The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-28
SERIOUS FIRE AT CHICAGO.
Four Girls Severely Injured and
E6OO,OOO Worth Of Property Eurned.


100000 Worth of Property Eurned.
CHICAGO, Feb. 27.-At 8 o'clock this
morning fire started in the five-story brick
building of Kaestner & Co., No. 45 South
Jefferson street, and before it was under
control property valued at 100000 was de-
stroyed. Four girls were injured, as fol-
lows:
ETA GOLDMAN, cut and bruised about
head and face.
EMMA KUSICK, cut And bruised by be-
ing trampled.
BESSIE PALSIC, bruised about head.
AGNES MINTYRE. cut about head.
In Kaestner & Co.'S building were the
Kaestner knitting works, the Pioneer Pa
per Company and the Bach & Herts Feath-
er Company. The building was crowded
with men and women employees, and the
rapid spread OF the flames resulted in a
panic, in which heavy loss of life was mar
rowly averted. About one hundred women
and girls, In addition to large number of
men and boys, were at work, and in the
stampede many were knocked down and
several badly bruised. A large number of
the women were rescued by the fremen.
The burning building stood I'm the very CEN
ter of the factory district, fianked on either
side by big manufactures. and soon the
efforts of the fremen were directed entirely
TO fighting the spread of flames. Despite
their efforts the flames spread to the south
portion of the Crane elevator works, which
adjoined the kaestner building on the
north. A brisk wind famed the fire, and
the loss to the elevator company was heavy.
Five dwellings which were clustered in the
vicinity were destroyed, and the flying en-
bers started numerous small fires in build
ings several blocks away.
A panic occurred in the Lancaster car
amel factory Harrison street, several
blocks from the fire. Two hundred and
twenty children were at work in the fac
tory and when the flames from the Kaest-
ner building were seen, some one sounded
an alarm. A wild rush for the exists fol-
lowed the children becoming cIazed with
terror. They rushed down the stairways
trampling under foot those who had fallen
and several boys jumped from second
story windows. Help was summoned and
eleven children were removed by the am
bulance corps. None was seriously injured,
the names of the most severely bruised
being given above.
The fire was pronounced under control al
II o'clock The losses of the various firms
foot up to over $600.OO0. NEST of which is
covered by insurance. Following is a list
OF the losses, except on number of dwell
ings and retail stores, none Of which was
costly: Kaestner & Co.. building, $125, 200;
Kaestner & Co.. manufactured goods and
machinery, 100000: Crane Elevator Com
pany. building $4,000; Crane Elevator Com
pany machinery, $4,000; Crane Elevator
Company, stock, $4,000; w. d. Kent, iron
works and fire escapes, $1,000; Daniel Mon
roe. iron works $500; Andrews & Johnson,
ventiators. in Kaestner building $1,000:
Friedlander & Brady, knit goods. Kaestner
building, 100000; Cutler-Hamer Manufac-
turing Company. electrical supplies. Kaeet-
ner building, 5000; Schultz & Hirsch, mat
tresses, Kaestner building. $1,000; Schultz
e. Hirsch, No. 262 DespaineS street, $4,000;
Raymond Brothers, windmills. saws, Kaest-
nsr building. 5000: Smith Brothers. sa VS.,
Kaestner building, $4,000; Pioneer Paper
Stock Company, $4,000
The chittenden Hotel, of Columbus, O..
will not be able 10 open schedule time.
Among the property destroyed was the
hotels outfit OF bedding and pillows, valued