Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-12-07

its contents, and the loss seems to be
complete, though the walls stand The
destruction was very rapid, an hour COM
pleting the wreck. The water tower
threw a deluge of water into the Rogers.
Poet * Co. building which was ONLY five
stories high, but the apparatus was of no
service to the lofty Home Insurance
building next door. The flames which
were devOuring 1t were much higher ND.
apparently our Of reach of the water
The upper windows looked like open fur
mace doors. The building was fireDrO0f
10 the extent that its iron frame Stood
firmly, but the interior burned fiercey
The occupants of the insurance and tel
egraph buildings had ample warning of
danger and there were no casualties or
panic. The elevators were run until all
persons got out safely Indeed the
Home Insurance building elevator was
operated after the danger point had been
reached and fell one floor while loaded
with firemen.
A gun store on Warren street in the
rear of Rogers. Peet & Co., gave the fire
men much anxiety, but was saved by
hard work. 1t contained much ammuni-
ton.
The Merchants Exchange National
bank occupied the first floor of the insur-
ance building and the Insurance company
the second floor. The damage sustained
by them is not yet known.
n Y
was still closed to pedestrians and Wag-
ons. The Warren street wall of the Rog-
ers. Peet d Co. building had fallen in
ward. but the Broadway street front
stands in a perilous state of dilapidation
and the authorities may not open the
street until the wrecked frame of the
building is taken down. Firemen are
still throwing water on the Rogers, Peet
x Co. ruins. The destruction of this
building and its contents is absolute and
everything in the eight upper stories of
the insurance building must have been
consumed. Except for broken windows
the top of the Postal Telegraph building.
as seen from the streets, seems little hurt
Origin Of the Fire.
The fire started at 8 o'clock in the
basement of the building occupied hv Roc
ers. Peet q Co. Two policemen standing
within half block of Warren street
heard loud explosion and a moment later
saw a thin line OF smoke curling up from
the side of the Rogers, Peet & Co. build
ing. At that time the rain was falling in
torrents and the wind blew a gale. An
alarm was quickly sent in, but before the
first engine turned into Broadway the
Rogers, Peet & Co. basement was roar
ing 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. but for long time fire and
wind combined had practically full sway.
So rapidly and fercely did the flames
make progress that by 10 o'clock there
was nothing left of the Rogers, Peet &
Go. building but the shell, while noun
tains of fame roared a hundred feet in
the air and encircled the adjoining struc-
ture, the Home Life Insurance building
The firemen worked at a great disadyan-
tage in the binding rain, but they steadi-
~ stretched the black and slippery lines of
hose through the building, fighting the
flames from every side
Flames also attacked the upper floors of
the Postal Telegraph cOmpany's fourteen
story building at 253 Broadway, and the
operators were driven out and the wire
connections were melted.
Some Buildings Burned
The store of Rogers, Peet & Co is a
building seven stories high, tall building
a few years ago, a tiny thing of this day.
The roof of the building of the Rogers.
Pect q Co. was lower than the eighth
story of the Home Life Insurance com
pany building
The Home Life Insurance building is
IL Broadway, between Murray and War
rem streets. opposite City Hall park 1t
is sixteen stories high, and in appearance