The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-11

hurled in every direction, the fire was
communicated to the adjoining buildings.
McKalluck & Co.'S grain and feed ware
house on the corner OF Pike street caught
in the rear and despite the efforts of the
firemen the flames worked their way into
the center of the building and then mount
ed the elevator shaft TO the roof, through
which fire was son pouring.
Pittsburg. Pa. Feb. 1O.-The loss OF life
and destruction of property by the fire
at Thirteenth and Pike streets last night
was the greatest in the history of Pitts
burg.
1t was 7:55 o'clock last evening when
smoke was seen issuing from the fourth
floor of the Union Storage companys
building on Pike street near Thirteenth.
The building was six stories in height
and occupied almost the entire block be-
tween Twelfth and Thirteenth streets and
Pike street and Mulberry alley.
The first floor was occupied as offices
of the Chautauqua Lake Ice company and
! q local Office of the Union Storage COM
pany. The second floor front contained
the stables of the Chautauqua company
and in the Twelfth street end they had
their ice-making plant, which occupied
the first three floors. The balance of the
building was occupied by the storage COM
pany. Owing TO the construction OF the
building it was practically impossible TO
fight the fire from without, while the vol
ume of smoke inside the particular divis-
ion in which the fire occurred made it i'm
possible to fight it from within. The only
openings in the three fire walls dividing
the great buildings were closed by heavy
iron doors and these were locked. For
three hours the flremen worked, scarcely
knowing what they were doing. The iron
shutters were impregnable TO their at
tacks. The smoke that found its way out
of the building filled Mulberry alley and
Pike street, sitting the firemen and rem
dering them practically sightless. It
would clear for a moment or two and they
would again endeavor TO make some head
way but TO no avail.
THE FLAME BURSTS OUT.
Finally at II o'clock the flames burst out
through the roof and shot upward hun
bred feet in the air, making that part of
the city as light as day.
This was the first note of alarm that
started the residents from their homes on
Pike. Thirteenth and Twelfth streets.
Women and children started forth bare
footed in their night clothes followed by
their husbands bearing what little they
could carry in their arms of their house.
hold effects. The police were watchful
and the crowds were kept back by fire
lines and the fearful heat of the flames.
AN AWFUL EXPLOSION.
Suddenly above the roar of the flames
and the putting Of the fire engines. which
were everywhere. came the more powerful
noise of the first explosion. The din OF
falling walls foretold destruction and
death in thunderous tones. Those within
the fire lines were seen 10 fall in all direc-
tions. Those outside the lines we're not
without the reach of danger. The great
puff of air created by the explosion
seemed TO make everything sway and
shake. The reactory waves of air. as the
falling walls created vacuum, seemed TO
draw in everything,
It was on the Mulberry allied side. where
the least danger was anticipated, the
greatest volume Of smoke and prelimi-
nary outbursts of flames having come out
of the Pike street side. that the force of
the explosion was the most severe and
there the greatest number Of fatalities
took place.
The falling walls crushed in the rear Of
buildings having fronts on Penn avenue.
The side of the Hoveler building OF. Pike
street was also crushed in and an entry
made for the flames.
At the Thirteenth street end Of the
warehouse the most terrible effect Of the
explosion was manifest. The entire front
was piled into the street. Explosion fol-
lowed explosion for about half an hour
between y and o'clock. The fire after
each report. like that Of a cannon. burst
through walls in all directions. Burned
out walls came topping down and firemen
policemen and spectators were rendered
almost powerless TO act by the sense OF
we and terror which the scene inspired.
The old brick houses along Penn avenue
and Twelfth TO Thirteenth street caught
from the rear and burned rapidly. Only
few streams could be used on the Penn
avenue front and the crowd was slowly
driven of the opposite side OF the avenue
TO greater distances.
A whole company OF fremen was strow-
ing 3 stream into the great storage house
from q narrow court yard in the rear Of
Penn avenue from w.Eh much mar
rover alley led 70 the street. About ~
| o'clock a particularly heavy explosion &C.
CURED and par; Of the heavy walls u the
storage house toppled over onto the roofs
n the houses and into the court yard
The Hremeu at work there escaped.5y the
narrovest chance.
In tie meantime the scene on PIKE
street vas ven more aTa-i1Eplr!rg The
/ instant following the first biz explosion
he warehouse q HoTeIer & CO. caught
Ere and ;nis vas followed by TIE falling
( a he building q TIE Chautauqus Lake
/ Ice com auy. As the wall fell Chief Hum
Z uhriss Who was standing near THE En-
. trance % the rarroT street. called 70 The
! men Of No 2 Engine company. Tho had
| isst time 30 ct away from The SPOT when
| ne !ine % hose and PIPE vas buried BE-
-eats tons q debris Thslr escape vas
T Miraculous. one fireman NAMED Relily.
/ being str1ek By = falling BRICK - he
| ,uzpe6 % obey The shouted warning q
/ tne cAsef-
WHISKY BARRELS EXPLODE
through the Hovslsr warehouse the
/ ez-ues SWEPT ike = dust cloud before the
| wind. TIE building. ssosgh rev, vas
| - orainz-y co-strsctso7 and presso.ss
Al nat was needed Il The way q n.afsr.al
,8- a asroe FIRE. Added 70 tEts vas ths
nature o. its coats7ts. - barrels q
/ --h.skv. One sft@- aEothsr II these Szr-
/ - exrv.Sey4 4Nr.-~s-v h1szfr. kearrz z ~