The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-19
RICHES IN THE VAULTS.
Fortunate for the Bank that the Fire
Did Not Occur Letter.

Fortunate for the Bank that the Fire
Did Not Occur Letter.
Four tottering walls remain to mark the
spot where stood the Eastman, Schleicher
& Lee establishment. Building Inspector
Pendersast yesterday afternoon decided
that these walls will have to come down,
and in the meanwhile the police will keep
people from getting in danger All yester-
day afternoon and last night several
streams of water were kept the burn
ing ruins of the stock and building. The
six floors of the building, including the scel-
lar, were occupied by a stock Of carpets.
furniture. chinaware and draperies. which
was probably the largest stock in the
State. There was meeting OF the men,
bers OF the firm yesterday afternoon. at
which the loss was estimated in the neigh
borhood of $4,000. The firm carries insur-
ance to the amount OF 100000. Later in
the day the firm purchased the business
of Herman Martens at Market and Penn
sylvania streets and will reopen in these
quarters at once. The firm loses its en-
tire stock, not single piece OF china or
yard of carpet being saved. The ashes and
debris of the valuable stock rests In a
| heap in the cellar. still smoldering and
over which the firemen were throwing
water last night.
The building is as much Of wreck as
is the stock. The walls were built strong
and secure, being twenty-three inches in
thickness. The rafters of the building,
however, were all wood. In the rear was
an elevator shaft which was largely re-
sponsible for the spread of the fire from
one floor to the other. The floors were OF
wood, and the fire once started, found fuel
for growth. The front of the building was
OF stone, all of which will have to come
down. The building was built by MIR Petus
expressly for Eastman, ScnieIcner a. Lee at
a cost of $4,000. Mr.. Pettis is in Paris at
present. The loss is covered by insurance.
The Indiana National Bank building Is
almost complete wreck The front and
east walls stand secure and may do for
another building The building was the
property of volney 4 Malott' pres,deni Oh
had been recently rented and repaired.
and the bank was the handsomest In the
city. All the furniture was new and eie.
CANT and the rear portion Was covered
BY dome-shaped roof under which were
the vaults and bank Offices Had the FIRE
come two hours later the loss might nave
reached millions, for then the four vaults
would have been open and the books and
money for the day would have been out
THE BANK FORTUNATE
Mr. MaIott said regarding this feature
of the fire:
.Tt was extremely fortunate for us. that
the fire AT D instead OF y o Clock- AZ
that hour the force would have been on
hand and the vaults would have been OPEN
1t seems that the fire spread rapidly. SO
j doubt very much If the money and papers
could have been returned 10 the vaults
and the doors locked. There. probably
would have been loss of life il the ire
had come later. for the entire force could
not have escaped. / never thought for
minute that the fire wall which separated
my building from the other would give
way. but it seems that 80 intense was the
heat that no wall could have withsto0d
Mr.. Malott feels highly gratifed at the
way the four vaults wltnstood the heat
They were constructed especially strong
and after completion were pronounced the
best in the West. Every night the books
have been placed in vault and they were
there at the time of the fire. No sooner was
the fire discovered in the bank by Mr..
Malott than he teiegraphed for a safe ex-
before the vault doors were cool. He said
they could be opened as soon as they had
cooled and soon as possible the contents
be removed first Had the vaults failed 10
withstand the heat or been open at the time
of the fire, faint idea of the loss can be
obtained when IL Is said that in them
there was 100000 in gold, SiS,900 In silver,
S175,OO0 in legal tender, s21,0o1 in bank bills.
81, 1854 in small change, s2fS00o in checks on
other banks, besides valuable papers, the
books and valuables held in trust
The opening time of the bank yesterday
morning was o'clock and within thirty
ing carried on by the regular force at the
elegant new quarters of the Indiana Trust
Company. Other banks came to the assist
ance of Mr.. Malott. whose funds were held
secure by redhot vaults, and checks were
paid and money deposited as at the old
stand. Mr.. Malott will rebuild at once: The
building destroyed was valued at $4,000.
which was insured.
In the bank room there was clock.
Thermometer and two glass windows which
intense as to burn all the furniture. Every
thing else was destroyed
A. C. HARRIS'S LOSS.
Above the bank was the law Office CT A.
c. Harris The latters valuable law library,
valued at $4,000. upon which there was no
insurance. was destroyed. Mr.. Harris came
down town to learn that the volumes
which he has been lifetime in collecting.
had been ruined. Only few OF the books
escaped destruction.
on the third floor of the bank building
was the wood engraving establishment OF
many valuable instruments and consider
able furniture, all OF which was destroyed.
Mr.: Chandler carries a small insurance.
the Moses Johnson heirs lose principally
by water. No. Is East Washington street
is occupied by the United States. the Pa
cifc, and Il. & o. express companies. The
floor was flooded TO a depth of two feet
and considerable express matter was dam
aged. 1t was impossible TO, estimate the
loss, but the Office reopened after a few
repairs. Geor~e Mannfeid. tailor occupies
No. II. He carried stock valued at from
So, 900 to $4,000, all which was soaked. Mr..
Mannfeld carries insurance to the amount
of $4,000, which is thought will cover his
loss. George Wingerten occupies No. 10
with a stock OF cigars and tobacco, and he
places his loss at 5000, covered by in
surance. j. W. Hart & Co. occupied No. 2l
with stock OF shoes. The firms loss was
by water and Mr.. Hart is unable TO esti-
mate It, but he proposes TO open at the
same number In a few days.
The rooms upstairs in the johnson build
ings were occupied chiefly as Offices. W.
A. Ketcham, Frank Edenharter 3. H.
Spooner George Null, lawyers. and Il. w.
Anderson, dentist, had rooms there, which
were soaked by the water thrown on the
roof to prevent the buildings from burning
John Cayen, ex-Mayor, and Simon Yandes
have rooms in the same building. which
they have occupied for years. They suffer
no loss but from water. Mr.. Caven is out
OF the city, and Mr.. Yandes will have TO
hunt a new room for time until the build
ing can be drained.
All of the floors OF the New York store
were covered with water thrown on the
roof to extingIish sparks and small flames.
Several times the flames got start and
threatened TO spread. but the energy Of
the fire force and the city department
saved the building from serious loss.
During the fire the Blackford Block west
Of the Eastman. Schieicher & Lee build
ing. was in danger. hut the wind blew
the flames in the other direction and the
fireuen from the roof kept the block from
catching fire where II Joined the burning
building The roof was burned <orne nd