Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-02-06
Loss Of Building
and Contents.
New Store of Peterson
& Wright Burned.
Loss, $26,50O, and In
surance, $4,000.
An Adjoining House Damaged
by Falling Wall.


Fire started at 4:3O Wednesday
evening in the new three story build
ing Of Peterson & Wright, on South
Main St, at Brewster's crossing, and
by 6 o'clock the building was total
wreck and nearly all the contents
were destroyed. Mr.. j. Il. Peterson,
member of the firm, estimates the
loss of the building at $4,000; con-
tents, $4,000, and machinery, $500.
insurance on building and contents,
$4,000.
The fire started in the third story,
but how is not known. 1t was dis
covered by Harvey Souers, an en-
ploye. In ten minuets after the dis
covely it seemed as IL the whole build
| ing was in flames. An alarm was rung
in at 37 and fire departments !, 3,
and responded promptly. No. 2, was
called over to No. ] engine house to
guard the downtown district. Nearly
all the books were rescued from the
office of tile burning building and two
wagons and seven horses were also
gotten out.
From the first, it was seen that it
would be impossible to save the build
ing. 1t was filled from top to bottom
with stock--feed, baled hay, and straw.
There was also an elevator in the
center of the building, and wooden
spouts located all around. These con-
ditions made it easy for the flames to
spread. About all the tiremen could
do was to keep the fire from spreading
to other buildings, and this required
vigilant work. When the south wall
fell it crashed against house be-
longing to Frank Shafer, and did con-
siderable damage. All of Mr.. Shafer's
goods were in the house and he had
no insurance on either the building
OF the contents.
The tiremen We're directed by Assist
ant Fire Chief John Cummins, Chief
Mertz being ut Columbus with the
citizens committees. The extreme
cold made it very uncomfortable for
the men while at work, but they got
along well and made good fight. The
odds We're all against them, for when
they arrived the building was a com.
plctc mass of flames. 1t is believed
the fire had gained considerable head
way before it was discovered. All that
was left standing of the building are
the northwest and southwest corners.
The south wall fell first. 1t was i'm
mediately followed by the east wall.
When the north wall fell it crashed
into the roof of an empty box car on
the siding.
Street car service on the Maih line
was considerably interfered with. The
tracks in the vicinity of the fire were
blockaded by engines and hose. Trans
fers We're made north and south while
the fire lasted. The tracks were clear
ed and service resumed about o.
clock. Tons of debris from the fall
ing front wall fell across the street
car tracks, and firemen had narrow
escape from death, being compelled TO
drop their hose and run.
The telephone cable of the Central
Union Co., was melted by the intense
heat and parted about $50 o'clock,
causing a general scatterment Of the
crowd of onlookers. This disabled
nearly every phone of the company
in the south part of the city.
During the fire, coffee and sand
wichcs We're served to the firemen by
order of Messrs. Peterson and Wright.
The building burned had just been
completed. "Thc loss is a rather
hard blow" said Mr.. Peterson. eve
had Just put two carloads of feed in
to the building. 1t was completely
filled from top to basement have
no idea of how the fire originated. We
had just got everything working nice
ly in our new quarters. AS to our
plans for tile future l can only say that
we shall try to secure the building we
occupied previous to our removal, for
the disposal of goods which were or
dered and which are now ON the way
to this city have nothing more to say
| or