The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-05
other Buildings Narrowly Escape De-
structiOn from the Sparks Car
ried by a Heavy Gale.
HARD WORK BY THE FlREMEN
WHO HAD DIFFICULTY IN REACHING
FIGHTING POSITION.
Binding Rain I'm Progress During the
Fire-AII Teleg raph Operators Com
PEELED to Leave Their Keys.

NEW YORK, Dec Ain a binding rain
storm tonight the massive block of build
ings on Broadway, Nos. 253 to 259, and in
cluded between Murray and Warren Streets
was almost destroyed by fire. Within three
hours more than million dollars worth of
property was destroyed. The fire began in
the fve-story brick building occupied by the
mems furnishing firm of Rogers, Peet & Co,
on the southwest corner of Broadway and
Warren street. Adjoining the Rogers-Peet
building and south of it was the magnif-
cent white building Of the Home Life In
surance Company, and next to this was the
brown stone building of the Postal Tele-
graph Company, erected at cost of mil
lions only a few years ago.
Within a few minutes after the discovery of
the fire the Rogers-Peet building was
ing furnace, and an alarm had been turned
in which brought more than a score of en-
gines to the scene. 1t was but short time
when the flames had eaten through the wall
of the Home Life and were roaring high
above that lofty structure. Thousands of
people had gathered on the scene and the
binding glare of the flames lit up the lower
part of the city. Even in the downpour the
great crowd of people grew and the police
reserves were called out from many stations
and kept the people back for blocks. Great
showers of sparks were carried in all direc-
| tions by the gale that blew sixty miles an
hour. 1t was a picturesque fire.
The Home Life Insurance building was
occupied by that company and by large
number of prominent men in various lines of
business. Every effort was made to save
the valuable papers stored in some of the
offices, but many of these were lost. The
offices of the Rapid Transit Commission
were on the ninth floor of this building, and
it is believed that all the plans and schemes
of work with which the commission have
been working this many years have been
destroyed In the Postal building as well
there were many serious losses of a private
nature and when the flames reached the
operating room of this structure, which they
did within three hours Of the outbreak, the
one or two solitary operators who remained
at their posts were compelled to flee for
their lives, leaving unsent messages at the
keys.
WATER TOWERS USELESS.
The fire burned even more fiercely in the
Home Life building, owing to the greater
height of this structure, and in an incred-
| IDLY short time the upper half of this mag
nificent building was in flames. The water
towers in the street were able to throw
| their heavy streams only into the lower
part Of the structure, and the fremen,
! though they worked with great bravery and
untring energy in the binding smoke and
heat, could do little in the face of such
fierce sweep Of flame and gale. 1t was only
a question of time whe. the Postal building,
so far as the upper stories were concerned,
went the way Of the others.
The estimate of the losses by Chief Bon
ner after midnight was 81, 100000, with prob
ability of still further loss, should the
fire continue to make anything like rapid
progress. At that hour, however, he be-
lieved that he had the fire under control
within reasonable limits. At o'clock, how
ever, it was still burning fiercely in front,
and although not observable by the thou
sands of spectators, was burning still more
fiercely and extending lower down in the
rear.
An insurance man roughly estimated the
losses at about as follows: Rogers-Peet &
Co., building and stock and losses to other
tenants in the building, $3.50 900; Home Life
Insurance Company building and losses to
other tenants, $5O0,000 Postal Telegraph
Company building and losses to other ten
ants, 100000; losses to surrounding build
ings $4,000 Chief Bonner thought that this
estimate on the basis Of a million dollars
loss was about as near correct as was pos
sibe to make. The Rogers, Peet &c Co.
building was the property of the Hoffman
estate and was one of the historic build
ings Of Broadway. 1t was erected thirty-five
years ago.
A LOUD EXPLOSION.
The fire started in the basement of the
building occupied by Rogers Peet & Co,
clothiers about $50 o'clock. Two police
men standing within half block of Warren
street heard loud explosion, and moment
later saw a thin line of smoke curling up
from the side of the Rogers Peet &s Co
building. At that time the rain was falling
in torrents and the wind blew a gale. An
alarm was sent IN, but before the first en-
gne turned into Broadway the Rogers, Peet
| & Co.'S basement was a roaring furnace,
with great flames bursting through the
| floors above and rushing tiercely to the
| roof Within ten minutes five alarms had
been sent in bringing engine after engine
| to the scene.
BY 10 o'clock so rapidly and fiercely did
the flames make progress that there was
| nothing but the shell Of the Rogers, Peet &
Co. building left with mountains Of fame
roaring a hundred feet in the air and en-
circling the adjoining structure. the Hons
Life Insurance Company building. In the
binding rain the firemen worked, stretching
the slippery hose through the building and
| lighting the flames from every side. Soon
great wave OF fire swept across Warren
street and caught the United States Life In
surance Company building, at the west cor