The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-12-24
CHICAGO AND CLEVELAND
EACH SUFFERS FROM 4 VERY DIS-
 ASTROUS FIRE.

In the Windy City an Explosion Occurs
 and Twenty three Persons Are Seriously
 Injured Including Five Policemen-In
 Cleveland Property Worth a Million
 Dollars is Destroyed.
 Chicago, Dec. 23-Fire broke out shortly after 4 o'clock this afternoon in the basement of the five-story building at 104 Madison street, the first floor and basement of which were occupied by the Tosetti Cafe and Restaurant company and the second floor by the billiard parlors of Frank Mussey, The blaze was insignificant at first and crowd of people gathered on the side walk in the front of the building to watch the work of the flremen. About dozen policemen were engaged in pushing back the throng when ter rife explosion took place. The building was badly wrecked the windows, side walk lights and manhole covers were hurled into the air and fell among the crowd.
 Dozens of people were thrown from their feet and twenty-three were in
 jured. Only one of them was seriously hurt. The following is the list of in- jured: Captain Thomas OConnor, burned about head, face and body may die; James Jolly, pipeman; James Mur- phy, pipeman; Policeman Santan; Po- liceman Larkin, Policeman Fleming, Policeman Murphy, Louis Virreck, Frank McDougall, E. Gerlskerger D. K. Brown, Joseph Kepler, Maggie Ryan, laundEess in cafe; Katie Amberg, dishwasher in cafe; Rosie Brandon, dishwasher in cafe; Bertha Johnson, laundress; Joseph Tennyson, waiter;
 William E. Eddy, waiter; A. l.. Shep- pard; Policeman Bresnahan; E. Sum- mers; Thomas Gray and R. E. Thom- ason.
 The explosion caused a panic in the street and in the frantic rush for safety
 which followed many people were thrown down and trampled upon. That
 many were not killed and many more
 injured was little short of a miracle.
 Musseys billiard parlors were filled
 with players when the explosion came and the men who paid little or no at- tention to the small blaze in the base ment, appreciated the situation at it's proper value when the windows went sailing into the street and plaster be- gan to come down on their heads. The fire spread through the building with
 great rapdity after the explosion and within ten minutes it was blazing f1eTcely Several calls for additional
 engines were sent by Chief Swene, but the fire could only be reached in front and rear and was difficult in checking. The loss is estimated at $125,000 of
 which $9O,0O0 will fall on the Tossetti | company, s20,0O0 on Mussey and S15,O00
 on Morris Rosenfeld, the owner of the building. .,
 Cleveland, O., Dec. 23.-Fire broke out in the business center of the city | at o'clock this afternoon and famed by high northwest wind destroyed | property worth more than a mill lion dollars The Power block on Frankfort street owned by J. B. Per kins, six stories high, made of brick, | was consumed about the second story and rear of the brick Wiltshire block six stories high, also owned by MT. Per- kins, was burned.
 | The fire was started by the explosion
 of a large can of benzine in the litho- | graphing establishment of John & Go. | Windows were blown out and several employees escaped with difficulty by the | fire escapes. The loss of Johns & Co., | is $50,000 covered by insurance. The l other occupants of the building were | small manufacturing concerns. The | block was worth about $200000. The
 roof of the Power house of the New Gen. 1 tury building was demolished by a fall 1 ing wall. The J. l.. Hudson clothing store and the offices in the Wiltshire | building were damaged somewhat by l fire and to a greater extent by water 1 The Wiltshire is damaged to the extent
 of about $20,000. A large part of the l stock of the J. L. Hudson company
 valued at $25OOG0 is damaged but am. l n1v insurpd