The age-herald., 1900-02-05
WHOLE CITY WAS THREATENED Property Loss is Nearly Two ' Million Dollars. GENERAL BLOCKS WERE BURNED A Heavy Gale Was Blowing and the Work of the Bremen Was Made
 Doubly Hard-The Heat
 Was Intense
GENERAL BLOCKS WERE BURNED

St. Louis, February 4.-Property to the estimated value of $1,5OO000 was burned to- day, the greater part of the four blocks of buildings and their contents between Third and Sixth streets and Franklin avenue and Morgan street, in the heart of the retail section being destroyed. one fireman was killed, nine others of the fire department were injured more or less seriously, and five or six citizens slightly hurt. None of the injured will die as far as known tonight.
 Dead:
 Charles w. Mappes. fireman engine com pany No. g.
 Injured:
 Chief Sw1ngly, bHlstered Dy heat
 John Judd. foreman engine company No. Il, bruised about legs; 1nternal injuries.
 John Hanmore, driver; leg broken, head and cheek bruised.
 Mike Hanlan, eruckman; mack bruised.
 James A. Adams.
 John Karp, pl.peman; deg broken, inter nal Injuries; serious.
 Harry Bridge, foreman engine company 12; shocked by electric wire.
 Assi1stant Chief Gus Thlerry; shocked and burned by Hive wire.
 A. J. O'Relly. supervisor city lighting; blown into street by concussion of faiVing walls.
 James J. schweiger, engine company 2S; hand cut.
 George W. Dur1and, spectator; right hip. dlslooated.
 August. Roeber pipernan: leg broken
 The loss of both buildings and stocks of goods IS approximately $1,50000O. Definite figures are exceedisgly hard to obtain. The fact that it was Sunday and that neither proprietors nor insurance adjustors were at their place Of business contributed much to this. Few proprietors or owners could be found and those who were declared their inability to give definite information. There were six retail concerns which were heavy losers. The balance of the loss is divided in varying proportions among a score or more small shop keepers or firms. Only two con- cerns suffered losses of over s10o, ,OoO-Penny & Gentles and Schaper Bros.
 The building in which the two concerns were housed was owned by the Mary L.. Knox estate, and was erected at a cost of $165 900. Penny & Gentles' loss, which was covered entirely by insurance is estimated at $135 000. Schaper Bros loss is estima ted at s1O0, 900. These two concerns occupied about half the block on the west side of Broadway, south from the corner of Frank lin avenue, and the buildings were entirely destroyed, the walls and floors caving in and the ruin being most complete.
 The rest of the block on the west side of the street is taken up by the building occu- pied by The~Famous.
 Buildings on Franklin Avenue
 On Franklin avenue just back of Pennsy1- yania and Gentles was the building occu- pied by the Fuch Millinery and Cloak conI- pany. It is estimated that the loss on the stock there is $4O,00O. The store formerly occupied by D. Crawford & Co.,, Broadway and Franklin avenue, valued at $25,OoO was entirely burned. The Peoples Housefur- nishing company, south of the Crawford building, is a complete wreck and the loss will be between $25 900 and s5O,0o0. Next door to that concern was the store of Deer Bros S12 North Broadway It was filled with a stock of 5 and 10-cent goods. The loss on the building and goods is estimated at sS5,OO0
 The fire swept through the block from Broadway to Fourth street and burned all the buildings from s27 to s09 North Fourth street These buildings were old three and four story structures, some occupied as tenements above and stores below, while others were vacant. The St. Louis Dressed Beef and Provision company; Yued and Pabst company, commission merchants; A. | Stauffer, barber; J. H. Rohde, retail liquor | dealer; Herboth Mercantile company and | the Schster- Cornelized company occupied these buildings. Their losses aggregate | s65, 900 while the losses on buildings amount to fully s45,0o0.
 The fire broke out at 9:55 a. m. in the five story brick building at Broadway and Franklin avenue, occupied by the dry goods firm of Penny & Gentes, and in $ few miutes sparks and brands were blown in every direction by a strong northwest wind and the destruction of adjoining property was threatened. A general alarm was turned in and soon every engine in the city was at the scene. On the south of Penny & Gentles, the | flames communicated with the buildings oc- | cupied by Schaper Bros. dry goods, and l The Famous, a dry goods store. The burn- | ing area increased minute by minute, the across to the east side of Broadway. Tn
 a short time a large empty store building on the corner of Franklin avenue was de- | stroyed with those directly south occupied | by the Peoples Housefurnishing company | the Marks Millinery store. Dills' Dental | Pariors. and Deer Bros. and Decent store A Heavy Gale Flowing | px, ii o,cYoel the walls of tha buildin ore