The record-union., 1897-12-20
One Of the Largest JeweIy Firms in the
World Burned Out.
The Engineer and His Family
Dragged Unconscious From
Their Beds on the Fourth Floor
and Sent Down the Fire Is
cape-A Dozen Grandfathers
Clocks and Many Other Va1u-
able Articles Were Saved, but
Much Was Lost.

ST. LOUIS. Dec. ia fire started
in the basement of the building occu-
pied by the Mermod & Jaccard Jewelry
Company at the corner of Locust ano
Broadway early this morning, and in
an almost incredible short time the
five-story building was completely gut
ted. The total loss will reach S5oo'VVV
fully covered by insurance.
The fire had been burning for some
time before it was discovered at 4:4O
O'Clock, and at 5 O'Clock the south wall
and all the floors began falling, MAX
ing it one Of the fiercest fires IN the
annals of the city. Next to the boiler
room in the basement was room useu
for packing. 1t is thought the fire
started in the boiler room, commum-
Gated to the packing room and shoot
ing up the elevator shaft quickly spread
over the building. w. A. Rutledge, the
engineer, and his family lived on the
fourth floor. They barely escaped Win
their lives. The fremen dragged them
unconscious from their beds and car
ried them down the fire escapes FIVE
minutes later the floors fell. Several
other tenants in the building had mar
row escapes.
The Mermod & Jaccard Jewelry Com
pany vas one of the largest in the
world, and it being Christmas season,
carried an immense stock. One-haIf
Of the stock had been placed in the
two large vaults. and was saved, but
the rest, as well as the building and its
fixtures. was totally destroyed.
The Model Cloak Company, in the
northeast corner of the building, was
wiped out, sustaining a loss of 500
900. on which there is an insurance OF
three-fourths.
AT I o'clock the stockholders of Mer-
mod & Jaccard are holding meeting
and considering arrangements for
opening up in temporary quarters.
The Nermod & Jaccard Company oc-
cupied but two floors and the basement
of the structure. On the fifth fioor
was the repair shop. A large amount
of the repair work had been finished
and most of it was saved by the sal
wage corps The corps also saved a
dozen or more grandfather clocks,
ranging in value from $500 to 800
each, and many old Vienna vases and
valuable pieces of pottery The silver
ware, melted by the heat, will be found
under the debris of fallen timber. On
the first floor. left out of the vaults,
We're clocks, silverware, china, art pot
terry. cut glassware and other articles,
all of which will be a total loss. There
were over forty tenants in the building
whose losses range from $500 to $4,000,
partially insured
The firm carried insurance amount
ing to 100000, which, If the stock IN
the vaults is found intact, will amply
cover the loss sustained.
The building was owned by the es-
tate Of the late Luther NJ Kennett. but
under lease to the Mermod- -Jaccard
Company. The firm estimates the
value of the building at S125. 900, upon
which there was an insurance of
S1O5, 600 Late tonight the burned
out firm decided to continue the busi-
ness and tomorrow will take possess
ion of the store and stock of another
leading jeweler of this city which they
have bought. The firm that goes out
of business is that of A. Lutzborn &
Sons