The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-07

OMAHA. FCD. 3.-Another such FIRE
as that which destroyed the Boston store
and Threatened the business center of
Omaha for time this evening was prob
ably never fought 10y iiIemen.
At 6:45 a tiny spark was noticed falling
in one Of the show windows at the Bos-
ton store and at ESQ the entire building
was in a blaze The building stood at
The corner of Sixteenth and Douglass
sts. in the very center of the retail dis
Irict. 1t had three large show windows
on the Sixteenth-st front and five on the
Douglass-st. side. These We're all draped
with fabrics of the most inhammablc
nature and the fire ran through them
with a speed most appalling. Il was
hardly a moment from the time the first
spark was noticed until the flames burst
through the windows.
Inside the store was crowded with
clerks and customers. it being the Gus
Tom of the firm To keep open on Satur-
day night for special sales. In the base
ment was the notion department and on
the second floor was the millinery and
cloak department. while the third floor
was occupied by a high school. Con-
sternation reigned among the people in
The store when the flames We're seen,
and mad rush for the exits began.
Men, women and children crowded for
the streets, the sales girls and cash
girls leaving their wraps and other per-
sonal belongings TO the flames.
Number Scorchcd.
SO far as can be learned at midnight.
every body escaped alive. but a number
Of the girls, who were employed in the
millinery and cloak department. were
badly scorched and blistered several
losing all the hair from their heads. ON
the west stood -. Magdalene's church
It was quickly ON fire. and, like the
Boston store burned like n tar barrel.
ON the south, across DouglaSs-st.. was
The Y NJ. c. \. building and a row of
Ihree-story flats. ON the ground floor
Of the association building is Thompson
& Belden's dry goods store. They suf-
1ered considerable loss The upper
floors of the flats We're cleaned out. West
of ST. MagdaIene's church was the new
Patterson block. completed about four
months ago. and only partly occupied.
IT was also damaged 20 a considerable
extent
The intense heat from the Boston store
building kept the firemen out of that
portion of Douglass-st. for half an hour,
and this gave the flames "A chance to
get across the street So rapidly did the
Boston store burn that the cashier aban-
doned the cash in the drawer and the
bookkeepers had to leave the books on
which they were working. The safe
door was open, but no one dared tempt
death by trying to close it. The escape
Of the inmates from the blazing tinder
box was all but miraculous.
Estimates OF the Loss
Inspector Hartman of the local under
writer's association approXimates the loss
at $3.50, 600. other estimates place it as
low as S275 0OO The Boston store and
building were owned by J. L. Brandeis
& Sons. 1t is a total loss, hardly one
brick remaining on the other. Their
less is estimated at 100000 on stock and
s35.OOO on building. They carried ON
their stock $4,000 and on the building
$50 900. . RorhObaugh & Co, who con-
Quoted the night school and business col
iege. place their loss ft $4,000. with $1,000
Insurance St Mag,iaiene's church was
Ensured for $500.
Thompson & Belden's loss is chiefly
from water. Their stock was completely
soaked. What they will lose cannot be
told until the adjusters complete their
work The firm carries 100000 on stock
and s. 900 on fixtures.
other losses will be slight. divided
among many persons. aggregating about
81 900, with little or no insurance.