The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-08-19
A S14,0OQ FIRE ON PARK ST.
ROBERT c. BRIGH1'S RAG SHOP
 TOTALLY DESTROYED.
Whe Blaze Occurred Early Yesterday Morning-SpOntaneo Combustion Thought to Have Been the Cause.-The Loss Nearly Covered by Insurance- Adjoining Buildings Saved by Fire men by Hard Work.

The large brick building at No. 137 Park street, occupied by Robert c. Bright, dealer in rags and metals, was totally destroyed by fire early yester- day morning, entailing loss of about $140O0 to the building and contents. The fire was discovered at 5:15 by Thomas Bright, nephew of Robert c. Bright, who is employed as gas lamp lighter. The boy was around putting out the gas lights on his beat when he saw the flames shooting through the roof of the rag shop. He ran to No. 3's engine house only half block away at the corner of Park and Elm street and notified Engineer Peck, who was on watch at the engine house. MT. Peck at once sent in still alarm and few moments later Patrolman Coop CT saw the fire as he came up to the corner of Elm and Park streets and rang an alarm from box No. 6 at that corner. No. 3, under command of Captain Camp, was the first fire com pHHY 4LO ltdCll LllC llISy WlilNh Noo eAi~AA burning fiercely. Adjoining the rag shop on one side was the Humiston Preservative company's building and on the other side J. l.. Aubrey's car riage shop. Captain Camp saw that these buildings were in danger and at once ordered a second alarm rung.
 Such headway had the fire gained when the firemen arrived that it was impossible to save the building and their efforts were largely directed to- wards saving the adjoining buildings.
 The building occupied as rag shop by MT. Bright belonged to the Charles Dibble estate and was an old structure. Captain Camp of No. 8 engine company had examined the walls some time ago and found that they were rather shaky so yesterday morning Chief Fancher instructed the firemen that they were to keep back in order to be out of the way if the walls fell. The precaution was fortunate since the walls came tumbling down after the fire had been burning for some time.
 The building was formerly occupied as an oleomargarine factory and the floors were soaked with grease, which caused the fire to spread and burn with redoubled fierceness.
 MT. Bright's stock and machinery was entirely destroyed with the build ing. He had on hand about 300 bales of rags, 75 bales of old black stockings, 150 bales of old newspapers, 75 bales of old books and tons of baling wire. This with his machinery was entirely destroyed MT. Bright had shipped S5 bales of old black stockings only a few days before His stock and machinery were insured for $6300, about 80 per cent. of the fuli value.
 The loss by the destruction of the building is about $6,O00, covered by in- surance. The building was S5 feet front and part of 1t was three stories high and the remainder two stories.
 The shop of the Humiston Preserva- tive company did not catch fire, but the contents were considerably damaged by water, the loss caused in this way amounting to several hundred dollars.
 The ruins were still smoking last evening and hundreds of persons gath cred in the street in front to see the ruins. The firemen were at work play ing water on the smoldering ruins un- til late hour last night.
 The fire companies which were at work at the blaze were Nos 1, 3, 6, g, 2, and trucks 1 and 2.
 The cause of the fire is unknown but it is believed to have been spontane- ous combustion among the old rags.