The record-union., 1892-10-29
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
MILWAUKEE, Oct. 2S.-This city to-
night was visited by the most devastating
fire in the city's history. Four lives were
certainly lost. and possibly more. Con-
servative insurance men estimate the loss
st not less than six million dollars. The
flames, which started in the Union Oil
Company's building, in East Water
street, famed by furious gale, swept
eastward across toward the Menominee
River, and nothing could stay their re-
sistless rush. Dynamite was used, but
without effect. The mighty pillows of
flame swept over blocks of buildings,
jumped across streets and leapt over the
river. Thousands Of people reviewed the
grand spectacle. All sorts of conveyances
were hurrying about the Third Ward,
loaded with belongings of the people, on
whose homes the flames were rushing.
The entire fire department was power
less. Chicago, Racine and other cities
were asked for assistance, and by 10
O'Clock engines and fremen from out of
town were beginning to arrive.
More than eleven blocks of solid terri
tory, including much of the most ex-
tensive wholesale district, has been burned
over.
The fire started between $50 and $40
o'clock in the store occupied by the
Union Oil Company at 275 East Water
street. At the time three fires in various
sections of the city had called many en-
gines out, so it was fifteen minutes before
a response was made to an alarm from the
corner of Detroit and East Water streets.
In a short time seven or eight streams
were directed upon the flames. There
was a series of explosions, but in half an
hour after fire tug and dozen engines
were playing upon the fire, and the belief
was general that the flames was under
control 1t seemed as if every current
of the Milwaukee River was being
emptied upon the red brick block.
1t was stated that the fire was caused
by the explosion of an oil barrel, how, it
is not known. Thousands of people. at
traeted by the continued alarms, reached
the conclusion that it was not much of
fire after all, and went home. That was
about 6:40 O'Clock. Only black smoke
issued from the buildings.
Fifteen minutes later the tired firemen
began to feel the enemy getting out of
their grasp. Renewing their efforts, they
fought with desperation, but it was use
less. A gale was blowing fifty miles an
hour, driving the scorching heat and
smoke of the burning oil out into the
faces of the tiremeu. and defying all the
water in the Milwaukee River, and SEEM
ing only to gain in power as the
stream was emptied into its Jaws 1t
was too much for them. The fire gained
a footing in the adjoining store of
Dohmen q Co. 1t was then that it got
beyond human efforts to stay it.
At O'Clock tine big upholstering fac
tory of Bud Il Kipp, facing on Broadway,
almost full block away, began to blaze.
The fire had started in a window in the
northeast, but now veered almost due
east, and merchants in the business sec
ton on the east side grew fearful.
The flames had jumped across the
stores on the east side of East Water
street, and had taken newer grip in the
big Bud Il Kipp Factory. Five minutes
more and Jacob Wellaur e Co.'s whole
sale grocery store, on the east side of
Broadway, directly opposite Bud &
Kipp's. was in flames. 1t seemed as if
mountain of fire rolled across broadway.
One instant not a building on East Broad
way was in flames, and the next rolling
wave of lire swept across the street and
descended on the buildings opposite. In
a moment they were wrapped in flames.
Thousands Of streams of water could
not stay the condagration in its march of
destruction toward the lake. The walls
of a three-story brick building on Broad
way, formerly occupied by the cracker
trust. but then vacant, began to totter,
and warning voices urged the crowd back
just in time. The whole front of the
building pitched into the street. a few
moments later the sides fell outward with
a crash.
People in that part Of the Third Ward
realized that their homes were doomed.
There was a stampede of residents into
the streets, all armed with furniture, cats,
dogs and all manner Of household uten-
sis and bedding, and vehicles of every
description were hurrying away with the
belongings of people whose homes were
soon to be in ruins.
Meanwhile the flames had gone over
the ground they formerly missed in the
store of J. p. kissinger q Co. and the
Milwaukee Art Glass Works, opposite
tie block in which it had originated. The
Wellauer block, seven stories high, was
soon in flames. with the Milwaukee Chair
Company, vacant building owned by
the Pfister 4 Nogel Leather Company.
and the wholesale grocery store OF
Boundy, Peckham & Co.. and all on
Broadway The next building to succumb
was the National Distillery Company on
Buffalo street.
The wind was still carrying whirl-
wind OF seething flame on toward Lake
Michigan in a direct line with its starting
point, and the scramble began. Chief OF
Police Jansen ordered the entire force to
the fire, and they assisted in getting out
the furniture and household goods of the
luckless families who were forced to flee
from the patch cut ont by the flames. A
dozen frame buildings along Milwaukee
and Jefferson streets, between Detroit and
Chicago, as well as those on Buffalo and
Chicago streets. We're licked up as if they
had been outlines OF paper. All these
building were CONSUMED within a half
hour of time.
Then the flames leaped over Broadway
and started in the Wellauer block. Sud
denly the wind swept around as unex-