The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-24
Property Losses Are Heavy in
Both Cities.
BENZINE STARTS ONE.
atural Gas ExpIOdes at Chi
cagO Fire,
Hurting Sidewalks High Into
the Air.

at O'Clock yesterday afternoon, and
tanned by a high north wind, destroyed
property worth more than half a mil
lion dollars.
The Power block, on Frankfort street
owned by J. B. Perkins, six stories high
and made of brick, was consumed
above the second story, and the rear of
the brick Wiltshire block six stories
nigh, owned also by Perkins and 'front.'
ing on Superior street, was burned.
The fire started by the explosion CT
a large can of benZine in the lithO-
graphing establishment of Johns & Co
in the Power block. Windows were
blown out and several employees es-
capped with difficulty by the fire escapes
and a bridge leading to the Wiltshire
block.
The loss to Johns & Co. is $50.OOo
covered by insurance. The other Occu-
pants of the building were small manu-
featuring concerns. The block was
worth about 5000, ,000
The roof of the Power house of the
Century building was demolished by a
falling wall The J. L. Hudson Cloth
ing house and offices in the Wiltshire
building were damaged somewhat by
fire and to a greater extent by water
The Wiltshire building is damaged to
the extent of $40, 600. A large part of
the stock of J. L. Hudson, valued at
$25O,0O0, is damaged, but amply in
sured
The losses will be much heavier than
at first estimated, and it is believed
they will come close to a million dol
lars. The principal losers are Johns &
Co., photographers, Power block, $225,-
900.
]. L. Hudson, clothing, on stock by
fire and water. 100000
J. B. Perkins, on Power block, $780,
900.
J. B. Perkins on Blackstone building,
$40 900.
J. B. Perkins. on Wiltshire building,
500, 900.
H. c. Rouse, on Century building
600
The losses of scores of tenants, espec-
tally in the Power and Blackstone
buildings, the latter of which was oc-
cupied mainly by lawyers with costly
libraries, will be very large. About rs
per cent of the losses are covered by
Lieut.. McFetters. of the fire depart
ment, fell through the floor in one of
the buildings and was badly, though
not fatally, hurt.
The fire was under control at nine
o'clock.
Chicago. Dec. 24-F'ire broke out
shortly after o'clock yesterday after
noon in the basement of the five story
building at 1O4 Madison street, the first
floor and basement of which were Cccu-
pied by the Tosetti Cafe and Res
taurant company, and the second floor
by the billiard parlOr of Frank Mus
sey.
A crowd of people gathered on the
sidewalk in front of the building to
watch the work of the firemen. About
one dozen policemen were buSily en-
gagged in pushing back the thrOng, when
a terrific explosion of natural gas, took
place.
The building was badly wrecked. The
windows window gratings, sidewalks
and man hole cover were hurled into
the air and fell among the crowd. DOz-
ems of people were thrown from their
feet and % were injured.
OF these, Police Captain Thomas
O'Connor was the only one seriously
hurt. He was burned about the head,
face and body, and may die. The 9th
ers who We're injured, sustained burns
about the head and the face and more
or less painful bruises
The explosion caused wild panic
in the street, and in the frantic rush for
safety many people were thrown down
and trampled upon. That many were
not killed and many more injured, was
little short of a miracle.
Mussey's billiard parlOrs were filled
with players when the explosion came,
and the men who had paid little or no
attention to the small blaze in the
basement appreciated the situation at
its proper value when the windows
went sailing into the street and plaster
began to come down on their heads.
The rush in the street was duplicated
by the excited billiard players, as they
plunged down the stairs for safety and
the outer air. Many of them escaped
by the stairway, some took to the hre
escape and those who were late or
who de1D6raLeQ as TO lHG D6SI way Vi
egress. were taken out by the firemen-
The fire spread through the building
with great rapidity after the explosion,
and within ten minutes it was blazing
fiercely.
can after call for additional engines
was sent by Chief Sweeney but the
fire could only be reached in front and
rear. and was difficult of access. The
severe weather caused much of the
water to freeze, and within an hour
the building resembIed an iceberg with
a furnace in its interior.
The burning building is within 50 feet
of the intersection of Dearborn and
Madison streets. where the loops of the
west side and north side cable lines in
tersect and from the time the fire
broke out, until after midnight, traIhc
was entirely suspended on both lines.
The loss is estimated at S125 600, of
which $50 900 will fall on the TOsetu
company $40, 600 on Mussey and Sl5--
00O on Morris Rosenfeld, the owner of
the building.
The Grand Union hotel which back /
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80 forming a right angle, was dam |
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