Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-02-08
FIRE AT ST. LOUIS.
Portions of Three Blocks Were
Burned Over Yesterday.
OSE FIREMAN KILLED, EIGHT HURT.
The wall. OF Deer Bros Five and Ten
Cent Store Fail Thousands Of Specta-
tors Drawn TO the scene-Lo.s,
NeAIIy &2,OOO,OOO


st. Louis, Feb. Fire broke out
at nine O'Clock yesterday morning n
the fivc-story brick building at Broad-
way and Franklin avenue, occupied by
the dry goods firm Of Penny a Gem
Ties and in a few minutes enseloPed
the entire structure. Sparks a1'1
brands were blown in every direction
by strong northwest wind and the
destruction OF adjoining property WIS
threatened. A general alarm was
turned in and soon every engine IN the
city was at the scene or on the way
there. On the south Of Penny d Cen
Ties, the flames communicated Witll
the buildings occupied by Shaper
Bros, dry goods, and the Famous dry
goods. The burning area increased
minute by minute, the flames gaining
Roadway and leapng across to lhr
east side Of Broadway. IN a short
time o large empty store building on
the corner Of Franklin avenue was
destroyed, with those directly south,
occupied by the Peoples House FIr-
nishing company. the Marks Millinery
store, Dils' Dental parlors, and Deer
Bros five and ten cent store. by u
o'clock, all the walls Of Penny "
GentIes and Schaper Bros, with the
exception Of that on the west, mad
fallen, and with the gale blowing It
became Il menace to the firemen Inc
wall between Schaper Bros. and the
Famous fell, but the flames we're
quenched before doing much destrlc-
tinn in the latter establishment.
II was not long before the upper
floors and walls Of the building OPP
posiie Penny & Gentles On broadway
began to fall Casualties to tircmen
were numerous When the walls OF
Deer Bros five and ten cent store
collapsed several members Of engine
company No, n were in the building.
-Four hremen were covered by the de-
bris and il was several hours before
they could be taken out Charles
Mappes, a pipenan had been crushed
10 death and several others injured.
John Judge, foreman OF No. II, was
wcdgcd in with debris. Across his
feet lay The body Of Mappes, but
with d cool head he directed the ef-
forts of his comrades in their work OF
rescue. When he was finally removed
he was taken to the hospital in an
ambulance, where several Others Of
the injured had been removed.
lfromBroadway the flames eat their
way through TO number Of three
and four story structures occupied
Nv numefous firms in various lines Of
BUSINESS, Heroic efforts were made
to keep HE flames from the build
ing on the corner Of Fourth and
Franklin avenues, occupied by the
German-Amcrican bank and they
were successful. This and two build
ings adjoining on the south were
saved Across on Fourth avenue and
extending through to Third avenue
were Il row of old buildings. occupied
by the Schislcr-Cornelia Seed compa-
ny, the Plant Seed company, Kren-
nings Glassware and Crockery compa-
ny, Bassett Plumbing company, Mnel-
Textbook Commission company, Mel
son Dstiling company, Mclain 4
Alcom Commission company, llaie a.
Sons commission house, Baur Flour
company and William Books saloon.
Here the firemen were able to stop
the spread of the fire to the east,
but II was many hours before the
flames were quenched, after tons OF
water had been expended,
The trolley wires along Broadway
and Franklin avenue were source
Of danger and until they were cut on
the mayors orders there were rGmer-
Gus. narrow escapes from elcctrocu-
ton.
District Superintendent Baumhoff,
of the United Railway company,
and a corps of men set about rescding
deraied citizens line car at Fourth
and Morgan streets, Stretching a
long chain from Fourth street grip
car, the power of the cable was used
to haul il out of the way OF the fire
men. The gripman started lis car,
but did not release soon enough. The
derailed car bumped along over the
granite, crashed into a fire eny,nc.
which was stationed on the corner
and crushed Fireman Hanmore. He
was carried into the corner cigar
store and given surgical aid and thea
removed to the dispensary, where his
injuries were pronounced fatal.
For hours after the fire broke out
the scene of the fire was thronged
with thousands of spectators whs had
been drawn from churches and
homes by the report that the city
was burning up. The loss was esti'
mated at between $l,000,0o0 and 81
600, 900.