Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-11-03
ACRES OF
FLAMES.
Terrible Cont1agration Sweeps
Over the Milwaukee Whole
sale District.
More Than a Score of Blocks
Licked Up by the Devour-
inc Element.
Insurance Men Place the Losses
at Fully Six Million
Dollars.
The Fire, Famed by q Hurri-
cane, Devastates a Wide
Area.
Dynamite Freely Used to Blow
Up Buildings to Stay the
River of Flames.
Chicago Sends Assistance and the
Devouring Element is Final
ly Controlled.


tonight visited by the most devastating
fire in the city's history. -Four lives
were certainly lost and possibly more.
Conservative insurance men estimate
the loss at not less than $6,OOO,OOO.
The flames which started in the Union
Oil company's building on East Water
street, near Detroit street, were famed
by a ferocious gale which swept east
ward across MenOminee river and moth
ing could stay their restless rush. Dyna-
mite was used but without effect. The
mighty pillows of flame swept over
blocks Of building, jumped across
streets and leaped over the river.
Thousands of people viewed the grand
spectacle All sorts of conveyances
were hurrying about the third ward,
loaded with the belongings of the peO-
the entire fire department was power
! less to check.
Chicago, Racine and other cities were
asked for assistance, and by 10 o'clock
engines and hremen from other towns
were beginning to arrive. More than
eleven blocks Of solid territory, includ
ing much Of the most extensive whole
sale district, had then been burned over
Nearly seventy buildings, tWo-thirds OF
which were frame residences, had faded
into smoke.
A fast burning fire started between
$50 and $40 o'clock in the store occu-
pied by the Union Oil company, at 20
East Water street. AT the time three
lires III various sections of the city had
called many engines out, So 1t was III
teen minutes before a response was
made to the alarm from the corner OF
Detroit tnd 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 i tire tug and a dozen
engines were playing upon the lire, the
belief was general that the flames were
under control. 1t seemed as ii the very
current OF the Milwaukee river was
being emptied upon the red brick
block.
It was stated that the fire started
by the explosion of an oil barrel-how
it is not known. Thousands of people,
attracted by the continued alarms,
reached the conclusion that it was not
much of a fire after all and went home.
That was about GAO o'clock.
Only black smoke issued from the
building, but a few minutes later the
tired tiremen began to feel that the
enemy was getting out of their grasp.
Renewing their efforts they fought with
desperation. 1t was useless. A gale
was blowing fifty miles an hour, driy-
Ing the scorching heat and smoke Off
the burning building into the faces of
the tiremen, defying all the water in
the Milwaukee river, and seeming only
to gain in power IS the stream was
emptied into its jaws, and it was too
much for them. The fire gained a foot
ing in the adjoining store of Dohmen
and company. 1t was then beyond all
human efforts to stay it.
At ! o'clock the big upholstery fac
tory of the Bub & Kip company, facing
on Broadway, almost a full block away
began to blaze. The fire had started
with the wind in the northeast, but il
now varied almost due east and mer-
chants in the business section of the
east side grew fearful The flames had
jumped across to stores on the east
side of East Water street and had tax
en- a newer grip in the big Bub & Kipp
factory. Five minutes more and Jacob
Wellauer & Companies wholesale gro
Gerry store on the east side of Broad
way, directly opposite Bub and Kipps.
was in flames.
1t seemed as IL mountain Of fire
rolled across Broadway. One Instant