Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-29
COSTLY CUR|OS GONE
Gunther's Famous Collection in Chi.
cage Almost Wholly Destroyed
by the Flames.
Costly Relics Which Can Never Be
Replaced Thrown Into a Con. =
fused Heap.
Many Burned and Others Made
Worthless BY the Water and
Smoke.

Chicago. Sept. 29.-Inestimable dam
age was wrought by fire last night In
the confectionery establishment OF
Charles F. Gunther, 2l2 State street. "A
large part of Mr.. Gunther's magnificent
collection OF art and curios was de-
stroyed and the wealth of Croesus
can not duplicate them.
An incident OF the blaze was the es-
cape of $50 girls from the building, who
were employed on the third and fourth
floors. Several Of them had thrilling
escapes from death.
The flames broke out on the sixth
floor in the rear where the landing la
located at 8 o'clock. In the front part
of this floor was the collection of art
and curios. gathered by Mrs. Gunther
| from every country under the sun. The
laundry employees had all gone home
and it is not know how the fire started
On the third and fourth floors. used
for manufacturing and packing, 25c
girls were at work when the cry of fire
was shouted through the building. Iron
doors that lead into the building north
of the confectionery store were thrown
open as an avenue of escape for the
panic-stricken girls.
Leaving their wraps and other arti.
cles of clothing behind them, most Q.
the girls rushed pell nell through the
opening and reached the street in safe
ty. Others dashed down the stairway
in the Gunther building, falling over
each other in their mad efforts to es-
cape.
A dozen or fifteen rushed to the fire
escape in the rear. These were the ones
who had thrilling adventures. One girl
was carried from the third floor in a
dead faint by Tom Roe, the weli-known
bicyclist. Several others were carried
down. but the names of their rescuers
could not be learned.
Although the damage to the building
and stock of candies will not exceet,
$4,000 Mr. Gunther's loss by the de-
struction of his art and curio collection
will be incalculable. II would be use.
less to hazard an estimate of the loss.
for 1t is not known how much of the
collection was saved from the flames.
The street in front of the store is filed
MES men from the sixth floor Rare
pictures and books and other relics OF
great value were picked UP in thu
streets half burned. Some of the scorch-
ed curios We're picked up by persons in
the crowd watching the IRE. and they
hurried away ignorant of the value of
the burned articles
NJ. F. Morine. SOS Forty fourth place.
inf
charred curiosities which the firemen
hurled from the upper windows, when
ne discovered water-soaked letter
signed by Jefferson Davis lying in the
edge of the debris. Among the Other,
notable relics which he picked up was
an early photograph of Fitzhugh Lee
and fac-simile of the warrant for the
execution of Mary Stuart. queen of
scots signed by Queen Elizabeth The
valuable document was partially
burned and Very much damaged by
water. An old edition of the Charleston
Courier. dated 1863. containing interest
ing accounts of the civil war, was also
found in the pile of stuff thrown out by
the firemen, and it will be preserved in
its dilapidated condition by Mr. Morine
subject to the request of Mr.. Gunther.
Relics from the catacombs, Pempeii
and Jerusalem were ruthlessly thrown
by the firemen To the street below. MIR.
Gunther's son. Burnell Gunther, who is
manager for his father. witnessed the
obstruction of the curios with fearful
eyes. During the fire he sent message
TO his father. who is in New York as
one Of the Dewey invitation committee,
informing him Of the lamentable loss.
Burnell Gunther was unable to say
| what caused the fire, but he was of the
| opinion that ii started In the laundry
| department When the employees who
work on this floor left the building at G
O'Clock the fires and gas Jets were all
axtinguished. 1t is the duty of one OF
the workmen to see that everything is
all right before leaving. and he reported
to Mr. Gunther that the usual precau-
lions had been taken.
Some men who were at work in the
stock department on the fifth floor
smelled smoke and upon investigation
flames were discovered on the floor
above.
The building is equipped with several
hundred feet Of hose, which the en-
ployes have been drilled in using in case
of fire. The hose was quickly unreelcd
and the signal given to turn on the
water, which is supplied from a reser-
voir on top of the building. The reser-
voir was empty, and to that unfortu-
nate fact Mr.. Gunther lays the destruc-
ton of his fathers collection Of curios
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