The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-08-23
A BIG FIRE At milwaukee
1t Caused Great Damage in a Remarka-
bly, Short Time.
THE LOSSES NEARLY $4OO,OOO
In an Hour and Half the Flames Wiped
Out Freight Sheds Filled With Mer-
chandise, Loaded Freight Cars
and Dwelling Houses.

MILWAUKEE, Aug. ga fire which
threatened to make havoc equal to that
wrought in the Third ward three years
ago broke out yesterday afternoon in the
warehouse of the Union Steamboat COM
pany on the Menominee. A thirty mile
wind was blowing and the flames spread
with great rapidity The fire originated
on the dock of the Union company, at the
River and Reed streets bridge, and is sup
posed to have been caused by spark from
a passing steamer. 1t gained such a start
before it was discovered that it involved
the whole of the great freight shed with
incredible rapidity. The building was
constructed entirely of wood, and as it
burned 1t belohed forth smoke like vol
eano
Within few minutes the flames had
burst through the roof and caught a row
of St. Paul freight cars standing just
north of the building. The Union Steam
boat company's building was 800 feet in
length, and in it were thousands of tons
Of freight, all of which was destroyed
with the building, which was in ashes in
less than half an hour.
Within half an hour after the fire broke
out in the steamboat freight house the
Wisconsin Central freight house. just
north of the river and 300 feet in length,
was totally destroyed. This, like the
others, was filled with freight, and a
large number of the company's cars,
standing near mt the time, were destroyed.
Within few minutes after the freight
cars began burning fire broke forth from
the oupola of the oil and grease establish
ment of H. j. Delaney & Co, on Third
street, half block from the tracks where
l 4b, FnI1nyxriYrr tnia
the plumbing establishment of E. Il.
Doyn, on Second street, was quickly de-
stroyed, and the wagon shop of II. Trink-
ner, adjoining took fire several times, but
1t was put out each time, and seemed in a
fair way to stand.
A row of small frame dwelling houses
on Fowler street, directly opposite the st.
Paul freight house, between Second and
Third streets, took fire one after the other,
and were destroyed. The occupants were
able to get nearly all their furniture out
before the heat and smoke drove them
back
The main freight house of the St Paul
company, extending from the southwest
corner of Fowler and Second to Third
street, had a very close call but was saved
1t is low brick building, and the flames
passed over it and took the frame struc-
lures across the street. All the moveable
valuables in the freight house, however,
were hustled out at lively rate, in an
ticipation of the burning of the building
The steamer New York, of the Erie line
had a very narrow escape from destruc-
tion. 1t was moored just west of whore
the fire originated, but fortunately it had
steam up, and quickly pulled out of
harms way, the crew in the meantime
keeping the sides and decks well wet
down with small streams from the steam
ers.
Between 45O and 500 freight cars, which
were directly in the path of the flames,
and which were at first supposed by Of
fcials to have been totally destroyed, were
hurriedly removed to place of safety by
the yard engines, leaving but forty or
fifty cars actually destroyed or damaged.
SO quick were the flames to take the
freight house of the Wisconsin Central
company that the office employees were
unable to close their safes or rescue their
valuable records, and these were destroyed
with the building. The company also had
two loaded freight trains in the yards at
the time of between twenty and twenty
five cars each, and these could not be
hauled out of the way and were destroyed
In an hour ana halI Jne IRE was unuel
control, and there was no further danger
of its spreading. The damage amounts Il
nearly 100000
The five freight warehouses burned
were owned by the Chicago, milwaukee,
and St. Paul Railway company as were
the docks, comprising 1900 square feet
Shippers and brokers are preparing
claims for thousands of barrels of flour
oil nd rranaTal TnRTphunHigp
which will probably aggregate over $3.50,
OOO
While the fire was in progress JOSEPH
McManus, the S-year-old son of Detective
William MoManus, of the city police
force, was run over by engine No. 6 at the
corner of Third ald Fowler streets anC
instantly killed The boy had gone to SCI
the fire and was trying to get across th'
atrant NVhan the nccidant nocurred