The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-12-24
TRRE AAUlE'S BIG FIRE.
An Entire Block of Business Build
ings Burned, Entailing a Loss
of a Million Dollars.
LARGE NUMBER PERSONS BADLY HURT.
Taken Out Alive After Heroic Work
The Fire Stated Among the Christmas
Window Decorations in the Big Store of
Havens & Geddes

Terri Haute, Ind, Dec. 21.-Fire
which started in the Christmas-tret
window of Ravens & Geddes' big store
at about $50 Monday evening, de,
stroyed a whole business block, en-,
failing a property loss of fully 81, 200,
900. Two firemen were buried under
falling walls, and several girls and
men employed in the Ravens G. GeddeS
building sustained serious injuries in
jumping from the upper floors.
INJURED EMPLOYEES.
The occupants of the building were
caught as in a trap. A dozen clerks
jumped from the second story. OF
these, Miss Lou Ferguson was badly
hurt internally, Miss Kate Maloney was
injured, and Al Weinbrecht and Louis
Kramer were badly burned. A young
lady, Pearl Daily, employed in the
store for the holiday trade, was hurt
by jumping, and, it is feared, seriously.
Ernest Sloughman, a draper on the
fourth floor, was burned about the
face. Manager Heady. of the furniture
department, carried the limp body of
his daughter from the burning build
ing, overcome by fright and heat.
Charles hammers, manager of one of
the departments, was badly burned.
Willie Hall. a small boy, was horribly
burned O N the arms and face.
STARTED IN CHRISTMAS WINDOW.
The fire started in the Christmas
window by the cotton batting catch
ing from the electric light wires.
Weinbrecht heard the alarm and hast
ened to place all the money and papers
in the safe. The few moments delay
was dangerous, and he was badly
burned. There were over 100 persons
employed in the store at the time, be-
sides the shoppers, and the escape of
all from the six-story building was a
miracle. Many were slightly hurt.
The fire spread to the wholesale de-
partment across the alley, also a six
story affair, and it was completely de-
stroyed. Not n dollars worth of stock
was saved.
The loss to Ravens & Geddes is
100000 in stock and about SIPS, 900 in
buildings, as the factory operated by
the same firm across the street was
also destroyed. The wholesale depart
ment employed 100 persons and the
factory 200 girls, so that, with the re-
tail store, over 400 persons are thrown
out of employment by this one stores
fire. Elisha Ravens. of the firm. re-
turned from New York but n few min
utes before the fire broke out. He
said they were insured for about two
thirds the loss.
SPREAD OF THE FIRE.
The fire spread both east and west.
Aid was ~telegraphed for, and special
trains brought assistance from the
firemen of indianapolis, Brazil. Mar
shall and Vincennes with their en-
gines. The special train from Indian
apolis made the run at the rate of less
than Il Eile 4 minute, and the fire
men from the various places were
cheered as they dashed up the street
and unlimbered for work.
Firemen Austerloo, Walsh and Shay
were badly injured in the falling of
the floor in the Albrecht building. The
fire department worked admirably,
and there were many narrow escapes
among the men. Several of the fire.
men are in a ~precarious condition
from burns and the effects of the
sitting smoke, but it is thought all
will recover.