The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-24
LIKE A BURNING ICEBERG
Water Freezes on a Building While
Fire Rags Within.
SERIOUS EXPLOSION OF NATURAL GAS
Nearly Million Goes Up In a Cleveland
Fire--Many Narrow Escapes--About
seventy-Five Per Cent. Of the Dam
age Covered by Insurance.

CHlCAGO, Ogcs b'io bipht Vub
shortly after o'clock this evening in
the basement Of the iive-story building at
No. 1Ol Madison street, the 1rst floor and
basement OF which were occupied by the
Tosetu Cafe and Restaurant Company.
and the second floor by the billiard parlors
OF Frank Mussey. The blaze was insig-
nifcant at first. and a crowd Of people
gathered on the sidewalk. In front Of the
building to watch the work OF the fire.
men.
NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION.
A dozen policemen were busily engaged
in pushing back the thrOng. when a ter
rife explosion Of Latural gas took place.
The building was badly wrecked, the win
dows. window gratings, sidewalk lights,
and nan-hole covers were hurled into the
air and fell among the crowd. Dozens Of
people were thrown from their feet. and
twenty-three we're injured only one Of
them being however, seriously hurt.
The explosion caused wild 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 in
fured. 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 atten-
ton 10 the small blaze I'm the basement
appreclated the situation at its proper
value when the windows went sailing into
the street, and plaster began 10 come down
on their heads. The rush IN the street
was duplicated by the excited billiard
players as they plunged down the stairs
.
them escaped by the stairway, some took
to the fire escape. and those who were
late. or who deliberated as 20 the best
way Of egress. were taken out by the
lremen.
4 BURNING ICEBURG
The fire spread through tho building
with great rapidty after the explosion
and within ten minutes il was blazing
fercely. Call after cali for additional
engines was sent by Chief Swenc but
the fire could only he reached in front
and rear and was difficult Of access The
severe weather caused much Of the water
10 freeze and within an hour the building
resembled an iceberg with a furnace in
its interior.
The burning building IS within fifty
feet Of the intersection Of Dearborn and
westside and nOrthside cable lines inter-
sect. and from the time tho fire broke
out until after midnight traffic was en-
tirely suspended on both lines.
The loss Is estimated az $4,000 or which
500. 900 will fan on the Tosseu Company;
$4,000 on Mussey and $4,000 on Morris
Rosenfeld. the owner Of the building
NEARLY a MILLION.
CLEVELAND. OHIO. Dec. 23.-Fire
broke out in the business centre OF the
city az o'clock this evening and famed
by a high northwest wind destroyed prop
erty worth more than half million dol
lars
The Power block on Frankfort street.
owned by j. B. Pockngs, six stories high,
made Of brick. was consumed above the
second story and the rear OF the brick
Wiltshire block. six stories high, owned
also by Mr. POcklngs and fronting on
Superior street, was burned.
The fire started by the explosion Of a
tin can Of benzIne in the lithographing es-
tablishment Of Johns q Company, In the
Power block. Windows were blown out
and several employees escaped with diff
hculty by the fire escape and bridge
leading 10 the Wiltshire block.
The loss Of Johns & co. is $4,000. COW
cred by insurance. The other Occu-
pants Of the building were small manu-
featuring concerns. The block was worm
about 100000. The icot or the poWeI-house
of the New Century building was demol-
ished by a falling wall. j. J.. Hudson
clothing store and the offices DO the VIII
shire building were damaged somewhat
bv fire and 10 greater extent 10y water.
The Wilsnre block b. damaged To me
extent OF about 10000. 4 large part ot the
stock Of j. L. Hudson, valued az SJaOU,
is damaged but amply insured.
The losses will De much heavier than al
first estimated. and 10 is believed they
will come close 20 a million dollars.
The principal losers are johns y COM
pany. photographers. Powers block. $ZSo'-
900: j. l.. Hudson clothiers on stock by
fire and water 800 0000;B. =. Perkins, on
Power & Blaclston $ block SlWuD, >. ".
Perkins. on Wiltshire buildings. S-0O1'
II. H.. Rouse. on Century building. 5000
The losses on scores of tenants, especially
in the Power and Blackstone buildings.
The latter of which was occupied mainly
by lawyers with costly Libraries VIII De
very heavy. About seventy-rVe per cent.
Of the losses are covered by insurance.