The record-union., 1892-03-16
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
The Buffalo Brewing Company's Malt
House Burned.
The Main Building Saved After Hard
Fight-The Eiremen short
of Water.

At about twenty minutes past II
o'clock last night fire broke out in one
ofthe upper stories of the splendid pneu-
matte malt-house of the Buffalo Brewing
Company, at Twenty first and r streets.
An alarm was at once sent in from
Twentieth and o streets, and at the same
time telephone messages came from the
Office of the company to the residences of
some of the officers of the corporation.
The fire department responded prompt
ly, but the run of two miles consumed
much valuable time. In the meantime
the fire was making rapid headway
through the building, and when the fire.
men got to work the rear upper portion
of the building was in flames.
There was only water sufficient for two
engines, and the pressure was so slight
that the streams did not reach more than
halfway to the top of the four-story
building, the woodwork above the roof of
which was burning fiercely.
Fortunately the railroad officials dis
patched the fire-train to the scene, where it
arrived in less than fifteen minutes after
the alarm was sounded.
The powerful locomotive-pump threw
fine stream of water up to the roof, and
was kept playing upon the burning wood
work with good effect.
The malthouse is of brick and iron.
about so feet in width by 100 deep. and
contained, beside the companys offices,
vault, etc., a vast quantity of malt and
some forty carloads of barley.
On the roof, however, from the front to
the rear, were wooden structures, which
caught and held the fire where the en-
gines could not reach it, and there the
fire burned fiercely, as well as in all the
stories beneath.
just north of the malt-house and sep
arated therefrom only some twenty feet,
is the main building of the company.
where all the fine machinery is located.
Luckily the wind blew from the north
west and carried the burning brands and
long-shooting flames away from this
large and costly structure. Otherwise it
could not have been saved.
AS it was, the firemen were enabled to
take their hose up into the main build
ing, from which they succeeded in keep
ing few small streams playing across
the alley into the windows of the malt
house
Despite the efforts of the firemen, how
ever, the fire spread through the malt
house from the rear. and at o'clock this
morning had burned through the upper
story clear TO the front of the building.
At that hour, however, the firemen
were doing effective work. Several of
them succeeded in getting upon the roof
with a line of hose and poured a stream
in upon the fire at close range, and by
2:30 O'Clock they had the fire under con-
troll.
The interior of the building was, how
ever, destroyed, except the Office portion
on the lower floor and in the front.
No one could be found who could give
a satisfactory estimate of the loss, but it
is safe to say that $4,000 will not cover
the injury to the building itself, to say
nothing OF the loss in barley, machinery,
etc.
The greater loss will probably accrue,
however, from the stoppage of the COM
pany's operations. which it is assumed
must result.
At 3 O'Clock this morning the fire was
still burning. but no further damage was
feared.
One Of the officials of the company
stated that he thought the direct loss was
covered by insurance.