The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-21
s'There is no Kodak
 but the Eastman Kodak"
 1898 KODAKS
 For sale by The Arthur H. Barnes Co. G,,s prgn Msi, s;nr.. l59 Church St.
BIC FIRE ON CHAPEL STREET
$IOO, ,OOO FIRE AT BEECH ER-LEON-
 ARD &CO.'SS STORE YESTERDAY.

GentIemen>B 8 turniBnlnGS hulned-Ilre-
 men Made Brave Fight and Kept
 Flames From Spreading to Adjoining
 Buildings-Will Rebuild.
 The stock of the Beecher- Leonard companys big clothing store at S37 -S39 Chapel street was yesterday totally de- stroyed by fire, which started at 10:20 in the forenoon. It was one of the most disastrous fires which has visited this city for some time and entailed loss on building and contents of at least $1OO,OOO.
 The firm carried large stock of clothing, shoes, hats, gentlemens fur nishings, horse clothing, etc, occupied four floors. They have recently been doing considerable advertising in the way of placing novelties in their show windows and yesterday morning had just completed an apparatus by which a bicycle was to be run by electricity A trial was about to be made when one of the electric wires was grounded. This caused succession of sparks, which soon ignited the furnishings in the west windows. An effort was made to eXtinguish the flames with stream of water from garden hose, but it proved unavailing.
 Officer John H. Moore, who was near the scene, saw the flames and quickly turned in an alarm from box 21. So rapidly did the flames spread that those who saw the fire as it originated say that before the first stroke of the bell was heard the four floors of the store were being licked by seething, roaring flames. From the window where the fire started they soon com municated to the oiled floor and quick ly crept along to the elevator shaft. The flames shot up the shaft as up a chimney and then spread to all the floors Several companies of the fire department were soon on the scene, but Fire Marshal Fancher realizing that more men would be needed to cope suc- eessfully with the flames directed a second alarm. This brought out three more companies.
 By well directed efforts the flames were confined to the one building and doubtless several thousand dollars worth of property was saved because of it. Nothing could be done but stand in front of the burning building and pour water into 1t, as the heat was so intense that it could not be ap- preached.
 The fire on the first floor was first extinguishedm and the men were then given a chance to do more efficient work. Five streams of water were turned on from the front of the build ing and two from the roofs of adjoin- ing buildings In this way the fire was controlled and after about four hours work eXtinguished.
 There were nineteen employees in the store when the fire started and all es- capped. All but four escaped by way of the front door, two managed to get out through a coal hole in the side walk while the other two who were in the second story jumped from win dow to the roof of small adjoining building in the rear and then to the ground.
 Miss Daisy Dickerman, daughter of George A. Dickerman, the florist, was among those who had to make hur- ried escape from the burning premises.
 She had just entered the store a few
 minutes before the fire broke out to open her sale of flowers for the day, she having occupied a space near the
 cashiers desk for several weeks past with a floral display. She rushed out of the store to aid in giving the alarm of fire and when she returned to her case of flowers the smoke was so dense that she was obliged to fly for her life The flower case, which was a very handsome one, constructed by MT. Dickerman, was ruined, all excepting
 the receptacle for the ice, about twenty
 pounds of which was found intact af- ter the fire. The loss to MT. Dcker-
 man is about $15O. No insurance. When asked as to whether or not
 the firm would open anotheg store, MT. Leonard said that the business would
 most certainly be continued as it had
 been too profitable to be given up now.
 He also said that another store would be opened as soon as a suitable Ioca- tion could be found and stock of goods secured. As to insurance, he thought that about $35,0 in several different companies was carried on the stock, which was valued at about $60,-
 900. He also said that as soon as the burned building was repaired the firm
 would again occupy it, as the firm holds a lease on it.
 The building is the property of the Henry F. English estate and is valued at about $75, 900. The loss on the build ing will be fully $20,O0O B. R. English, who is agent for the estate said last i night that the work of rebuilding would begin as soon as the insurance could be adjusted. He said that yesterday af- ternoon he made tour of the building and found that all of the floors were so badly damaged as to be worthless and that part of the roof was either burned or torn off. The walls, how | ever, are, it is thought, not so badly l damaged that they will have to be re- | built.
 The front of the building is solid | iron and was somewhat warped by the heat. There was $24,000 insurance on l the buildings.
 The only accident which occurred at 1 the fire was to Hoseman James We5- ster of Company No. 3. A small piece | of falling timber struck him on the | head, cutting it badly. He was taken to | Dr. Linsley's office, where his wound was dressed. The gash is an ugly one, hut not dangerous