New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-18
A BIG BLAZE IN ST. LOUIS.
PROPERTY WORTH $4,000 900 DESTROYED
SEVERAL OF THE Largest ESTABLISHMENTS IN
THE WEST GO UP IN SMOKE.

THE WEST GO UP IN SMOKE
St. Louis. Nov 17.-One Of the most disastrous
fires in years visited st. Louis this morning
One person probably killed, two badly
hurt and 81 500 900 worth Of property went up in
smoke At about O'Clock fire discovered in
the furnace room of the large dry goods establishment
Of Penny & Gentles, at Frankin-ave. and Broadway.
general alarm sounded which brought the whols
fire department TO the scene. Notwithstanding the
heroic work of the remen the flames quickly ate their
way TO the top of tle building and within an In
credbly short space Of time, the entire store was
mass of seehing flames, which were famed BY mgh
westerly wind. The flames spread to sonnenfelds
millinery store, south of Penny & Gentes, on Broad
vay This is the largest establishment Of It's kind In
ST. Louis occupying four floors OF the north end OF
the Famous Building. The fire swept on toward the
south, eating its way through thick freproof walls
into the big shoe and clothing house Of the Famous
Company. This is the largest house Of its kind in
the West and here Is where the most destruction
was wrought by the flames. The company oc-
cupy the building at Morgan-st. and Broadway,
obout 1o5 feet front and seventyve feet deep four
stories high AS the fre attacked the faihous
establishment, the flames found ready fuel. and the
Gremens efforts were futile. They therefore t"Ied
their attention to saving adjoining property In Broad
uay. Franklin-ave. and Morgan-st. The fire was so
hot however that no could romain In the street
focnr the burning buildings and ID. Crawford CO.'S
immense dryeoods store, the southwest corner OF
broadway and Franklin-aver was greatly dhhageo W
the heat which broke the thick windowgiass anu
started fire in that building, the whole iront p'r'
of the store at one time being on fire but the hreen
nv almost superhuman efforts managed hhaiIy u
sndue the farnes and by this time the heat rom 'he
. sisa ~ the street had subsded somewhat enabling
the iremen TO 90 In Broadway ana hSht 'ne h"neS
from better vantage ground.
At :45 the walls of the Famous and sonnenieios
udIng fell into the West Alley with loud crash, and
a moment after the Morganst. walls of the Famous
fell squad of fremen in the alley narrowly escaped
being caught under the falling walls.
shortly after O'Clock flame ap-
peared at the eornice Of the Weinman
uopse which Is directly opposite the Famous.
on the east side OF Broadway. In few moments the
roof and upper story Of the large fourstory building
were a mass of flames. Before the department could
obtain the mastery OF them the Of retail stores from
the northwest corner of Frankln-ave. and Broadway
10 the middle of the block were badly damaged.
Next 10 Penny & Gentes, in Frankln-ave., was the
drygoods emporium OF Thomas Hodson. Ihe hrnis
occupying the Famous Building outside OF the Famous
shoe and Clothing Company, and the sonnenfeld Mh-
cry Co. were Mcdonald Brothers hats; &. H. Clements
shoes: Charles Silk, mems furnsher and cioahs, ana
specht Ritter, clothing. These were completely de-
sroyed nothing but pile of ashes marking the place
where stood three the largest drygoods and clothing
honses e II are % throws about 800 peopi, out OF EN-
ployment majority OF them being In the serv,Ue ivh
Of the Famous Company Inc wher % aSos % ns
NOT bcen discovered. and 1t Is thought was kiiieu
The losses and nsurances are as follows; Los, 90
,oa1 and fixtures Of the Famous shoe ana ClOiihhe
Swnany 81 100 OOO: on building $4,000 o. STOCK
of Penny ccntes, $4,000 building Sioo9o roa Oh
oannefcit's stock. $50 900; buidlng SJ)gp inc
Io"mrance on soak ,wned by the Famous. S1oOnoo
is',iiI IN bndIng s4oes stock Owned by Penny q
Gentes Cent R $40 800: on building $4,000. Minor
ioses wiz aGHrogate $4,000.