SYRACUSE, Aug. 21.-A fire at Dan
forth this morning destroyed the
buildings of Capt Edward a. Bell
and T. K. Fuller Loss $50, 900.