Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-06-28
BIC CONFEDERATION.
A Fire at Pittsburg, Pa, Causes a
Loss of $25o,ooo.
GREAT DAMAGE BY HEAVY RAMS.
The Water Works Br0ken at wabash,
Ind-AIany Towns IN the Wabash VAL
ley Much Dsmaged-Aeeident TO
u Big Four Train.

pittsburg, Pa, June 23.-Fire in one
Of the principal downtown business
blocks yesterday caused loss Of
S25o,OOO, involving eight buildings con-
tanning many Office tenants. The ag-
gregate insurance will more than
cover this amount. The fire was first
discovered in the rear of the Eich-
baum company printing establish
ment, supposedly caused by sponta-
neous combustion. The Eichbaum
building fronts on Fifth avenue, a few
doors below Wood street, was six
stories high and was tenanted by
many ofliceholders, among them be-
ing Dulf's college, occupying the two
upper floors, and the Holmes Electric
company, on the Third floor. In an
incredibly short time the entire
building was mass of flames, and
before the fremen could do much eff
fectlve work had communicated to
the Exchange national bank building
next door below and from there to
the Husscy building adjoining. ST.
simultaneously the fire extended to James
Piatts saloon and restaurant and A.
M. Murdock's flower store on the up
per side. The conhagration was one
of the most threatening seen in Pitts
burg for many years and for time
the entire block bounded by Fifth
avenue, Wood, Diamond and Market
streets seemed doomed to destruction.
Immense fire brands were carried by
the wind to buildings in all directions
and numerous incipient blazcs re-
suited. Fortunately, however, theroofs
of all the buildings in the district
We're soon manned by private fire br-
pades, who prevented the fire from
spreading beyond the buildings
named. The roof of the First national
bank, $50 feet away from the Eich-
baum building and on the other side
of the street caught fire but was
soon extinguished without material
damage. The new Western Union
telegraph office building, Immediately
opposite Eichballm's, was saved by
the extra precautionary measures
adopted by the company officials.
The greatest excitement prevailed in
the rooms of Duff's Business college,
where so or more students were at
work. The extension of the flames
was so rnpid that these people had to
run for their lives, not having time
eTcn to gather their belongings to-
e thcr. Reports were strife that sew
prnl students persisted, but it is known
that all escaped unhuri. The Eich-
baum building was completely de-
and The llussey building had
the three upper stories burned and
the lower floors flooded with water.
When the Eichbaum building had been
Quilted, the wall Of the / portion
which ran in back of Piatt's and
buildings fell, crushing in
the rear portions Of the Wood street
occupied by the American
Express company, Paulson Bros, A,
NJ, Bull, and Jurtz, l.angbein and
Swartz. Several fremen We're caught
in the debris of this wall, but none
were hurt so badly they could not
continue their work.
Great Damage Done by Heavy Rains
Indianapolis, Ind, June s3.-0ne
Of the heaviest transforms in years
swept Indiana yesterday. The Wa
bash river is out of its banks and
still rising. Much damage has been
done. At Wabash the water works
are broken and the city is without
water for use or fire protection. At
Treaty, six miles south, Big Four
freight train of Is ears is wrecked
in washout. The new iron bridge
on Upper Treaty creek is gone and
not n bridge Is left between Treaty
and La Fontane Two houses were
carried away The Wabash has been
rising here at the rate of two feet
an hour and is spreading over the
flats. Many factories will have to
close.
At Fort Wayne there was a cloud
burst. The water backed over many
of residences, Electric lines
were stopped and barns and debris
are backed against the bridges. AT
the big city sewer, under
construction, is filled with drift.
Easements are filed with water. At
Peru there were four cloudbursts and
great damage was done. The gov
eminent gauge showed a fall of over
six inches in ten hours.
Throughout the Wabash valley there
Is much damage by the high water
and as the river is still rising more
is feared. Crops are over
flowed and the corn will suffer, es-
pecially as nearly the entire valley