New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-29
MILWAUKEE, IN FLAMES.
APPALLING WORK or THE FIRE
TWENTY TWO BLOCKS BURNED BEFORE
THE FIRE WAS CONTROLLED.
The LOSS AT MIDNIGHT Is ESTIMATED
AT $i.Ooo,OO0.

STRONG WIND FAMED TIE FLAMES
HELP SENT FROM NEIGHBoRNG
CITIES TO THE STRUGGLING
FIREMEX
Milwaukee, Oct 2s.-A fire which started at
5 80 o'clock this evening in the Union on Oom-
panys store on East Water-st. has done enormous
damage, and is still raging, and threatening TO
destroy the entire wholesale business section OF
Milwaukee east of the Milwaukee River below
Huron-st
For an hour after the flames broke out the
fire department struggled bravely with the ele-
ments, which were famed by gale that Is blow
ing at the rate Of thrty-sX miles an hour'
Chief Foley kept the fire confined to one block on
East Water-st until o'clock, when it got away
from him and leaped across the street and began a
rapid march toward Lake Michigan, six blocks
away cutting down in short order the buildings OF
F. Dohmen ~ Co., wholesale drugs; NJ Bioch'
Wholesale lquor merchant Rub & Kipp's seven-
story building, furniture factory; Roundy, Peck
ham & Co., wholesale rrocers Jacob Wellauer
& Co., wholesale grocers; Johnson Brothers
cracker factory american Biscuit Co.., and the
National Distilins Company.
At o'clock the flames had crossed Br 3adway
between Buffalo and Detroit sta, taking nnmer-
orls wooden structures, and then advancing to
Milwaukee-st Atsl5 tho fire had reached JEFF
fer.on-st, three eluares from where 1t broke
ont. and began destroying private dwellings
The course Of the Ore changed at - o'clock,
aud H. then seemed likely 70 consume the terri
tory between Broadway AMI Jefferson sts. to the
east and west branch OF tie Milwaukee River.
The flames quickly reached the river and the bis
Angus Smith grain elevators fell. Al Broadway
bridge the fire appeared next. and IT was feared
that that portion Of the South Side in thc SHIP
ward district would be licked up. The fire depart
ment known all over the country as one OF the
best equipped and disciplined. was powerlcss TO
stay i,s progress Not only did the FIRE advance
with The wind on its mission Of destruction. but
il began to back up at the point where II hrSt
started aud where there means Of staying
its progress, The freight yards OF the Chicago
and Nort' western road were reached ana whoIc
trains Of ears loaded with merchandise. live stock
and grain were soon burning.
The entire lower part OF the Third Ward in
habitcd largely nv poor Irish familits is devast'd
About 900 cottages have been destroyed, and the
poor ps pie ,c vpndclIns alH az She streets Loudly
lnmi nting tnclr les. Some prn Of cicf Tor them
will rc doubt b, nude hut at Tins time p 'pI"
,L, how 6niu,r notl-
ing.
Alarms meanwhile began coming in every few
minutes from parts Of the city widely separated
md il was thought that inccndarcs were help
ing in the work Of destruction. The elegant
dwelling house Of h. F. Hodges. member OF the
Board of Trade, at Ninth and Cedar sts, two miles
from the fire district WAS destroyed. There were
no engines to respond 70 these calls. In their
desperate extremity call i,r aid was telegraphed
TO Racire. wouke.ha, Chicago and other places
by the fire chiefs here, and the hearts of the over
worked lremen Of Milwaukee were gladdencd by
the receipt of a response Immediately from Chief
Swecnic of Chicago, saying that help would be
here as soon as steam could bring the fremen over
the rond
An alarm was rung in from tho House of Cor
rection at 40 o'clock.
! In TO y o'clock only two fatalities had been re-
ported One fireman hal been killed and woman
suffocated
Az 0 o'clock the gas works were burning and
frequent explosions occurred that shook the whole
city. The lights began TO 30 out. The depart
mcnt was using dynamite in an effort 10 stop the
advance OF the flames and several buildings were
blown up Alarms were still being turned in from
widely separated parts Of the city.
Two engines were brought back 10 the point
where the fire started and endeavored TO keep
the flames from eating their way north on East
Watcr-st AT Dctrot-st The wind was still blow
Ing gale, and blew the water from the 22l's
Of the los in a arml 80 spray. hcrcul an effort
is being made at the Gueer Lithosraphins cstab-
lishmcnt to save that building and the block 10
the north and The Sentinel Office, recently r.
moved to lower Broadway between Huron anl
Detroit SITS. but. though tho wind is blowing
away from IT, the flames slowly but surely
eating their way toward that district and the
wealth contained in the vast wholesale houses in
the vicinity. Many of the scenes Of the great
fire OF 1871 in Chicago are being reenactcd.
The dynamite EXPLOSIONS the lcaping flames and
crumbling walls add to the terror of the homeless.
Third Wardcs.
4 report comes from the life-saving station that
four of it's crew, who came up Broadway TO
lend assistance 20 the fire department, have been
buried By falling wall at Wesel & Vilters
machine shops
A buglcr has just passed down Broadway call
,h.xr AZ fLa Horse SnnalInn