Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-02-05
Daily Kennebec 3ournaI.
The FIRE RECORD.
St. Louis Has a Big Blaze
One Fireman Killed.
Six Injured at a Chicago Fire, One
Of Whom May Die.
s4oO.UO0 Fire in Hopkins & Aliens Pistol
Factory. Norwich. CT.

'''' a. NJ, in the 5-story brick building
at broadway and Franklin avenue. oc
NuPlec by the dry goods firm of Penny
" IentlcS, and a few minutes LATER had
ehNt!oped the entire structure Sparks
ana brands We're blown in every direc-
t!oh by strong northwest wind and
the destruction of adjoining property
was threatened. \ general alarm was
turned IN ana soon every engine in the
city was at the scene or on the way
there.
on the south of Penny & Gentles. the
ildmes communicated with the build
ings occupied by Schaper Bros. drv
goods and the Famous" dry goods
The burning area increased minute by
minute. the flames gaining great head
way ana leaping across to the east side
Of Broadway. In a short time a large
empty store building on the corner of
Franklin avenue was DESTROYED, with
those directly south, occupied by the
Peoples House Furnishing co. the
Marks Millinery store Dnrs Dental
PIrlors ana Deer Bros. Five ana 10
Cent store
By II o'clock. all the walls of Penny
< GentlrS' and Schaper Bros. with the
West,
fallen ana with the gale blowing il be
came menace to the firemen. The
wall between Schaper Pros. ana the
Famous fell. but the flames Were
luenchcd before doing much damage in
tn" latter establishment.
!, was not long before the upper
floors ana walls If the building opposite
II -any q Gentles on Bruadway. began
to fall. Casualties -O hrrmcn Wcr,.
numerous. When the walls of Deer
Bros. Five and Ten Cent store col
lapscd. several iirem"n We're in the
building. Four We're covered ~ the
debris ana ii was several hours before
they could be taken out.
Charles Mappes. a pipcman, was
crushed to death and several others
injured. John Judge was wedgcd in
with debris. Across his feet lay the
body Of Mdppe, but with i cool head
he directed the efforts Of his COM
rades in their work OF rescue. When
be was finally removed he was taken
to the hospital where others of the in
iurcd had been removed.
From Broadway the flames ate thcir
way through to the number Of 3 ana
4-story structures occupied by numtr-
Gus firms in various other lines of
business. These We're soon on fire from
top, to bottom and We're ruined. Heroic
efforts were made to keep the flames
from the building on the corner Of
Fourth street and Franklin avenue.
occupied by the German American
Bank, and they We're successful. This
and two buildings adjoining on the
south We're saved. Across on Fourth
street ana extending through to Third.
was row Of old buildings occupied by
the Schisler- CorneIil Seed CO.. the
Plant Seed Co. Krenning's Glassware
and Crockery Co. Basset Plumbing
CO.. Muller Block Commission co. Mel /
son Distilling CO., McLain x Alcom
Commission CO.. Hake & Sons, Com /
mission house; Benton X COS. COM |
mission house; Bauer Flour Co. and |
VIM. Berks, saloon. Here the firomrn |
We're able to stop the spread Of the fire !
to the east. but it was many hours be 4
fore the flames Were quenched. after
tons Of water had been expended. The |
interiors and stocks of merchandise in
all these buildings We're destroyed.
Property to the estimated value of
81 800 900 was burned today. the greater |
part of four blocks Of buildings and |
their contents, between Third and Sixth |
streets and Franklin avenue, and Nor
gan street. in the heart of the retail |
section, being destroyed. one fireman |
was killed. nine others of the fire de-
partment We're injured more or less
seriously ana five or six citizens slight
~ hurt None of the injured will de,
as far as known. tonight.
The loss Of both buildings and stocks
of goods is approximately $l.5o0.0oo.
There were six retail concerns which |
were heavy losers. The remainded IA
the loss is divided in varying proper
tiOnS among 4 score or more of small |
shop keepers or firms. only two con-
Germs suffered losses of over 100000
Penny & GentleS and Schaper Bros.
The building in which these two con-
Germs were located was owned by the
Mary F. Knox estate ana was erected \
ut a cost Of $3.50 900. Penny q Gentles
loss Viii, h was covered by insurance
is estimated at $50 900. Schaper Bros
Iuss is estimated at $l0n,ooo. These two
concerns occupied about half the block
IN the west side Of Broadway. south
from the corner of Franklin avenue.
and the building was entirely destroyed,
the walls caving in and the floors be
ing most complete ruins.
The dead: Charles Moehy. fireman.
The injured: John karp, fireman.
probably fatally; George w. Durand.
right hip injured; John Hammer,
driver engine Nc. ,, dislocated ankle
and both legs broken; J. Adams. Truck
NJ. G lacerated hand, causing partial
nor3lysis: Mike Harmon. fireman, truck
Eo :. injured in back; John judge.
fireman. shock from falling roof;
Jne..ph SchWaigcr. fireman, badly in
i,lr,d and taken home: Harry Bridge.
foreman. shocked by electric Wire: Au-
gust Rocber fireman. leg broken.
AT CHICAGO.