Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-03-28
A BAD FIRE.
Several Large Wholesale Firms
Burned Out at Milwaukee.
A MILLION DOLLARS LOST.
The schlltz Hotel Caught Fire, but the
Guests Escapod-The Public Library
Damaged, but tho Books Were
Safely Removed.

MILWAUKEE, March 81. Fire broke
out shortly after midnight last night
in the four-story block on Grand ave-
nue., in the business center owned by
the Plankinton estate aud occupied by
Landaur & Co., wholesale dry goods,
and Tanner g. Co., furnishing goods,
and soon that structure was in flames
Then the Schlitz hotel caught fire, but
the guests had all been aroused in good
time and all escaped, fully dressed and
carrying their valuables. Next the
fire swept to the building owned by
the Davidson estate, occupied by Nor
gan & Co. and Darling & Wambold, re-
tail clothiers Other stores followed
Before l o'clock the flames had
crossed Fourth street and were feeding
on the handsome Y. NJ c. A. building,
and twenty minutes later the two up
per floors of Library block were a
mass of fire. About the time the de-
partment under Chief FOley's d.
rection had begun its work to save
the library and the three or four
clothing and dry goods stores it con-
tains, the fury of the blaze had
spent itself on the south side OF
the avenue. after having reduced the
Plankinton's block, occupied by Lam
daur & Co. and Tanner & Co. to ashes.
The flames spread to the property on
the west side of Fourth street, to the
Y. M. G. A. building and to the upper
portion of the Library block. 1t was
only by desperate work that the library
was saved and at o'clock the Morgan
store had been possibly saved from all
danger, except the upper floor The
Library block suffered damage no
more than one-eighth of its total cost.
The fire next leaped across the north
side of the avenue, running the art
store of Roebel & Reinhart, two OF
three saloons and lodging houses and a
cheap, ramshaekle building. There
its course was checked. -
The Library buirding is owned by the
Plankinton estate. At one time it was
thought nothing could save the struc-
ture. On the fourth floor of the Libra.
ry building were the rooms of the Ger
mania society. In one of these was a
library containing from 800 to 1000
books Water and smoke did great
damage here.
The Plankinton estate suffered loss
of about $3.50, 900 on the buildings occu-
pied by Landaur & Co., Tanner & Co.
and the Reliance Storage Co., which
we're practically one. The insurance
was estimated last night at 80 per
cent, which would make the loss the
insurance companies are to bear APP
proxlmately 5000, 600 on that structure
alone.
Max Landau, of Landaur & Co.,
said that the stock carried at present
by the firm was valued at $500, 900, and
he, too, usually carried about so per
cent. insurance.
The Tanner company's loss was said
TO be about 500, 1000, though no mem
Der could be found to give an accurate
estimate. 1t was thought the furniture
stock was insured for about rs per cent.
The Davidson estate was the owner
Of the building at 314 and 31s Grand
avenue, between part of the Plankin-
ton building that was occupied by Tan
ner & Co. and the Matthews building,
in which the retail house of Morgan &
Co. was located. The only occupant
of the storerooms in this building were
Darling &c Wambold, retail clothing,
though there were few offices in the
upper two stories. The structure was
one of frame, with veneer of brick,
so the fire underwriters say, and was
worth $50, 900 at the outside. The in
surance was said to foot up $4,000
Darling & Wambold had just re-
ceived large consignment of spring
goods and the entire stock, as we'll
as the building was lost completely.
With the new goods the stock was
worth $4,000 or more. so one connected
with the firm said. The insurance was
about $4,000. The Y NJ. c. A. build
ing was valued at SIS, 900 and was to-
tally destroyed. Other houses brought
the total up to st,O65, 900. +. Hopkin-
son Smiths pictures represent over a
years hard work in Europe. It is not
known whether he carried any insur'
anee.