The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-27
ELEVATORS in RUINS
AND OVER 100000 BUSHELS OF
WHEAT DESTROYED BY FIRE.
Chicago and Pacific Elevator Com.
pany ~ Loser of Nearly $1,OOO,OOO-
Firemen i'm Peril.

CHICAGO, Oct. 26.-Two huge grain ee-
vators, A and B, belonging to the Chicago
& Pacific Elevator Company, were de-
stroyed by fire this afternoon, together with
their contents. number of smaller build-
ings were burned well and the total loss
will be $1,000,000. The insurance will cover
three-quarters of the amount
1t was a dangerous locality for a. fire.
Directly to the north is the Armour eleva-
tor. the largest in the world stocked UP
to the roof with grain. To the northeast
Is the immense mailing house of Hale &
Curtis. while close at hand lie the docks
of the Crescent Company, with thousands
of tons of bituminous coal. The numerous
lumber yards in the vicinity added to the
danger. Thousands of people gathered to
witness the spectacle afforded by over a
million bushels of grain ablaze. At one
stage they saw cataract of burning wheat
falling from hundred feet in the air.
The blaze started at noon. By D. M
the fire had assumed such dangerous pro-
portions that general alarm was turned
in. 1t had by this time spread to several
small frame buildings used as weighing of
hces and these were soon destroyed. The
heat from the burning elevators was ter
rifle and finally compelled the abandonment
of four lines of hose which had been run
into boiler room of Elevator A. Five fire.
men of Company 80 nearly lost their lives
while fighting the flames from the roof of
the Office, small brick building in close
proximity to one of the elevators. Notwith-
standing the fact that the roof had caught
ire and was burning beneath them they
stuck to their post Till suddenly the ROOF
iell from beneath them Five Of the men
were close enough TO the edge of the wall
90 grasp it and were left hanging there as
the roof fell in. The her
out held on to the hose and We're with
great difficulty rescued.
The Pacific elevator was comnosed of two
separate buildings each six stories in
helght. Elevator was the first 10 go
and then Elevator caught fire. Burning
timbers were carried by the high wind ana
for a time II was thought many outbuild-
fngs in the vicinity were doomed Heavy
lines of freight cars standing on the tracks
were removed as fast possible and the
loss in this direction Slight Shortly
after the fire broke out the south wall of
bushels of wheat fell into the river Di-
rectly to the west of the elevator are the
yards of the f. G. Crane Hardwood I.um-
Der Company. Several times small blazes
were discovered among the piles OF lumber
but as fast as they were discovered. they
We're extinguished. The greatest danger
experienced by the firemen was the flying
debris. The burning buildings were COW
cred with corrugated iron and large sec
tionS of this metal heated to white heat
fell as they were loosened from their
fastenings by the fire. 1t was with the
greatest ululCully lndL the IFemen Kept
lodging these falling sections of iron.
BEFORE Elevator b in flames captain
Quirk, of Engine Company IA, with twelve
men, was ordered into the building with
leads of hose to play on the other elevator.
When this flames caught Elevator B the
firemen were caught on the top floor and
could not escape. Their cries attracted the
attention of Fire Chief Swenie, who ordered
Lieutenant Wendt, of Truck Company No.
10. to climb the fire escape and cut a hole
through the roof in order that the men
might come out that way. Wendt managed
to do the work after hard struggle with
the smoke and fire and one by the thir-
teen men clambered up to the roof and
made their way down the fire escape. Quirk
was the last man down and when he left
the roof Ii was ablaZe in many places. John
Morton, ii pipeman, was badly cut while
forcing an entrance into one OF the ould-
ings: Peter Rowe was injured in a like
manner and Captain Michael Sullivan, of
Engine Company A. was badly hurt by fly
ing pieces of sheet iron which fell from the
roofs of the burning elevators. The origin
of the lire Is mystery.
The loss on the wheat in the elevator is
approximated at 1851 600; on the corn the
loss will be about $S4 900. Most OF the grain
was the property of the Pacific Elevator
Company The insurance is said TO be
about $3.50 600.