Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-09-23
BIG BLOCK IN ASHES.
Indiana Bank and Western Union
Telegraph Buildings Are
Wiped Out.

y CLOCK LulS morning u uIe DIOho OuI OH
the third floor in the fve-story stone and
brick building on the south side of Wash
ington street between Meridian and
Pennsylvania streets, occupied by the
furniture store of Eastman, Schleichel
& Co. 1t was at once realized that
the fire would be a disastrous one, and
the entire fire department was sum-
moned. Notwithstanding the hard fight
ing on the part of the department to
check the fire, it soon spread to the four
story stone building of the Indiana Ma
tionaI bank, Immediately east. This
building was soon at the mercy of the
flames, which continued to spread and
soon the entire northwest corner of the
square was within the fire limit. The
Western Union building, in the rear and
fronting on South Meridian street, with
Pearl street running along the south side,
soon caught This latter building is OF
brick and is FIVE stories high The up,
Der floor, used as the battery-roOm, and
the next floor below, used as the operat-
ing-room, were soon flooded with water
and all wires were burned off, cutting OF
all communication with other points.
The furniture and china store OF East
man. Schleicher & Co. was one OF the
largest in the country and an immense
L
and stock were totally destroyed. The
Indiana bank building is completely
wrecked The banking room had re-
Gently, been remodeled at a cost OF about
$4,000.
Next to the bank building is the four
story brick building occupied by the
Pacific Express and United States Ex-
press companies, with Office rooms above.
Next comes the three-story brick occu-
pied by George Manifold, clothing mer-,
chant. and George Wingerber, tobacco
dealer. These buildings and stocks were
badly damaged. To the west, on the
corner of Meridian street, the Blackboard
block, four stories high and of brick,
stands. 1t is occupied by the American
Express company, Boston Clothing com
pany and Big Four ticket office. Any
damage sustained in this block will come
largely from smoke and water. At .
o'clock the fire on Washington street
was under control, but the Western
Union building was stu plazlng up. ~
ridian street, north of the Western Union
building, occupied by the Mayer Stencil
company and the saloon of George Weiss,
was flooded with water.
The great vault in the Indiana Ma.
tional bank, which is situated in the rea r
of the building and fronting on Pearl
street, contains nearly $1,O0O,OOO in cash.
The flames licked clean everything around
It but the money is believed to be safe.
Across the alley from the burned quarter
on Washington street stands the six-story
Pettis dry goods building. built of stone
and brick, but it caught ire. The upper
floor was soon flooded. The water soaked
through clear to the basement and the
loss will be tremendous A. Pettis, who
owns the Eastman, Schleicher 4 Co.
building, is now in Switzerland The loss
and insurance cannot be obtained accu-
rately at this time, but Eastman,
Schleicher 81 Co.'s loss alone will be at
least $175.0OO
The fire in the Western Union building
was placed under control about 9:3O a.
m. The instruments in the operating
room were destroyed and the battery
floor, just above, was burned away. The
entire building was watersOaked and the
many officers were damaged. The two
buildings .hnt are totally wrecked are
the Eastman, Schlecher & Lee block and
the Indiana National bank building
owned by Voney L. Malott. The first
named building stood a shell after the
fire had been extinguished, and the bank
buildings will be pulled down.
The law office of A. G. Harris, over the
banking rooms. contained library of
law books valued at $4,000. which was
totally destroyed, as was everything else
in the building. The Postal Telegraph
building, in the rear of the Blackboard
block, was slightly damaged by fire and
water, but the company has lost no wires.
Losses and Insurance.
The losses and insurance are as fol-
lows. though many of the minor losses
which in the aggregate will amount to
several thousand dollars, are not includ-
ed:
Eastman Schleicher & Lee, six-story
building building loss $25, 900, covered by
insurance The firm will lose $175,0OO on
stock, with 100000 insurance.
The Indiana National bank building, de-
stroyed; loss on building, $4,000 to $4,000
Addison c. Harris law library, $4,000; no
insurance
George Mansfield, stock valued at $35, 900
to $4,000; total insurance, $4,000 His
damage is from smoke and water.
George Wtngerter's tobacco store, $5OOO
covered by insurance.
Shoe store of ]. w. Hart. stock damaged
no estimated loss, but Is covered by insur-
ance.
New York store, owned by the Pettis Dry
Goods company, is a heavy loser by fire ind
away up into the thousands.
telegraph company 5000 on batteries and
instruments; building also badly damaged.
In this building were located the offices Of
Baldwin, Miller & Co., whose loss is $4,000
with $4,000 insurance.
The total loss of stocks, fixtures and eff
fects will amount to $751;, 900. The loss on
buildings aggregates about 500, 600, giving
a total loss of $404, OO0