Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-01-31

Began at 3:l5 IA. IN.
Beginning AT 3:i5 a. IN. in the SPLEEN
did new department store of the
l7lanke Bros. company, the fire cor
srmed in two hours. nearly s7oo3oo
neighborhood of West Sixth and Wal
nut streets, the very center OF the
business district. smoking desert of
ruins. The Franlse store was opened
for business only a little more than n
year ago, and WAS nj the time the
finest department storc in Iowa. The
great iron. stone and glass structure
five stories high. had II fun quarter
tlock frontage on Sixth avenue by 100
feet on Walnut street. In connection
with it the company used the building
owned by Younker Bros, on Wainllt
street. five stories high, and Which had
been remodcled to present the same
style front as the Isrankel block. This
additional structure G!lc, cut the quar-
Ter block used by the l'ranlie!s. and
Was filled With an immense stock.
Discovery 81 the Flames
The fire was discovered in the Younll
Ell annex to the Frankel block soon.
after O'Clock and spread with awful
rapidity To The main buiiGns This
Was commonly regarded $ Z. t;r,-tr.iD
beng built with Il great light We'll in.
the center. from the first door Mp To the
1oof. AS soon as the flames reached
the main structure they instantly
leaped upward to the roof. and the
great quantity of perisllable goods was
consumed almost instantly. Nothing
Ike so hot a fire WAS ever known in
the city Firemen could not approach
near enough to train their hose on the
flames where the Water would be ct
iectlNc. The open area way from TOT,
u bottom created Il draft like a blast
iprnaee Four wt.ichnlen Mere in tll.
store when TIL" fire started: they i'm
slantlv turned on water from .,Ile
standpiloes and the fire department was
Called. In fe" minutes the building
Was destroyed. lhc stock gone and the
walls had fanen in. Only the rear wall
renamed standing. al,! this enabled the.
flrclnen 10 prevent the flames taxing
the Good office block, which occupied
The quarter block directly cast of the
iIankeis. The Good block was badly
Injured and much damage was done Il,
offices in it and to Offices and stores
az ross Walnut and Sixth streets from
The Frankels.
BIG Loss at the Utica.
Across Sixth avenue. westward fra.l
the Frankel block, was the Utica
block. occupied by the Utica Clotl,i,l..
company. A. and L. Friedrich, I,rorrie1
tors, IN which was 9 100000 cothiilsg
STOCK The heat broke the glass WIN
CONS and set the stock ON fire result
ing IN loss of $4,000 to he stock and
not less than $4,000 To tho building
Inc Upper lioors of the Utica buildif.s
were occupied by officers, among them
Delhg the dental office OF Fred I>ro,t
leilneiiN OF Sioux City. who LOST most
o! nis office fixtures
Dlas4hallye opposite from the Franllel
pioek, al Sixth and Walnut. was me.
Seetey Dry Goods oonipany's s1o,a o.-
oupNlhg a block owned by the Rom.
Ven estate of Boston. Here the loss
from the same causes as the ,iesl,,,,n
llon IN the Utica store, aluou,,to, a.
s,V'Vvo ON IN" stock and about s. 00o ON.
eAe building. Chas. w. l;osg a;,l,s-
E4se, loses about $4,000 and the jo.5..
Telephone compan. Sustains da,,,,..
TO It's exchange amounting to 8 -,,n
besides the utter decentralization of its
service for the time being. srhs NJ.
MONIES National bank building oo,,,.
slte the Frankel building on Wa'ln,,,
street, had q narrow escan4 s,fra,.
iEs SERIOUS damage
Nearly Took Entire Eusines. t,.,.
II was only by the greatest e,for, of