The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-02
Brinlxmeyer, Kuhn e. Co. and Other
Firms Come I'm for n share
of the Damage.
FIREMEN USED WATER TOWER
But IMPOSSIBLE To DO QUICK
WORK WITH THE MACHINE.
Much Suffering Among the Fircmen
on Account OF the Bitter Cold
Dsnger from an Explosion.

The most costly fire that has visited In
dianapolis in years broke out in the whole
sale district last evening at $40 o'clock.
and for several hours the flames ragged
furiously in mockery of the efforts OF the
entire fire department to stop their prog
ress. Before the fire could be got under
control loss aggregating upward Of half
a million dollars was caused through a
blaze that no one seemed TO know the ORR
gin Of
When the fire was first discovered dense
volumes of smoke were seen issuing from
the front windows OF the fourth floor OF
the wholesale grocery firm OF George w.
Stout & Co., 207 and 20s South Meridian
street. Box 92 was Immediately pulled. and
the fire companies responded promptly. On
the arrival of Fire Chief Barrett IL was
plain to be seen that it would take the
combined efforts OF the entire department
TO stop the progress OF the flames. and
second and third alarm were sounded i'm
mediately. In only a few minutes the fire
had gained such headway that the entire
half block OF large wholesale houses
seemed doomed. Stored In the fourth floor
of the Stout store. where the flames gained
wooden ware and other combustible arti-
cles. The wind was blowing regular gale
from the southwest, and soon the building.
from top to bottom, was a roaring. seeth-
ing furnace Before the first stream OF
water could be played on the fire the
flames had crept from the front TO the
rear of the building on the top floor, ig-
hitting the highly combustible goods. AS
the fire ate it's way along to the windows
it was famed by the wind and given re-
newed vigor.
The wooden goods burned as IL they were
powder. The windows were broken by the
intense heat, and the flames started on
their rapid course into the other parts Of
the building. The employees OF the store
did not have time to fight the fire, so rap
idly did it gain headway. The forked
flames burned through the roof. and soon
the sky was In glare, attracting
thousands of people to the scene. The
heavy flooring between the fourth and
third floors was penetrated by the intense
heat and roaring flames as II IL had been
made Of thin pine shingles. In few min
utes the fire was burning rapidly in the
third floor. and with hardly any warning
first and second floors. The heat was In
tense. and every article in the entire build
ing seemed to be ablaze. When the win
dows were broken by the heat the strong
wind famed the already furious flames.
and they responded with a vigor that
seemed to threaten all the surrounding
buildings.
SLOW WORK BY WATER TOWER.
On the first alarm sounded the water
tower was sent TO the scene OF the fire.
1t arrived in front OF the burning Stout
building at Sis. A cheer arose from the
bystanders the horses were unhitched
from this fire-fghting apparatus and IL
was hauled into place. The spectators
seemed TO think for an instant that the
progress OF the flames would be i'm
peded the moment the water tower was
placed in action. but before the water could
be forced through this apparatus the
flames had gained such a headway that
they were forcing their way through the
roof and every window in the entire build
ing. 1t was eighteen minutes after the
tower was placed in position before a
stream OF water was forced through the
large nozzle, and Il was five minutes later
when the firemen finally succeeded I'm rails
ing the tower and manipulating the stream
to such a position that the water flowed
into the building. When once IL was in
working order IL did good work. The street.
car trolley wires on Meridian street I'm
peded the work Of the firmen in hosting
the tower, and when IL was first raised
the metallic part Of the shafting struck
the live wire. forcing the electric current
TO the cranks. One fireman was knocked TO
the ground. but he was up in instant.
only being temporarily stunned The
street-car company's emergency wagon
was on hand in a short time and the men
severed the trolley wires.
While the firemen were busy hoisting the
tower into position other companies were
In the rear of the building. which by that
time was the hottest part OF the fire. owing
to the strong westerly wind which famed
the flames. Four streams OF water were
playing on the fire in the rear windows.
but the large amount OF water seemed 60
act as so much coal oil to the angry flames.
When the fire was at the hottest the word
went out that the other buildings imme-
diately adjacent would be saved. owing to
the strong fire walls between the Stout
building and the A. Kiefer Drug Company
building on the north and the new building
occupied by Brinkmeyer. Kuhn & Co. with
a large stock OF groceries. on the south The
crowd. which by that time had grown to
enormous proportions. as the retail stores
and factories were just closing for the day.
looked on with great admiration for the
gallant iremen. who stood at their posts
of duty and hurried hither and thlther.
carrying lines OF hose. The strong wind