The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-27
SPREAD OF THE FLAMES
Worst in the History of Wis
ConSin'S EnterpriSing
Metropolis.
CHICAGO ALSO A SUFFERER.
Damage Done in a Big Store and
Several Persons Badly
Injured.

MILWAUKEE,, WIS. March 26.-Fire
broke out tonight in a ive-story block
on Grand avenue, owned by the Plankin-
ton estate, and completely destroyed the
building and contents. 1t was occupied
by Landaur & Co., wholesale dry goods,
and Tanner & Co., furnishing goods. The
loss will be very heavy.
At 1 :45 A. NJ. the fire is believed to be
under control. 1t has now become one OF
the worst fires in the history of the city.
The flames were carried across the street
to the Y. NJ. C. a. building on the north,
one of the handsomest and most COM
pletely equipped in the West, and that is
now a total loss. To the north the flames
have secured a foothold on the Plankinton
building.
At this writing the loss exceeds
s1,00o,000, the heaviest losses being
Plankinton estate, five story build
ing, loss unknown Tanner & Co.,
wholesale and retail furnishings, loss
100000, insurance $4,000; Beldep Com
pany, retail clothing, adjoining Plankinton
block, loss unknown; Crochet & Rhein-
hart, art goods and picture frames, par
TALLY burned and wholly ruined by heat
and water, insured 100000; Y. NJ. c. A.
building, $4,000.
There are many minor losses, including
small stores and fats.
CHICAGO, Ill, March pa fire which
broke out in the basement of the Bell
Clearinghouse, at the corner Of State and
Quincy streets, to-day, destroyed the en-
tire contents of the establishment above
the second floor and left only the walls OF
the building from that floor to the ground
standing. Occurring at the busiest hour OF
the day, with the store crowded with GUS
toners and employees and the flames run
ming through the building like a train OF
powder, filing every nook and corner with
smoke, it was remarkable that no lives
were lost.
In attempting to escape from the build
ing the following persons were injured ::
G. II. Smith, leg broken in jumping from
the second floor and bruised about the
body; Dick Burns, elevator-boy, slightly
burned about the face; Grace Mertell
clerk, bruised by fall and carried from
the building; Helen Caesar, clerk in store
adjoining the burning building, overcome
by smoke.
Samuel Cohn, salesman, and John Dichel,
the engineer, had a narrow escape from
death. They were on the third floor of the
building and did not hear the alarm of fire
when first given. Both tried to get down
stairs and were about to jump but the
shouts of the crowd below warned them
not to do SO. 1t became too hot for them
in the window and both men, grasping a
sign which extended across the building
just below the third-story window, swung
off and held on to the projection until they
were taken down by the firemen.
The loss on the building was $4,000 and
on stock $4,000. The building was in.
sured for $50, 900 and the stock for $780, 900.
Five buildings were destroyed by fire al
South Chicago this morning at Ninety fifth
street and Commercial avenue. In one OF
the buildings was located Cowboys Hall
where great amount of regalia of secret
societies that hold their meetings there
was kept. The occupants of the house had
to flee in their night clothes. The loss is
estimated at $4,000.