The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-28
Originating i'm a Row of Frame Sta
bIes, the Fire Quickly Commute
Gated to Nearby Property.
HOSE SEVERED BY STREET CAR
THE ACCIDENT DELAYED THE FIRE
MEN IN THEIR WORK.
Two Firemen Injured While Fighting
the FIames-Loss VIII Reach
Into the Thousands.

The Centennial block, on the west side of
Meridian street, between South street and
the Union Railway tracks. was partially
destroyed by a fire that commenced at IL
O'Clock last night. The Centennial block is
owned by Peter spitzfaden. who lives at
5A East South street, and the part of the
building wrecked is occupied by Joseph
Bernstein. ST., as a rag and junk store. by
Martin Wade's feed and storage establish
ment and by the Indiana Baling Company.
The section of the building used by the
Central Straw Company and the Meridian
storage house was not damaged. On the
building the fire loss is estimated by Chief
Coots, of the fire department, and Captain
Newman, of the salvage corps. TO be in the
neighborhood of $500, Bernstein's and
Wades parts being damaged about $500
each. Bernstein figures his loss
tents at 5000, and the salvage corps esti
mates the damage to Wade's property at
from 81, ZOO to $1,000 The Indiana Baling
Company suffered a loss of $500, with no
insurance. The Centennial block fully
covered by insurance. it is said, and Wade
carried about $1,000 on the contents of his
feed and storage establishment.
The fire originated in the frame stables
back of the Centennial block and connected
with it, owned by Martin Wade. When the
fire started twelve horses belonging to the
Century Biscuit Company were stabbed in
the barn. No. 10 hose company. under
Captain Winters, was the first to arrive at
the fire, and, with his men, smashed the
doors to the barn and succeeded in reScu-
ing all the horses, but not without being
painfully injured himself His face and
hands were badly burned, and it was feared
last night that his eyes were injured. n
report was in circulation that the horses
had been burned.
Fireman John White, of Company No. 13,
was also injured later in the evening while
a ladder was being taken down from the
third floor. His injuries are painful but not
serious.
DIFFICULT TO HANDLE.
The fire in many respects was one of the
most difficult the department has had to
deal with for years. The ramshackle
barns in the rear of the Centennial block
were quick food for the flames, and al
though the companies responded rapidly
they had not only burned but had COM
municated the fire to the interior of the
Centennial block. The departments work
was handicapped by an unfortunate occur
/ renee. Working on the rear of the build
ing, Company No. 10 had stretched a hose
line across South street few minutes after
the fire was discovered. The fremean had
smashed the rear door of the building, had
placed their hose in position and were ready
TO check the blaze, when a street sew
cred the hose line and left them helpless
to fight. The cutting of the hose left the
los in a perilous predicament. Waiting for
the water to come inside the building, they
were nearly suffocated by the dense clouds
of smoke. The running of the hose caused
"A delay at a critical period, which enabled
! the flames to spread from the back stables
TO all parts of the big building. Had the
hose not been cut it is probable that the
/ fire would have been extinguished with
/ slight loss. The fremen were impeded in
! their Iabors by failure of the hose lines to
\ work prOprly on account or gravel and dirt
/ coming from the mains into them. At a
] time when one line was needed badly ii
| was made useless by gravel choking the
nozzle.
/ Having consumed the stables the fire ate
\ its way to the front of the building, feed
ing on the inflammable contents of Bern
/ STEMS junk store and the hay and straw in
interior of the building was red with flame.
| The worst of the fire was in the back part
\ and top of the big building. The roof and
the walls and floors were ruined and the
/ contents made worthless either by the fire
or the water.
The fire had many spectacular features
and on the sounding of a second alarm
\ within five minutes after the first came, a
crowd gathered on Meridian street that
] reached from the Union Railway tracks to
South street At times while working on
/ the second and third floors the hremen
seemed in imminent danger of their lives,
| and the crowd watched their perilous
1 labors in silence.
Occasionally the shifting of a hose line
| or the sudden spraying of a nozzle caused
| many to flee from drenching, which added
a touch of the comic to the tragedy of the
| fire fighting.