Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-09-28
ST. JOE FIRE.
A Great Department House and
Other Buildings Burned.
The WATERWORKS BREAK DOWN.
Everybody Aids to Keep the Fire from
Spreading - After SIX Hours
Work IL IL Con-
trolied.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo-, Sept. 26.-The most
destructive fire in the history Of St.
Joseph started yesterday morning at .
o'clock, and II was . o'clock in the
afternoon before control was obtained.
The Center block and the immense de-
partment house Of Townsend & Wyatt
are in ruins; likewise the Commercial
block, containing the Commercial
bank, the Safety Deposit vaults, the
Central Savings bank and numerous
offices, etc. Likewise the immense
building occupied by tho Regnier
& Shoup Crockery Co. The Car
hey block is badly damaged,
as are also the Stone building
and the Mullen building, while the
new building of c. Is. France, the Bal
linger building and the Zimmerman
building are badly scorched. All these
are adjacent to the Townsend & Wyatt
building, corner Sixth and Edmond
streets where the fire started, and
formed the best and most modern bust
ness structures in the city, and each
marked step in the advancement Of
the city.
The fire started in the fifth story of
Townsend & Wyatt's department store,
and when first discovered showed only
a curl of smoke coming under the cor
nice at the northwest side. Every reel
of the city was brought to the ground
as soon as possible, and every lead OF
hose that could be had was promptly
put on, but IL was found, to the horror
OF all, that the water pressure was in
sufficient In response to kilograms
Kansas City and Topeka sent assist
ance, but IL was of little avail. Handi-
capped by the small pressure on the
mains, the flremen fought at a great
disadvantage, and slowly but surely
the fire swept down from floor to floor.
Then the Carbey block across the al
ley east was attacked, and while the
firemen were giving this what atten-
ton they could, the wind, blowing
briskly from the north, swept the
flames across the street. and In few
moments the Commercial bank and
Central Savings bank were in flames
The firemen were driven away by the
intense heat surging out of the terri
BILE furnace In the basement of the
Townsend & Wyatt building, and be-
fore water could be turned on the Com
mercial block the interior was burning
fiercely. On Edmond street the hose
were catching fire, and several sections
were burned. Chief Kane then turned
his entire attention to saving the sur
rounding buildings
Across the street, on the southwest
corner Of Edmond street and Sixth, the
two-story brick occupied by the St
Joseph Drug Co. was starting to blaze.
On the opposite corner the new three
story brick block owned by G. b. France
and almost completed, was burning,
and on the north of the Townsend &
Wyatt building the three-story brick
occupied by Heigner &c Shoup
was on fire. The Commercial
block was consumed in IA short
time and so was the Regnier
& Shoup building. The wind became
higher and for many surrounding
blocks buildings were threatened.
Everybody turned fireman and salvage
man, and the best was done that could
be done under the circumstances. At
3 o'clock the fire was gotten under con-
troll, and all there is left now of three
splendid buildings is the walls and
debris, An estimate of the principal
losses is as follows:
Townsend & Wyatt Dry Goods Co, loss on
stock, t27O, uOO insured for s22J,OOO.
Central block, occupied by Townsend 4
Wyatt and owned by A. w McAllster and S.
Woodson, loss, $4,000; insured for F5,OOO.
Regnier & shoup Crockery Co, loss, s75, OOO
insured for $1,000
Hoagland building, occupied by Rognier 4
Shoup Crockery Co loss, sl7,bO1. fully insured
Commercial Bank building, loss, $1,000; fully
insured
Commercial bank annex, loss $1,000; fully
insured
Carbey block loss t25, 900 insured for 100
Ransom Garrett & Brewster, boots and
shoes, loss from hre and water, 5000; fully In
snred
Stone building. occupied b. Ransom. Garrett
& Brewster, damaged $1,000 fully insured.
Loss In Commercial block by attorneys, den.
lists and other ONCE occupants estimated AT
t25,OJi no insurance.
Loss by a number Of small dealers In the
neghborhood $4,000.
The total estimated loss is 500 l5O and the
total insurance .5OL4jl.