The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-02-07
A ROARING OVEN.
Two Million Dollars Worth of Buffalo
Property Destroyed by Fire.
Heavy Walls Fall to the Earth with
a laundering Crash.
The Heavens Illuminated for Many
Miles Around.
The Fire Still Burning but is Under
Control.


between and O'Clock flames des-
troyed fully two million dollars worth
of property on Seneca street. Exchange
street and adjoining streets. at 2:35
a fire was discovered on the fourth
floor of a five-story building owned and
occupied by Root s. Heating, whole
sale dealers in leather, at the corner
of Carol and Wells streets. The
building, with frontages of 1874 feet on
Carroll and 127 on Wells street, was
situated in the heart of the business
blocks. 1t was separated only by the
breadth Of Carroll street from the fine
fire-proof Jewett block fronting on
Seneca. directly in line with the new
six-story block of Silby s. HOLLYWOOD,
candy manufacturers. The flames had
good holo on the Root & Heating
building and at O'Clock entirely filling
that part of Carroll street directly in
front of the doomed building.
A few minutes after s O'Clock the
heat was so intense as to be almost IN
bearable, even at Seneca street. The
sky was Illuminated for many miles
and crowds from all parts of the city
kept the police busy. At 3:25 the rear
of the six-story brick building of Sibley
| s. HOLLYWOOD had caught and portions
of the back of the Broesel house were
| smoking. There were nearly fifty tons
of starch stored on the top floors of the
| Sibley s. HOLLYWOOD building. accord
| ing to the statement of one of their
employees. The starch burned like tin
der when once ignited, carrying the
flames through from the rear TO the
front of the building in a few minutes
| At 1927 the rear of Swift g STAN bach g
| and Il. G. Reynolds stores, on Seneca
street, were in full blaze. The fire ran
along the roof as though the material
| that composed it was paper. At 3:35
| the southwest corner of the BTOesel
house was burning fast. The guests
! were moving out their baggage and a
large number of the firemen went to
the aid of the guests in the hotel. The
wind had shifted to the northwest and
Sleet was coming down IN torrents
which added to the difficulties under
which the firemen laboTed.
At $40 the roof of 5. +. Eagan's
whisky store, just east of the BrOesel
house, was on fire. The firemen on
Seneca directed their efforts to the
buildings on the other side of the street.
The front of the Broesel house had be-
come a mass of flames. Shortly before
O'Clock the sixth floor of Sibley s
HolmWOOd'S store with tremendous
crash. sending a storm of debris and
embers in all directions. At this time
the top floor of the Jewett building ap'
peared like a roaring oven. The scene
on Carroll street was appalling. On the
north side of the street the Sibley
HOLLYWOOD building was in ruins, the
Jewett building was blazing from base
ment to roof.
The large six-story building occupied
by Moffatt Bros. HoOfeld & Co. ant
other firms, on the opposite side mex
to Root s. Heating buildings. was We
untouched, but at 4:1O the corners of thu
top story began to blaze through. Tht
fremen held them in check for a time
but the walls of the Jewett building
now began to bulge and the crowd CAV
a howl of warning to the firemen. A
4:15 the walls fell with shock tina
fairly shook the surrounding walls
: Before the dust cleared away terri
BILE panic took place. A frantic strug
gle was made in getting out horse
from the stable next to the Jewet
: block. By 4:05 O'Clock the Broese
! house was abandoned to the flames.
At 4:l5 the front of the Broesel nous
fell in with laundering crash. thu
firemen in front narrowly escaping
One fireman was felled to the ground
, but heroic fellow-worker rushed t.
his assistance and carried him out
Despite the efforts of the ffremen Ea
CANS whisky store was In full blaze
and there was nothing to do but leav
!. the fire to run its course. at $40 tn
, fire burst through the fronts of tn
Seneca street stores of August Els ant
an empty store adjoining Fowler I
Sons place, which was filled with sea
soned wood for carriages. Adjoining
this was a small fruit store. then cam
sidney, Shepard s. Co.'s mammoth
? stamping works. at O'Clock the Sen
, eca street stores up to Shepard's hal
! been well Quilted. The wind by thi
time had died out. The fire extend
from A. T. Kerr s. Co. IS down Senec
to Sidney, Shepard 8 Coz All O
] Wells street is burned through to Elk
l change street, the corner of which
. burned out completely to the Airing
ton house. The fire is still raging bu
is under control.