The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-03
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CHICAGO, Aug. 2-The lumber district
was tonight visited by a second hre
which for time threatened 10 rival IN
destrucli veness that of last night. Before
it was subdued it had wiped out the yard
OF the following concerns:
John Sprey Lumber company. A. j.
Mclean, cedar posts; I. Farrell, cedar
posts.
In addition to the lumber yards,
the wooden bridge over the
Chicago river at Ashland ave-
nue. was destroyed. The fire tonight
WAS between two loading slips for vessels.
1t l. directly east OF where the fire was
checked last night. The fire department
had been gradually withdrawn curing the
day and this evening but one engine COM
pauy and two fire boats were playing on
the smoking ashes OF the yards burned
over last night.
At about o'clock a lively blaze. sup
posed TO have originated from some enl-
bers, sprang up IN the north end of the
Sprey lumber yards. a high northwest
wind was blowing and the flames, which
in few minutes were beyond the control
Of the firemen, began rapidly TO travel
southwark.
CALLS FOR HELP
were sent out but no power could have
prevented the destruction of the Sprey
yaIds. and in twenty minutes they were
roaring furnace. The freboats rsn up,
one 10 the east and one TO the
west OF the burning lumber, and the en-
gines devoted their attention for the most
part TO the protection OF adjoining prop
erty, for they could not get down on the
ground where tie fire was located. The
yards were covered from end TO end and
from side to side. and were on fire in every
part. The long tongues OF flame leaped
most across the river, which il fully 200
feet wide at this point, and
set fire to the Ashland avenue
bridge which fell into the water within
fifteen minutes after it began TO bIaz-.
just before 1t caught fire engine company
No % came laundering across it TO work
on the fire. a sheet of flame wrapped IT.
self around tue engine, slightly scorchIng
Sc veral men and badly burning Peter
Fleming, the driver. Fleming chung TO
his seat, however. and urged his horses
through the flames, both of them being
severely singed. Fleming is IN the hos
pital but will recover.
IN the slips adjoining the fire were sew
eral vessels, all of which had narrow
escapes. All OF them got off without in-
jury with the exception of the propeller
Albert Soper, which caught fire, bnt by the
prompt action OF her crew IN getting her
INTO The river ami extInguishing the
IA lIlG-. " az Atbt NCNFASlS
At ~ o'clock the fire department had the
flames so under control that there was no
danger Of it spreading To other lumber
yards.
The losses are estimated as follows:
John Sprey Lumb her company, So, 600: L.
j. McB-an, - Zoo; p. McFarrel. IS 90
Total, 500 900. All are projected by ill.,
suTauce.
= large eight-story building at 15S West
Van Buren, street, WAS cleaned out by fire
tonight while the lumber yards were
blazing. The building was occupied by q
number of small coucrrns, the largest of
which We're the Chicago Decorative Supply
com pauy, which lost SO, Co., and the
Chicago Cash Buyers company, dealers in
baby carriages and bicycles, which lost
S25 600. The total loss to the building and
its occupants will foot up $50 COO
Thomas Cunningham Of Hook and Lad
der Com Dany No 16 was fatally injured
by a a.ling wall. aud Captain Sullivan of
Engine Company "a was seriously wound
ed DV falling glass