The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-03-29
LICKEn UP A MILLION.
FLAMES AT MILWAUKEE, SWEEP
AWAY MUCH PROPERTY.


Public Library with Its $4,000 Volumes
Has n Close Call, But Is saved by Hard
Work with the Two Top Floors Ruined
O-Lists of The Sufferers.
MILWAUKEE, March 27.-Grand avenue,
where the heart OF the wholesale and re-
tail COMMERCE of tho west side throbs, was
the scene early this morning of one of the
most serious conflagratons in the history
of the city. Some OF the leading mercan'
tile institutions of milwaukee, are in
ruins; the splendid Y. NJ C. A. building,
one of the finest and best equipped in the
country Is gone; tho public library with
its 10000 volumes, some of which can
could never DC replaced has had a mar
row escape. The fire is the most disas-
trous since the Third ward con6agration
of Oc5. -, 1892, and the pecuniary loss
will exceed $l,000,0 900. 1t furnished a
magnificent spectacle for the thousands
that filled the avenue and watched it from
surrounding buildings.
Principal Losses by the Blaze.
The principal losses are as follows:
Plankinton estate on buildings occupied
by Landaur & Co. and Tanner & Co. and
public library building, $3.50, 900; Landaur
81 Co., wholesale dry goods, $40, 900; Tan
ner g. Co., furniture, etc, 100000; Reli-
ance Storage company, $50 900; Darling 81
Wamb bold, retail clothiers, $50, 900; Column
bia Clothing company, $4,000; Y. NJ. G.
A. building, S7h, 900; other losses, $75, 000
total, 81, 055,OO0. Before l o'clock the
flames had crossed Fourth street and were
feeding on the Y. M. G. A. building and
twenty minutes later the two upper floors
of the library block were q seething mass
of fire.
Firebrands Scattered Broadcast.
About the timc the department under
Chief Foley's direction 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 hav-
ing reduced the Plankinton estates block,
occupied by Llndaur 81 Co. and Tanner
81 Co., to ashes. There was now danger
from the surrounding property on the
west side Of Fourth street, near the Y.
Nj. @. a. binding, and from the fire.
brands scattered broadcast by the flames
in the upper portion of the library block.
Library Building Was Saved.
AT ? o'clock the Morgan store had been
possibly saved from all damage except
the upper floor, the library block suffer-
ing damage no more than one-eighth Of
its total cost The frebrands leapcd
across to the north side of the avenue,
running the art store of Roebel 81 Rein
hnrt, two or three little saloons and lodg-
ing houses and cheap ramshackle build
ings. The public library building Mt the
northwest corner of Grand avenue and
Fourth was saved by hard work. The
loss OH the building is believed to be con-
fined to the fourth and fifth floors, occu-
pied respectively by Meyers business col
lege and the Germania society.
Life Saved by a Cool Head.
The Foster building ut the southwest
corner of Grand avenue and Fourth
street, contained fourteen or fifteen suites
all of which were occupied by families.
Many of the occupants owe their lives to
Luke Mccormick, clerk in the post
office. Passing the building during the
fiercest of the ii zee in the Tanner build.
ing he ran upstairs and aroused the I'M
suspecving sleepers. There was barely
time to escape before the building caught
fire. Many of the women were frantic
with terror and in great excitement To
save everything of value among their 10.
longings