The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1892-11-04
GREAT FIRE m MILWAUKEE.
twenty-five Blocks Burned Over in the
Wholesale District.

Wholesale District.
Milwaukee suffered by great fire on the
| night Of the 28th and twenty-five blocks In
the wholesale district were burned over. The
district is bounded ON the east by the lake, on
the south and west by the river and on. tho
| north by Buffalo street. The flames were
under control at l o'clock In the morning,
having practically burned themselvee out.
The fire broke out near the corner Of East
Water and Detroit streets at about $3.50
o'clock in an oil house and the alarm was i'm
mcdiately turned In, but owing to the terrible
high winds which swept eastwardly toward
the lake, half mile distant, the buildings In
this community were speedily consumed, aud
the fire spread with bewlldcring rapidity.
The fire was burning fiercely when the city
department reached the scene. Owing to the
hurricane that was blowing tho men were ut
terly unable to do anything, and for any
practical results might US well have done
nothing. In spite Of this the men worked
braycly and did everything in their power,
risking their lives in the burning buildings
and endeavorlng by tearing down and blow
ing up blocks In advance of the path Of the
fire to check II. This was In vain, and all
night long the flames continued along their
way from the establishment Of East River
street, where the blaze started. The path Of
the fire was In the shape of an immense "V,"
the connecting part Of the two bars being In
the oil establishment, while one line extended
directly east to the lake, the other running to
the lake In u southerly direction. Through
immense factories from four to seven stories
high, which were supposed to be freprooy,
the flames spread with as much case as
through the frame cottages further east
In suSh IN alarming situation, all efforts Of
the fire department were almost futile. Tclc-
grams were quickly dispatched to Chicago,
Racine and nearer cities for aid, all OF which
responded promptly, bringing fire engines
and men 10 assist in the dire calamity.
After wiping out the factories and whore
sale establishments, the fire found easy prey
In the scores Of blocks filed with frame
houses which extend east OF Milwaukee street.
From here the flames lcaped TO the freight
houses Of the Milwaukee,, Lake Shore &
Western. These caught In the extreme
southern end and In moment were ablaze all
along their whole length, ever two blocks.
Adjoining the dcpo;s were the freight yards
VI thc same IiliTOiu Us well Us tGt lHlcapO ~
Northwestern. These yards were filed with
hundreds of loaded ears, all of which were
quickly consumed.
As soon MS :hc destruction OF the yards
was assured the Wind, as though by malice,
vccred from west to NORTH Had it remained
in the west the fire would have exhausted It.
self In the lake.
shortly before o'clock the various depart
mcnts OF the gas woM exploded In quick
succession with deafcnlng rcverbcrations, this
loss alone representing 81 100000, which was
the cost OF the recently erected plant.
Up to midnight the fatalities numbered
four. Two OF them We're ilremcn and the
other two women, but OF all the name OF only
one is known. lie was Harry Peddenbrush
Of engine company No. 3 and was crushed by
falling walls.
The losses are estimated at $40 900.
II Is the most disastrous fire the city has
ever experienced. But while 1t is a bad one,
there Is feeling OF thankfulncss that the fire
lid moi originate In some other portion OF the
city. All the residence portion Of the Third
ward was to have been dsmantlcd within a
year or two, rs the property was In active de-
mani by the railroad and manufacturing
companies, and the fire simply has,ens the re-
moval of scores who expected TO move within
n wear or two