The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-23
WAS AN UGLY BLAZE
HOME CRACKER COMPAyY,s PLANT
PARTIALLY BURNED LAST NIGHT.
Adjoining Buildings Suffer Somewhat
incidents of the Fire-Loss and
Insurance-HOrses urned

At 945 last night p%atrolman Heidelman,
while patrolling his district on South Merid-
ian street. below the Union Station, noticed
smoke coming from the third-story windows
of the Home cracker bakery. at 1872 and 1874
South Meridian street. He Immediately
turned in an alarm, but by the time the de-
partment reached the scene the building ap-
peared to be doomed. The fire evidently
started in the neighborhood of the engine
room OF the bakery, and the smoke found
its way through the building and out Of
the windows in the front. The greatest dam
age was in the rear OF the building. From
the engine room the fire spread TO the main
building and struck a lead to the upper
floors through the back stairway. The
flames spread rapidly to the second and
third floors, and in an incredibly short
space of time were breaking through the
roof. AS soon as the department arrived
a second alarm was sounded, and within a
very few minutes thereafter a third alarm,
calling out the entire department, was sent
In. When all the fre-fghting apparatus OF
the city arrived upon the scene it was not
long till the flames were practically SUBJ
dued. although at times il seemed as If
the fire was going to get beyond the control
OF the department, as every now and then
~ "Otha Oitdh oul dlIeSH II some new
part OF the building.
The spread of the fire was, I'm a great
measure, retarded by the fre-proof walls on
either side of the bakery, which prevented
the flames from getting into the lower floors
of the adjoining buildings. From the roof
OF the bakery, however, 1t spread to the
building Immediately south, owned by II. C.
Long. This was recently occupied by Roots
* Co., but is now unoccupied. The only
damage to the Long building was In the sec
ond and third floors. The flames were
checked by the department In their down.
ward course before they had done much
The building adjoining the cracker bak-
cry on the north is owned and occupied by
Dr. a: *. White as q proprietary medicine
cant. as the flames spread to the south
from the bakery instead Of north. Adjoin-
ing the Long building Immediately south
or Samuel Marks; Mr.. Marks says the
smoke ana water that poured into his place
vatlng of all his rags. He is insured for
1l.oV' which viii more than cover his
The building occupied by the cracker
o. akery Is owned by Peter Spitzfaden and
full value of the loss. which will not ex-
coed 5000. H.. c.. Plum is the manager of
tne bakery; He said last night. that it
amount of stock carried by them. but it
would be a total loss. He also said that
AL or their machinery would be ruined by
the water that. was thrown upon 1t. He
estimated the total loss to the company
at 10000. The insurance on the property
or the baking company is placed with the
=. r. Sayles agency and Is for $4,000. The
companies are not known. The damage to
the Long building will not exceed 81. 900.
me building occupied by Marks is owned
by Henry Barrett. The loss to this build
ing will he slight.
The remains of two horses burned TO
death In the stables belonging TO the Home
Sracker Company presented n sickening
appearance. There We're four horses In :te
stables. but two of the animals were gotten
out with the two delivery wagons The
stables were located in the rear of the bIS
iron ovens, which, adjoined the engine
room: 1t is believed that the fire originated
in this department. Although tnc walls be-
tween the ovens and the stables were OF
solid brick the flames communicated 10 TIE
extreme rear of the barn. The horses had
been stalled and fed for he night and weIc
sluggish and daZed when an attempt was
MADE 20 get them out. The two anina,s
scorched and in great pain, but the other
two could not be induced 10 leave tneil
stalls a considerable quaItityu Of rr.in
and hay was, also destroyed. The ovens
were practically ruined.