The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-04-30
NEW WHITE CORNER
SHOW WINDOWS BURN
Large Plate Windows and Most OF
Display Destroyed.
Quick Sharp Work Of the Salem Fire
Department Saves the Block.

Fire Monday evening did considerable
damage in the new store Of Jos. Meyers
& Sons, corner Of Court and Liberty
streets. While the flames were con-
fined entirely 10 the display windows,
the damage from the blaze and the
water cannot be accurately estimated
until investigation is completed by the
management. The origin Of the fire Is
not known but is supposed 10 have been
caused by a defect in the electric
wiring. The stock Of goods was insured
for $4,000 while the building, which Is
owned by +. P. Mccormack, was also
insured. The fire WAS discovered about
s:4b O'Clock by T.. A. Dinsmore, an
employe Of the firm, who gave the
alarm, the fire department reaching the
scene and having water upon the flames
In the creditabe short space Of three
minutes.
The highly inhammable material OF
which the window displays consisted,
proved ready fuel for the fire which in
an instant spread like q haeh through all
the windows between the Court and
Liberty street entrances. Eight Of the
large plate glass windows had been
shattered by the heat when the depart
ment arrived and within very few
minutes the blaze was entirely extin-
guished. Peter Graber, a member Of
the department, was denied admission
10 the store by the management. He
carried a Babcock extinguisher with
which he intended fighting the fire from
within and preventing its further spread.
Relative 10 criticism Of the department
by parties for throwing water into the
interior OF the store, Chief Eckhart this
morning said: "No water, whatever,
reached the interior OF the store until
the mem bers Of the department we're In
teriered with in their work by bystanders.
4. w. Holman, one Of the force Of
clerks, while at work In the upper part
of'the building, became overcome by the
dense smoke and required medical at
tendance before being restored.
The Are was an unfortunate and ex-
ponsive disaster 10 the very enterprising
firm Of Meyers 4 Sons. BY the excellent
work Of the department serious con
hagration was narrowly ayerted. Had
the lames penetrated the thin partitions
OF the display window they would have
found an immense stock OF dress goods
and other inhammabe materials and
the costly building but newly rebuilt
would probably have been gutted despite
the best efforts Of the department.
The White Corner has suspended it's
retail trade pending an adjustment
Of the loss. The firm OF Joseph Meyers
& Sons suffers severe blow Ia the de.
yelopinent OF their trade In new lo-
cation which they have fitted mp re-
gArlless Of expense. They are entitled
TO the sympathy OF the community In
their untimely loss.
+. l.. Pound OF Aumsville was pro.
badly the first TO see the fire start, as
he stated in the second window from
the corner. A towel hanging near In
candescent caught from the wire and
that burned and foil burning into the
mass Of materials below.
The Gre was exactly three months
from the opening night, Meyers n Sons
expect to have another opening a. soon
AS the loss can be adjusted aud stock
replaced. Insurance adjusters are at
work today.
The proprietora express themselves
pleased with the very prompt and
efficient response Of the fire depart
ment.
Tho general opinion of all who saw
the flre Ia that trained metropolitan
department could not have done better.