The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-05-27
MILLIoN poLLAR PIRE
A. ChisaEO-TwO PublishipE Houses Burned
Out-FIEemsp IVIurod.

CHICAGO, May ga disastrous fire oc
CURED in large brick and stone structure
Pt the corner Of Congress street ant
Wabash avenue, early this morning, Thu
loss will approximate fully one milliOr
dollars. Among the principal losers srG
the publishers, Beliord, Clark 4 Co., AMI
the large book blndeIy firm Of Donohuf
& Henneberry, The structure in which
the Are originated is at the northwestern
corner Of the two thorOughiAres, and was
six stories in height.
The 6rst alarm was turned in shortly
after o'clock, but before the arrival Of
any Of the fire steamers the flames had
burst out Of the building with such fierce
meas as to insure the destruction oi the en-
tire building and its contents. In very
short time alter the blaze was ast discoy-
cred the building was on fire from top 10
bottom, 1t was hlled with material oi the
most inhAmmable description. The ocCu-
pants were Bolford; Clark K Co., pub
iShers; Van Antwerp, Bragg Il Co., in the
same business; Donohue 4 HenneberTy,
bookbindeTs; K. h. PeAle & Co., litho-
graphers; and the Central Lithographing
Company, Next door was q tive.atoIy
building, owned by A. o, Slaughter and
occupied by the furniture firm OF r, Del
mel 4 90. This hrm was burned out Q
short time ago and was Just moving back,
and had only 3 small stock on hand,
Their loss will not exceed 5000.
Tbn KV1aak ayOitinn NJ tho RPa Uyun
the panic which occurred among the
guests OF the Hotel Brunswick, directly
opposite the burned block, The heat was
80 intense that every pane ot glass in the
Wabash avenue tront Of the hotel was
broken AID the sashes and window frames
sCorChed. The guests became alarmed,
and, not stopping to dress themselves, tied
from the hotel. The loss by heat and
water 10 the hotel folks will aggregate
5000. Fully insured.
FIREMEN INJURED.
Captain Joe Kenyon, Of Truck No. 81,
was seriously injured. In jumping from
the truck, on arriving at the fire, he fell
and the wheels OF the truck passed over
him. Both Of the legs were broken, and
one Of them was 30 mangled that 1t had
to be amputated.
William Langdon, OF Truck No. l, was
badly cut in the hands and right arm by
falling glass.
John Breen and Fireman O'Neill, both
OF Truck No. /, were also cut by falling
glass.
The truck, which was a new one, was
caught under the falling Congress street
wall and completely destroyed.
Mr.. Belford, Of Belford, Clarke & Co.,
places his loss at $SOO, 900, many valuable
plates being destroyed. The insurance
carried by this firm Is not known, but II
will not cover the loss. The other firm
losses 80 far as aGcsrtained are as.iollows:
4. II. Peale & Co., loss $4,000, insurance
S35, 900; D0nahus & Henneberry, loss
$3.50, 900, insurance $l60 900; VauAntwerp
4 Co., loss s., 900, no insurance. The In.
surance on the building and contents was
written with thirty companies. The loss
on the building is about SlQ0. 900, insur.
anCe 100000.
The origin Of the dre Is not known, but
1t Is supposed 1t started In 'the engine
room In the northwest corner oi the base,
ment, and as the building was full OF ele.
vator shafts, which acted as 80 many hues
Il took the flames but few minutes 10
spread through the structure and seize on
the inaammAble material with which It
was filed. Every floor was filed with
heavy machinery, the top floor alone con.
tanning twenty-five Gordon presses. The
lithographic and stereotype plates were
stored in the basement, and Ii Is thought
a good deal Of this valuable property will
be saved,