The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-11-21
A DIsAsTROUs FIRE.
Tn. Ro,h.rhIId Bros. Lose Heavily.

Tn. RothsrhIId Bros. Lose Heavily.
At midnight last Saturday night,
while standing near the Sallna
Electric Light aud Power company's
works, Policemen Bates and Jeffries
saw a suspicious light In the rear Of
| RothschiId Bros dry goods house
OH santa Fe avenue. and an alarm
was at once sounded. The firemen
turned out promptly and were soon
battling with the flames, which had
In the meantime gained much head
way. The conflict between the
flames aud the firemen was waged
with doubtful issue for more than
an hour, but the latter succeeded In
accomplishing q victory, subdulng
the fire aud combining IL to the rear
end OF the building in which Il
started. This IL q great credit to the
firemen, who labOred under many
disadvantages, being almost smoth-
cred oftentimes with the smoke and
overcome with the heat.
The stock carried by the firm was
very large and costly, and the dam
age to goods by fire and water must
lie nearly $4,000. The building IL
il thought can be restored at an
outlay OF about 5000. The firm
carried an insurance Of as, goo on
OH stock and $1,000 on building.
As soon rs the fire was found to
be serious, the removal Of the goods
from the building was begun and
- hf
not burned or otherwise destroyed
as placed In the Rash building on
the opposite side OF the street near
the First National bank
The origin OF the fire IL q mystery,
though the following statement Was
made to reporter by Mr.. Roth
schild: sit was just about time to
close the store Saturday night when
one of the clerks went up stairs to
the rear room on an errRnd. As no
lights are provided for these he took
with him n match aud on igniting 10
a spark few In some cotton. IL was
put out at once, aud later the Incl
dent was mentioned. Clerks then
went up aud removed the cotton but
failing to find any traces OF fire
prepared to close the store. Later
still after the lights were put out an
examination was made and all left
the stOTe feeling secure against any
possible outbreak. IL was then
eleven o'clock and the fire was dis
covered a few minutes after twelve"
There seems to have been the
utmost care taken In this case, and
IL Is probable the fire started from
some other cause.
a l. 4. a
scorched rs well a. water soaked.
In some places the second floor was
burned through reaching the ceiling
below. The entire ceiling just over
the fire IL destroyed and many roof
timUers are burned to \ coal.
fine offices OF Doctor Devices and
Brown and the rooms occupied by
Miss bates as well as the entire
front part Of the building. were un-
injured by fire. The dense smoke
which had settled all through the
building before the fire was discOv-
cred, however, penetrated the Offices
aud damaged books, instruments,
millinery goods and clothing.
No effort vas made to remove the
stock Of either the adjoining stores
of San. Harris or OF Msssrs. Briggs
X Go. Mr.. Harris's stock Of cloth
ing was damaged by water TO the
amount of several hundred dollars,
covered by insurance.
The Rolhsehilds are an energetic
and substantial business firm, and
are pushing their preparations for a
resumption Of business with charac-
teristic vim. They will be doing
business at the old stand before
many days elapse. The loss they
have met with will be heavy, both
In stoppage Of business and In dam
aged or destroyed goods. Insurance
cannot make good the losses from
the first cause aud will not cover
the last entirely. They have the
sympathy Of the community In their
disaster.
Tha Ins,r.no. 4. a. foIiou..