Crawford avalanche., 1891-11-26
TWO MILLIONS LOST.
TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION AT
ST. LOUIS.
A Dozen on More Firms Suffer- stubborn
Fight Made by Firemen-Narrow Escape
of Several--'Twas Piercing Cold Mime.
npolis Also Scorched.
The st. Louis Disaster.

The st. Louis Disaster.
Two million dollars went up in smoke
at st. Louis, and three of the largest
business houses in the city and half
dozen smaller buildings are mass OF
ruins. The fire started In the millinery
store of Penny a. Gentles, corner OF
1 rankin avenue and Broadway. A
second and third alarm were sounded
within fifteen minutes, and the almost
complete force of the fire department
responded. The flames spread at a
rap Iats, tho material which they
Il upon being Of highly inflammab.e e
character. A strong west wind was
blowing at tho time, which made
the work OF the fremen perilous and for
time fruitless. Within half an hour
the large dry goods store OF Sonnenfe!ds.
which adJoined Penny Il Gentles', was
atire, and the flames we're working their
way 10 the Famous mammoth shoe
house on the corner Of Broadway and
Morgan street. Four firemen were
caught in the Famous building and were
o ercome by smoke. They were rescued
by their companions. The weather was
bitterly cold ano the fremen, hose,
wagon and a matter not in the imme-
diatc vicinity of the flames was covere d
with ice
Within an hour the entire block on the
west side of Broadway, between Frank
lin avenue and Morgan street, was n
mass OF flames, which were being famed
by strong wind, and, being carried
across the street, threatened destruction
to the immense dry-goois house of ID.
Crawford q Co, and the furniture store
OF Koppleman &,Co. The firemen poured
their streams of water into the fire
blind.y, as the smoke was so dense and
the odor OF burning ribbons, feathers,
cloth and shoes so strong that they
could not remain on the windward side.
The fire ragged for two hours, and 1t was
only by the almost superhuman work of
the firemen that tremendous contiagra-
tion was averted.
During one of the many collapses OF
burning floors in the differont buildings
two firemen named Lynch and Simon
were caught by the falling of loose
bricks and timberS Both men were
badly hurt, and were carried to the hes
pital in an ambulance. The watchman
at Sonnenfelds establishment Is miss
ing, and IL is feared that he may be In
the ruins.
Across from Penny & Gentles' on
Franklin avenue were the establish
ments of Grierson & Co, hatters, Ed L.
Boil and drug store on the corner of
Broadway and Franklin avenue. These
places were badly damaged by smoke
and water The wind had died away
considerably and the firemen were able
to do battle with greater suooosS '.~
WHOLE btaSIke ep tpea6aStl SIDE sv9hueb brSa%T Snd
Morgan street, including the establish
ment of ID. Crawford Il Co, was dam
aged by fire and smoke 1t took hard
and active work 10 prevent the flames
from going down Morgan street to
Fourth, as all the buildings we're old and
inflammable.
When control was gained, the block
of buildings, which before was filled with
holiday goods, was a mass OF charred
timber, and the main part of the walls
had fallen. The stores OF Sonnenfelds,
Penny & Gentles and the Famous Shoe
House (the largest shoe house In tho
Vest were wiped out by flames. On
Franklin avenue, opposite Penny 4 Gen
ties establishments was block of retail
stores. These were seriously damaged.
The occupants were o. w. Heyer, dry
goods; Grierson & Co, ,hatters; Ed +. BOIL,
halter; p. ii. Ceulkamp &5 Co, clothiers;
St. Louis Tailoring Company; c. Beemer
& Co., clothing; Charles L. Lange, cloth
and ana Easef CO, % dry goods. Stssees' Coo
A close estimate places the loss of the
Famous Company as follows: On stock,
5000, 900; insurance, 100000. Penny q
Gentles' loss, $l75, 900; insurance, $780,
900. Sonnenfeld's loss, S125, 900: insur-
ance, SIS, 900. The other losses will
make the aggregate losses reach nearly
two millions of dollars.
On the east side OF Broadway the
Weinman House, a fourstory brick ho-
tel. was completely destroyed The
square Deal Clothing Company" +. Il.
stow & Co., grocerS M. Toblir, mili-
merry; G. Thai IL Co, clothing; the New
York Millinery Company, and the Kop'
pelman Fursiture Company were so
badly damaged by smoke and water that
their loss will be total.
The origin of the fir. is unknown, but
II is supposed to have been caused by an
overheated stove or a defective Hue.
Four iiremen were compelled to slide
down the hose pipe from the fourth story
OF the "Famous" store during the fire,
but all escaped uninjured.
BIG BLAZE IN MINNEAPOLIS.