Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-05-05
BIG FIRE IN PITTSBURG.
Largest Drygoods House in the
City and Several Other Stores
Go Up in Smoke.

Pittsburg, Pa, May 3.-The most dis
astrous fire that has visited Pittsburg
since the great fire of 1915, excepting
during the riots of 1877, destroyed 3D.
100000 worth of merchandise and prop
erty last night and probably resulted in
two deaths and the injury of four others.
Not only is the figure enormous, but it
involves the complete destruction of two
of the greatest mercantile houses OF
Pittsburg, houses of long and proud rec
ord and known far and wide in Pennsyl-
vania and the neighborng states and
sister cities.
The great wholesale grocery estab-
lishment of Thomas G. Jenkins and the
mammoth retail store of Joseph Horne
& Co. are total ruins. There remains of
the first only jagged portions OF walls
here and there towering IN blackened
pinnacles and of the latter there stands
only the great huge framework built of
structural iron which did not fall, but is
stripped of walls and floors and fes-
TONED only with the dragging shreds of
blackened strips of timber, crinkled
pieces of sheetiron and twisted rods and
wires. They are mournful monuments
of wealth and commercial enterprise.
The burnt section extends from Filth
street to Cecil alley on Penn avenue and
Cecil alley to Fifth street on Liberty
street covering an area of several acres.
The names of the killed, missing and
injured are:
The killed:
GEORGE ATKINSON, engine company
No. 49,
The missing:
GEORGE THOMAS, engine company No.
10.
The injured:
Elmer Croko engine company No. II,
struck on head by falling bricks.
Michael DAILY, engine company No. {, cut
and bruised and arm broken by falling arc
Robert Badger, engine company No. 4,
George Meekin, engine company No. Z,
struck by falling bricks and cut and
bruised.
A number of fremen are missing and
are supposed to be buried under the walls
at Liberty avenue and Cecil alley.
The sufferers by the fire and their estl-
mated losses are:
t. c. Jenkins wholesale grocery; totally
destroyed; stock valued at 100000, in
sur s1Panee Sl5o COO bqiid dir valued at $780,
Joseph Horne & Co, retail dry goods;
totally destroyed; stock and building val
ued at 81 600, 900; fully insured.
Horne office building; totally destroyed;
valued at 100000, insurance $685. 900.
Methodist Book Concern building; valued
900; insured
Phipps building, valued at 100000;
slightly damaged; loss about $oOoO; IN
sured.
II. Voight, Wholesale produce, Liberty
street; damaged; loss estimated at $1,000;
insured.
S. Huck, tobacco, Liberty street; de-
stroyed; loss estimated at $4,000; partly in
sured.
J. Hail, Jr, e. Co.. Liberty street, whole
sale groceries; destroyed; loss estimated at
$40, 900; insured.
Scobie & Parker, farming implements;
damaged; loss estimated at $4,000; insured.
Hall Bros. building, occupied by Hall
Bros, wholesale liquor, American Press as
ISOLATION and Il. G. McElroy. pictures and
mirrors; slightly damaged; loss $1,000; in
sured.
The fire broke out, no one knows how,
about midnight IN the wholesale grocery
building of I. G.. Jenkins q CO., and
burned with great fury until 4 o'clock
this morning before it was finally con-
trolled. The insurance has not yet been
figured up but it must surely exceed ST.,
100000.
Fireman Atkinson's mangled remains
were taken from the ruins this morning.
George Thomas and the other missing
fremen have ali turned up. The injured
men will all recover.