Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1891-04-16
GREAT FIRE IN chicago.
A Number Of Magnificent Business Houses
On West Madison Street Destroyed-A

on West Madison Street DestrOyed-A
Boy killed Several Persons Injured, 3
CHICAGO, April Is. One Of the fiercest
and most disastrous fires the Chicago
department. has fought III many years
swept through West Madison street
Sunday afternoon: Tie big Smyth
building that extends from Union halt
way to Halsted street was destroyed,
and with it the contents of
John M. Smyths furniture house,
the largest retail establishment in the
world. All that is left of Kohl & Mid
dleton's west side dime museum is q
heap of bricks and charred timber On
the north side of Madison street from
Union street to the Haymarlfet theater
block five buildings were destroyed.
Three of them tumbled down before the
maelstrom of fire, and at one time the
roof and q portion Of the front of
the theater building was burning so
fercely that every body thought it would
share the fate of its neighbors, but the
firemen managed to save the structure.
but in a seriously damaged condition.
The total loss is estimated at $500, 200.
John M. Smyth & Co. alone will lose
100000. The fire originated in the
wagon shed of John NJ. Smyth & Co.,
directly in the rear of the museum
Shortly after o'clock the fire
started, and from the first it was stub
born; almost resistless. Kohl s. Mid
dleton's museum, on the second floor,
was filled with the usual crowd of Sun
day visitors. They were scattered
through the curio hall and the gal
leries, and big audience was in one of.
the theaters watching stage perform
ance. The first intimation of danger
came whom every window cracked and
shattered and flames leaped into the
rooms. Where the fire came from no
one seemed to know. There were
shrieks and cries, people pushed over
each other and ran panic-stricken down
the stairway and into the street.
When the fire department threw the
first stream the Smyth building was en-
tirely in flames. The great building
burned as though it was stored with
naphtha and finder. Almost at the
same time the buildings across the way
were ignited and each side of the street
became ablaze.
From Union street to the Haymarket
theater row of business houses faced
the terrific onslaught of frebrands from
the burning Smyth block. They did not
withstand it long. Each one was afire
within fifteen minutes after the first
alarm, and the corner of the Haymarket
theater building was smoking, with
tongues of flame in dozen different
loAo R..1
effort to save the theater was made,
but the row of buildings between it
and Union street was doomed from the
first.
All later efforts of the firemen were
directed to checking the spread of the
flames. These efforts were successful.
At o'clock last evening the two sides
of West Madison street were tumbled
and smoking ruins.
The losses are dis tributed about as
follows:
John M. Smyth, $50 to 1os Madison street,
building and stock Of furniture, $500 900; Kohl
& Middleton. l54 Madison street. e9O, 900; Nicely
Bros, boots and shoes, 1872 Madison street, $780,
600; Adelbert Kaempfer, jewelry. $50 Madison
street. $4,000; Alfred Peats wall paper and
furniture. 1856 Madison street. es5, 900;
.
street $4,000; Baer Bros, hats l57
Madison street, 5000; M. 1rrman. CT
gars and tobacco, $50 Madison street,
$500; Hannah Z Hogg, saloon 1871 Madison
street, $4,000; Royal Tailors, 1853 Madison
street, 5000; Haymarket theater, 5000: 1855
street (hats>. 5000: l59 Madison street (lats),
5000; l61 to 1859 Madison street (Haymarket
building), eh00O; board of education property,
In tho rear Of the Smyth block. 5000; other
losses, 5000.
The insurance is light, John NJ
Smyth carrying only about $125, 1000,
while Kohl & Middleton and NJ. Irrman,
the cigar dealer, carried no insurance
whatever, having allowed their policies
to expire without renewal, as they had
intended moving into new buildings
soon.
Alexander Grant, an employee in the
museum, was seriously injured while
making his escape from third-story
window. He crawled out on a sign
and attempted to swing down by
means of a wire The wire broke
under his weight, however, and
he fell to the pavement, a dis
lance of so feet, breaking his leg and
frightfully bruising bis head and shout
ders His injuries, however, are CON
sidered not necessarily fatal. About
fifty persons, including two policemen,
stood watching the flames from the
corner of Union and Meridian streets.
The officers were keeping the crowd
back, and as it was pushing
and swaying the wooden walk
gave way and they fell about 10 feet.
Mrs. Bessie Higgins was probably fatal
~ injured by the fall and was taken to
her home, 1853 Washington street.
Bernard Stoth had leg broken at the
same time and was removed to the
Emergency hospital. After the fremen
had got the flames under control and
were playing upon the west end of
the Smyth building Francis Gamble,
aged about 10 years, accompanied by
Gus Hanshaw, who was trife older,
went around behind the building and
into shed used as storehouse. The roof
dame down;ayith crash, burying young
Gamble in the ruins Gamble was
quickly dug out and taken to
the Office of DIR. Mac Kay, 1O1
South Halsted street, where it was
found that his injuries were probably
fatal. His hips and left leg were broken.
It was thought also that his skull was
fractured. A patrol wagon was sum-
moned and he was taken to the county
hospital, whore he died at midnight.
Ex-Gov. Waterman, of California; Falls .
Victim to Pneumonia.
SAN DIEGO, Cal, April 13.-Ex-Gov.
Waterman died at 1880 Sunday evening
of pneumonia aftera brief Illness.
[R. w. Waterman was born In Fairfield,
Herkimer county, N. Y, in 1895 When very
young he moved to Sycamore, I'LL, With his pa.
rents, whore he grew: up and engaged in NOR
camille business. He camo to California in 1859
and engaged in mining for Two years. He 70.
turned to Illinois but came ack to California
in 1878, locating at San Bernardino. In 1885 he
received the republican nomination. for lieuten.
ant governor and was the only republican elect.
cd. Washington Bartlett (aeml was elected
governor, but died soon after taking ONCE and
Waterman filed out the term, which expired
last January. He leaves wife and several