The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-01-21
A LANDMARK
DESTROYED BY FIRE SHORTLY
AFTER MIDNIGHT.
The Hundred Mile Warehouse Goes
Up In smoke-Firs men Save Sur
rounding BuiidinRs-A Horse
Saved in Peculiar Manner.

Saved In Peculiar Manner.
An alarm from box 61, at 1878
o'clock this morning, called the entire fir
department to the old Hundred Mil
Warehouse" at the intersection Of tn,
Fort Wayne railway an6 East Tusoa
rawas street. A pssser-by discovered
flames in the building and he ran TO No.
engine house, which is near by, and gave
the alarm. The hremen responded
quickly and stream was soon play yine
upon the rapidly spreading flames. A
sounded and the ontire department ar.
rived in short time, and the battle COM
menced In earnest. Tons of water was
poured into the seething mass, but the
old frame she'll was deleotable food for
the flames, and the contest became an
unequal one. For some time the fire was
confined to the interior of the building,
but It finally burned Its way through tho
roof and then, with roar, the flames
lespt high above the surrounding build
ings The flremen stuck TO their posts
like Trojsns, but there was a crash, and
the floors gave way sending clouds Of
dangerous sparks In all directions. The
firsmen we're forced back, but 1t was
only an instant until they were again at
the front. The adjoining buildings are
all inflammable wood affairs, and 1t is TO
the credit Of the flre-flghters that they
were not consumed with the building,
which Is now in ruins.
Mr. John Flory was the owner Of the
warehouse, which was occupied by
william Barber & Sons, dealers In flour
and feed A one-story extension on the
east side of the building was occupied by
Ambrose Smith as saloon and cigar
store. Mr.. Smith places his loss on
stock at between 81 300 and 81, 500, with
insurance Of 81 900. Barber g. Sons loss
will probably reach $4,000, as q large
stock had just been purchased. 1t was
insured for $4,000, which, Mr.. Barber
stated, would about pay for car load
of clover seed, which they had purchased
but yesterday.
The origin Of the FIRE is q mystery but
the most tenable theory Is that sparks
from passing locomotive alighted on the
finder like sides of the building and
started blaze that proved the ultimate
destr uction of the old Landmark.
A valuable horse that was stabbed in
the basement Of the building was taken
out uninjure1 this morning. 1t was not
known that the animal was In the base
ment until too late to reach 1t. The many
STRAINS Of water turned into the fire soon
filed the cellar and 1t was thought
the horse must have perished. 1t was
found this morning that the animal was
standing in water up to Its neck. The
steamer from the Central engine house
was used to pump the water out OF the
basement and the horse was taken out, |
apparently none the worse for its cold
bath.
There is q bit of history connected |
with the old Hundred Mile Warehouse"
destroyed by the flames Saturday morn
Ing, that will certainly be news to many |
Of the readers of the present day. In
order to jog up the memory Of the writer,
1t was necessary to call into requisition
tn services Of that encyclopaedia of
local history, Mr.. John Danner, who
gave many of the facts upon which these
lines are based.
As near as can be learned the building |
was erected along about the year 1869,
Tor Solomon Kaufman. This was about |
The time that the Fort Wayne railroad |
was completed, and much of the grain
brought to the warehouse was loaded into |
,ars and carried to the East. Before this |
warehouse was erected, Canton was no
market for wheat growers, Massillon and
Navarro getting nearly all Of 1t on ac-
,ount OF having the canal to freight 1t
into good markets. In those days, as
The writer we'll remembers, wagon after |
wagon could be seen going toward Mas
sillon filed with the golden grain, while
The farmer in charge Of the wagon train
,ould hardly be induced to talk to a Can
Ton wheat buyer.
But with the coming Of the railroad,
things commenced to differ, and Mr..
with an eye to business, put
mp the Hundred Mile Warehouse, -
which undoubtedly derived its name
because 1t was just 100 miles from Pitts
burg. From that time until the present
lay it has been known by that name and
many thousands of bushels Of grain
passed through its doors. Some years
ago the building had a little frame annex
IN the south side, where plaster of paris
was manufactured, but this business was
Ioon abandoned.
The old warehouse was landmark for
almost a half century, and II It's walls
,ould Le made to speak, no doubt some |
interesting tales would be unfolded.
Thaddeus Danner and John Myers
we're last night arrested and looked up
10 the police station. The men were
annoying the hrsmen at the Hundred
Mile Warehouse fire, In various ways,
md refused TO leave the vinoinity when
ordered to do SO by Chief Leininger. 1t
q alleged that one of the men, when
'em onstrated with, drew dirk and was
zoing to use 1t. He was oveprowered,
however, and the patrol wagon was
.allad nharaa af drunk annaara |