The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-10-30
THE MILWAUKEE, FIRE
THE TOTAL LOSS PLACED At ABOUT
SIX MILLION DOLLARS.
The Insurance Companies Involved
Liable for Risks Aggregating
Over Three Millions.
Three Men and Two Women Killed During
ihs Confagration- Several Other
Parties Seriously Injured. &
Money for the Relief Of the Homeless Peo-
pie Coming in From Ali Parts Of the
Country-The Unfortunates Shell
tered in the School Houses and
Churches Phil Armour
Offers Million to a
Hard-Hit Insur-
anoe Company.
Notes.

MILWAUKEE. Wis, Oct. 29.-When the
sun came up out of Lake Michigan this
morning he shed no light upon the south
eastern portion OF Milwaukee. There was
a brighter light there than he could furn-
ish, and it had been there for ten long
hoMrs. and it will be there still when Old
Sol has done good days work and gone
to rest. These ten hours verc big with
fate for Milwaukee. In them was crowded
the destruction of what it will take as
many months to rebuild, and much OF the
work wrought by the flames can never be
repaired. At twenty minutes of O'Clock
last night oil exploded from some unknown
cause in the store occupied by an oil COM
pany at 275 East Water street, and the fire
that ensued swept over thirty blocks OF
business houses and residences-over 3OO
buildings in all-caused the loss OF live
lives aud severe injuries to several people.
and destroyed property valued at six mill
ions of dollars. 1t is now entirely nnder
control, but the ruins in places are burn
ing fiercely and it will be several days be-
fore the last spark of fire is extinguished.
When the fire broke out in the store
house of the oil company, n majority OF
the engines of the fire department we've at
work in other parts of the city, there being
at the time no less than three separate
fires burning at different points in the
city. In this way the department was
seriously handicapped in getting to the
scene of the explosion. 1t was forty-five
minutes before the fire was confronted by
force thought to be sufficiently large to
l. IL - t., n nth nf Su11du-
ing it. When the tiremen first gazed upon
the store house Of the Union Oil company
1t was a roaring furnace of flames. De-
spite the most heroic efforts of the depart
ment it was unable to cope with the
flames, driven by high wind, and soon
the fire was beyond control. Streams of
water directed against the upper f1oor of
the building were preclpitated into harm.
less spray, and in spite OF number OF
buildings in the path OF the fire that were
blown uD by dynamite, the flames over
leaped the wrecked buildings at Il single
bound and attacked the property beyond.
The wind blew II gale, and increased in
violence until its velocity reached forty
miles an hour.
The scenes along Buffalo street when
the fire was just beginning to sweep along
that thoroughfare were exciting in the
extreme. The residents came rushing
from their houses to gaze upon the noun
tain of fame which was rolling down up
on them, many of them not seeming TO
think for an instant that the fire would
come near them. They had in many in
stances scarcely time to change their
minds on the subject. With the speed OF
a race horse the flames came on, and the
man who had thought his house safe
would catch a glimpse Of it wrapped in
flames as he fled around the nearest corner,
without even having had time TO go into
the house for single article. Little
children were seuGding through the
streets, carrying all manner OF useless
things. Que little tcw-headed tot fled
frantically along Buffalo street. directly
in advance of the approaching fire, which
was going twenty feet to her Que. Clasped
tightly within her tiny fist she held n
mans silk hat. As she fed sobbing and
screaming down the street a big police
man made dash at her, and gathering
her up ran into All alley.
Near the corner Of Milwaukee and Buf-
fslo streets stood little frame cottage,
upon the porch of which n man was stand.
came by. Il have just paid for it and
furnished it, he said, "and sne's done for
row."
Atthe extreme south end of the fire.
swept district was enacted what were per-
haps the most thrilling scenes OF the en-
tire night. 1t was here that the freight
houses, round houses aud freight cars OF
the ChIcago and Northwestern railroad
were situated The railroad men made
desperate efforts to save the company's
property. A switch engine was run across
the bridge and coupled to a train. but be-
fore a move could be made the fire had
swept across the tracks aud attacked the
nearest bridge. The engine started. the
brakemen threw themselves fiat on the
tops of the cars, aud the running OF the
fiery gauntlet was begun. Some OF the
cars caught fire, and the police compelled
the engineer to run the burning cars into
the flames whence they came. the gal
liant fellows repeated this until they had
saved all the cars it was possible TO save.
The response to the call for the militia
was as prompt rs that of the various fire
Lieutenant Colonel Falk
made his appearance at the armoyg early
in the evening and formed squad ot IN
fantry from all the companies. Alto.
getber over 200 men armed with muskets
and with hsyonets fixed were assigned 10
duty. Their work was principally that OF
guarding property in the Third ward Pri-
vale Party rescued a fireman and two
children from a burning building at the
risk OF his own life.
KILLED AND INJURED.
The loss of life SO far as known is as
follows:
Henry Peddenbroch, fireman, 522 Reed
street.
Charles S,ahl. fireman, $50 Fourth
street.
An unknown man.
An unknown woman about 60 years old.
Mrs Callahan. died from effects of the
shock after being taken To the Third ward
school.
Henry Peddenbroch and Charles Stahl
met death in the alley in the rear of East
Water street, where they were buried un-
der failing wallis. Several other firemen
were injured, while one member OF the
crew was hurt
The Injured are as follows.
Richard Gardiner. macbinlst. seriously.
j. H. Rosch. pattern maker, -rrtoasss-
William Witte, fin!siirr, badly Injured
Henry s BergeEthaal, cisiiller. scTl-
onsly.
Or the injured Gardiner and Wiste were
struck by nysug bricks. Tee aiLers gerS
hats ia endsayorias 20 save property
PROPERTY IossES
The following Is an estimate OF the
Iossss vn tine business illsfs~es- isse lnsar-
aucs il said IA II. about oHe-bsif in-
a;neani: Bsssisi * kIpf. fa-niiare. szst, go:
j. L Patton & Cns. oals and iaIal-.
$50 tos. j; r kI-sinzer. wao.esals
liquors, ssstsa. Aiiiwauker asrror
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