The record-union., 1891-12-24
DESTRUCTIVE FLAMES.
They Nearly Wipe Out the Baker &
Hamilton Stock.
The Loss Estimated at Nearly Hun
dred Thousand Dollars-Tpo
Firemen Injured.

II SAAlSA LII uESu'
The most destructive fire that has Wis
tied this city for several years occurred
yesterday morning, resulting in the total
destruction of the greater portion of the
valuable stock of agricultural imple-
ments and hardware in the mammoth es-
adjustment of Baker d Hamilton, at
Front and J streets.
The firm occupied several buildings be-
tween Front and Second streets, all of
which were filed with goods, embracing
al kinds of agricultural implements,
cordage, vehicles, wagon-makers' and
blacksmiths' supplies, mining ma
chinery, betting, hose, mechanics tools,
house finishing goods, cutlery, firearms
in fact, all descriptions of articles per-
tanning to the hardware and farming i'm
plement trade.
A "BLIND' FIRE.
The fire broke out about O'Clock in
the morning in the basement of the large
building III the rear of and connected
with the main store and SaleSroom on j
street. The fire department was soon on
The ground, but for some time it was diff
ucult to locate the fire, the smoke from
which filled the basement and poured
forth from all the openings.
FINALLY 1t was discovered that the fire
was burning near the north wall of the
building "a one-stOTy structure), and the
Iremen, under the personal command of
Chief Engineer Guthrie, directed their
efforts on that spot as nearly as they
could, for the smoke was so dense that it
was difficult to get inside the building.
The flames spread with great rapidity
ny rg.Is.
Woodenware of which was so thoroughly
seasoned and combustible, and inch by
inch the brave firemen would be driven
lack whenever they advanced.
After a hard and vain struggle of
twenty minutes to get the fire under con-
troll, Chief Guthrie sent in
a GENERAL ALARM,
Calling to his aid the two uptown or
reserve engines, and soon had eight good
streams Of water pouring in upon the
burning building. Two of these were
from hydrants, but the pressure was not
nearly equal to the engine streams.
There was quantity of cartridges
stored in the basement, and on the main
floor of the building. near the alley, was
q small iron tank containing several
sample cans of sporting powder. The
cartridges popped away quite lively as
the flames reached them, but none of the
1iremen were injured by them.
THE POWDER EXPLoDEs.
When, however, the flames had got
G5odt the pOwder-tank, there were two
tiremen-S. w. Butler, Jr., and Richard
Irengrove-in a window above the base
ment and opening upon the alley. They
were not aware of their proximity to the
tank, and presently it exploded with a
deaiening roar, SCATTERING vehicles and
implements in it's vicinity and adding to
the destruction caused by the flames
The two tiremen were blown back
through the window and fell to the
ground below, some eight or ten feet.
Both were badly bruised, Trengrove re-
ceiving the worst Of the fall, and he had
to be removed to his home. He is pain
fully injured about the legs.
A SETTLING CALDRoN.
The fire was now raging hercely, but
being confined between walls OF brick,
the tiremen were able TO keep il from
spreading beyond. Strenuous efforts
were made to keep the flames, smoke
and water from penetrating the main
store, where the smaller articles Of cut
Iery, polished iron and steel are kept, but
the tiremen were only partially success
tul.
The flames destroyed the private office
of Manager c. II. Hubbard, together
with nearly all the papers, correspond
euce, invoices, etc, and also penetrated
the offices of the accountants, which were
connected with the burning building by
. door and windows. The books, how
ever, were in the safe and escaped de-
struction, although the desk memoranda
and papers of minor importance were
destroyed.
VALUABLE GOODS DAMAGED.
The smoke and steam caused by the
heat and water did, however, permeate
the entire store, causing great damage to
all the goods with polished surfaces,
which became rusted and discolored. es-
pecially the cutlery and mechanics i'm
Dlements.
For three hours the fire ragged within
the great warehouse, which is S5xlGO feet
in size, completely cutting it, and leaving
only the bare walls and a mass of ruins,
scattered through which are some We
hicles, rolls of betting, hose, ETC., that are
not wholly valueless.
REUSED BY THE EXPLOSION.
Notwithstanding the early hour and
the cold weather, hundreds of people left
their beds and gathered at the scene of
destruction. most of them having been
reused by the explosion Of the powder
tank, which was heard away out in the
suburbs.
The firemen did their work faithfully.
and it was simply impossible for them
10 have accomplished more than they did
fortunately there was plentiful supply
ol water, anu peiLS equlppeu WIN 2Ood
hose there We're few delays. But one
section of hose bursted during the pro-
gress of the fire.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
Nobody is able to tell exactly how the
fire started, but as it broke out in that
portion of the basement where the firm
had stored a quantity of blacksmiths'
coal, the supposition is that it was the re-
suit of spontaneous combustion.
This is Manager Hubbard's theory. He
says the probability is that the coal,
which was very fine and closely pack
in bags, probably became damp, thus ig-
hitting the lime, which is one of its COM
ponent parts. There appears to be no
suspicion of incendiarism, owing to the
remote and almost inaccessible locality
where the flames broke out.
THE LOSSES.