The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-11-10
Special to News-Democrat.

Special to NewsD Democrat.
Massillon, Nov. S.-The entire block
occupied by stores and offices lying be-
tween the canal and Clay street, in
West Main street, went up in smoke
Wednesday morning. The fire bell in
the Central engine house pealed out
the arm from box 33 and the street
was soon filled with people who as
see ed to see the blaze. At first sight
it looked like an awning fire. A few
moments later word passed along the
street that the big Bee Hive dry goods
store was burning. Massillon has but
one fire company whose apparatus is
drawn by horses and it was soon on the
scene. Long before it arrived the Bee
Hive store was seething mass Of
flames. The fire originated in the east
window of the millinary department.
Mr.. Clever, the window trimmer was
at work in the window. He suddenly
saw a flash and discovered the inflam-
able materials of the window on fire.
Fine cheese cloth covered all the space
on the walls and in twinkling the
window was aflame. The fire then
spread to the contents Of the room. Os-
trich feathers and the light airy ma
terials used in the trimming of hats
proved excellent food for the greedy
flames and in less time than it takes
to tell it Altman and Putman's immense
stock of dry goods, cloaks and carpets
was going up in smoke.
CLERKS PANIC STRICKEN.
The twenty eight clerks Of the estab-
lishment became panic stricken. The
rapidity with. which the fire swept the
length and breadth of the big store
was startling to those who stood on the
outside and held their breaths at the
contemplation Of loss of life which
seemed inevitable. The young women
employees fed to the rear doors and
escaped Mr.. Clever was slightly burn
ed before he jumped from the window.
It was thought that everyone in the
building including the proprietors of
the store, had made good their escape
when a crash was heard at rear Win
dow and a man was seen desperately |
wrenching at the iron bars which pro-
tected it. The policemen on duty who
lent valuable aid during the progress
Of the fire, rushed to the window and
were Joined by the firemen in Clay |
street. In a moment the imprisoning |
bars were torn away and Cashier
McCoughney, head clerk of the store, |
was dragged from the building. The |
flames had almost reached him. His |
hands were cut by the glass in the |
window and he was almost suffocated |
and overcome by the heat and dense
smoke. He was removed to a neighbor-
ing store. McCoughney had remained |
behind to get the money from the safe
and save the insurance policies and |
books of the concern. He was the only |
one whose life was despaired of and
shout of satisfaction went up from the |
crowd when he gasped that no one was
in the building.
Mrs. Neiderheiser. who remodels suits.
was at work in the second story. No
one warned her but she fortunately saw
IL crowd gathering and smelling the
Odor Of smoke she instinctively ran for
her life and escaped. Her wraps and
other property were lost. Nearly every
employe lost some article of value as
they had no time to do anything but fly |
for their lives.
WORK OF FIREMEN.
The firemen worked like Trojans.
They early discovered that they had
their hands full but undaunted went
into the unequal fight. But two streams
We're directed into the fire when the
Bee Hive bulldiu0 WAS aaan m ha