The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-02-09
BURNS MANY STORES.
Fire in Heart Of Retail District 81
st. Louis Causes Loss Of @1,bOO,-
OOO-One Fireman Killed.

st. Louis Causes Loss OF $1,0OO,.
OOO-One Fireman Killed.
St. Louis, Feb. 5.-Fire broke out at
9:55 a. IN. Sunday in the flve-story
brick building at Broadway and Frank
lin avenue, occupied by the dry goods
firm of Penny & Gentles, and in q few
minutes enveloped the entire structure.
Sparks and brands were blown in every
direction by a strong northwest wind,
and the destruction of adjoining prop
erty was 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 & Cen
ties the flames communicated with the
buildings occupied by Schaper Bros,
dry good, and The Famous, dry goods.
BY II o'clock all the walls of the Pen
ny, & Gentles' and Schaper Bros build
ing, with the exception of that on the
west. had fallen, and with the gale
firemen. The wall between Schaper
Bros. and The Famous fell, but the
flames were quenched before doing
much destruction in the latter estab-
lishment. 1t was not long before the
upper floors and walls of the building
opposite Penny & Gentles' on Broadway
began to fall. Casualties to firemen
were numerous. When the walls OF
Deer Bros five and ten cent store col
lapsed several members of engine COM
pany No. II were in the building. -Four
firemen were covered by the debris,
and it was several hours before they
could be taken out.
Charles Mappes, pipeman, had been
crushed to death and several others in
jured. John Judge, foreman of No. II,
was wedged in with debris. Across his
feet lay the body of Mappes, but with
cool head he directed the efforts
Of bis comrades in their work of res
cue. When he was finally removed, he
was taken to the hospital in an ambu-
lance, where several others of the in
jured had been removed.
The injured are as follows:
Chief Swingley, blistered by heat: John
Judge. foreman engine company No. II,
bruised about legs, internal injuries: John
Hanmore, driver engine company No. q,
leg broken. head and cheek bruised: Mike
Hanlan. truckman No. Z. back bruised;
James A. Adams, No. 6's truck, cut on
hand: John Karp, pipeman engine COM
pany No. II, leg broken, internal injuries,
serious: Harry Bridge, foreman engine
company No. IL. shocked by electric wire;
Assistant Chief Gus Thierry, shocked and
burned by live wire; A. J. O'Rielly. super
visor city lighting, blown into street by
conclusion of falling walls; James J.
Schweiger, engine company No. %, hand
cut: George w. Durand, spectator, right
hip dislocated; August Roeber, pipeman,
leg broken.
From Broadway the flames ate their
way through to a number of three and
four-story structures occupied by nu-
merous firms in various lines of bust
ness. These were soon on fire from
top to bottom, and were Quilted. Heroic
efforts were made to keep the flames
from the building on the corner of
Fourth street and Franklin avenue, oc-
cupied by the German-American bank.
and they were successful. This and
two buildings adjoining on the south
were saved. Across on Fourth street
and extending through to Third street
were a row of old buildings occupied
by the Schisler-Cornelia Seed company.
the Plant Seed company, Krennings
Glass Ware and Crockery company.
Bassett Plumbing company, Muller
Block Commission company, Nelson
Distilling company, McLain 4 Alcor
Commission company, Hake 4 Sons
commission house, Benton & Co.'s com.
mission house, Baur Flour company and
William Books saloon. Here the fire.
men were able to stop the spread of the
fire to the east, but it was many hours
before the flames were quenched, after
interiors and stocks of merchandise OF
all these buildings were destroyed.
The loss of buildings and stocks oil
goods is approximately $4,000
Definite figures are exceedingly hard
to obtain. The fact that it was Sun.
day, and that neither proprietors MOI
insurance adjusters were at their
places of business, contributed much
to this. Few proprietors or owners
could be found, and those who were
declared their inability to give def.
mite information. There were six re.
tail concerns which were heavy los.
ers. The balance of the loss is divided
in varying proportions among score
or more of small shop keepers or firms
Only two concerns suffered losses OF
over $500, 000-Penny & Gentles and
Schaper Bros.
A man named Cummins, an employe
of Penny & Gentles, has been arrested
on the statement of woman, who
says that just before the fire she saw
him upstairs in the store. He denies
any guilt in connection with the fire