River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-11-03
MlLwAukEE,s DISASTER.

The Loss by the Fire Aggregates S5,SO5.-
900, with Insurance of About s2,s0J,-
ooo-Four Lives Lost Buildings to the
Number of 465 ButIsJ, and $500 Per
sons Left Homeless.
MILWAUKEE, Oct. 31.-Four hundred
and sixty-fiye buildings destroyed
Three hundred and fifty-eight fam
ilies-including total of $500 persons
made homeless.
a total property loss of S.. sos, 600,
with insurance amounting to about
81 500. 900.
Four persons killed and eight or ten
injured.
Such, in brief, is the result of the
fire which threatened for a time on
Friday night to sweep Milwaukee of
the face of the earth.
There are many sorrowful faces to be
seen along the streets in the vicinity OF
the fire district. Many families lost
everything but the clothing they wore,
still there is not as much gloom as
might be expected. The general relief
committee held a meeting and issued
the following:
Tits estimated that there will be needed the
made homeless by Friday nights fire At the
meeting OF citizens held in the chamber OF com
merce Saturday morning the sun OF
$4,000 was subscribed and, while we
appreciate the kindness of those out
side who have already made gener-
Gus subscriptions we desire 10 say that we arc
confident the remaining amount required will
be subscribed by our citizens without II being
necessary 10 appeal 10 the outside public We
confidently appeal 10 our citizens 20 raise the
full amount needed.
There is promise that those who were
rendered homeless will not be permit
ted to suffer. Already S62, 96s has been
raised. and all but about $40, 900 came
from this city. Many offers of assist
ance have been received and accepted.
so that there is no doubt that fund
of $500, 600 will be available with
in few days. Many OF
the people made homeless by the fire
and now in actual want may soon be
placed in comfortable circumstances.
Their homes are gone, hut their land
is still there, and it is valuable land.
Wealthy corporations, business men
and spectators will be ready to buy
these lots.
The greatest individual financial Joss
sustained by the great fire was that
suffered by the Chicago & Northwest
ern Railroad Company, which officials
and local agents of the road now
estimate will foot up from $780,
600 to 81. 900, 600 and will likely
go nearer the latter than the former
sum. The burned property includes
both of the great freight houses, one
for incoming and Que for outgoing
freight They were nearly 100 feet
wide, covering the length of about
three blocks. That devoted to incom-
ing freight was thoroughly filed with
merchandise of all kinds and de.
scriptions which had been UNI
loaded during the day and was
ready for delivery. That devoted
to outgoing freight was but partially
filled. As a rule an average of 125
cars are loaded there daily with out
going freight. The usual number OF
cars had been loaded during the day,
and many of them were standing on
the switches ready to be taken out
during the night. As to the value
of the freight in the houses and
in cars ready to be taken out nc
accurate estimate can be made until
the losses are adjusted between the
company and the shippers. One car is
said TO have contained $50, 900 worth OF
holiday goods just shipped by q local
firm, and tits expected that many Others
were filed with valuable goods. There
were burned in all on the freight house
ft-an
haps three-fourths of them received
and ready TO unload. Their contents
can only be ascertaincd by a complete
checking up of the way bills. Many OF
them are said to have been loaded with
valuable dry goods of various kinds
which merchants were providing foi
their holiday trade, and on such
the lass will be heavy. There were
a good many cars loaded with grain
of ali kinds shipped TO this market
and . number of cars loaded with
potatoes The freight cars empty are
estimated to be worth an average OF
$500 each, but those values are small
as compared to the contents of the cars
There were also forty to fifty of the
Northwestern's coal cars in the com
pauy's coal yards, all loaded, which
were completely destroyed.
The aggregate of the insurance car
ried on the burned property, as com
piled by the insurance men, exclusive
of that carried by the Northwestern
TOAD, is s., $50, 600, and is divided
among about 1865 companies, which
with one or two exceptions, the
insurance men say, could easily
stand ten times the loss sustained
here without Gripping them in the
least. There are one or two mutual
companies " hich lose heavily and may
be seriously affected. Unfortunately,
one of these is most largely represented
in the residence district burned. where,
should it fail to pay In full, the losses
will fall upon class of people who car
least afford to stand them.
En1InxViuor aro Tho insurance com M.