The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-03-03
HALF A BLOCK RUINED
Cincinnati Has the Most Destructive
Fire In Her History.
LOSSES OVERLAP TWO MILLIONS.
Flames Gut the Pike, Harrison and
Other Buildings and Destroy the
Plants of Many Prominent
Firms-Summaryo Of Losses.

Firms-Summary Of Losses.
Cincinnati. Feb. 26.-This city was
visited by the most destructive fire IN
Its history. At an early hour flames
were discovered in the cellar or
George Joffee's grocery in the Pike
building on Fourth street. between
Vine and Walnut. Soon after the fire
department had played on the build
ing it was thought that the flames
were under control. But an nour
later. however, there was an explo-
sion, supposed to come from liquors
in storage. and the flames soon after
ward shot up through the roof of the
six-story stone-front building, and from
that time on for several hours the fire
was beyond control. The Pike build
ing was totally destroyed, including
the Offices of the United States Ex-
press company, the Adams Express
company, Whites restaurant (owned
by Maynard & Kerr), George Joffee's
grocery. John B. Martins restaurant.
Empson's confectionery, the cigar
store of Henry Strauss. and the offices
of the Pike Theater company on the
first floor: the PIKE Theater audito-
rum and greenrooms and other o.Ices
nthe second floor. and all the Offices
on the third. fourth and fifth floors.
| The Seasongood building. adjoining
the Pike building on the west. at the
corner of Vine and Fourth, was badly
| damaged.
The building adjoining the Pike
| building on the east. owned by the L.
b. Harrison estate and occupied by the
Robert Clarke company. publishers,
and Duhme Brothers. jewellers. on the
| first floor. and others in the upper sto-
ries, was totally destroyed. The Fos-
dick building. east of the Robert
and occupied by the Norfolk & West
ern railroad and others. was badly
damaged. while the Carlisle building
occupied by the Southern Pacific rail-
way. ii. Smith & Sons and the Cincin-
natl Trust company on the first floor
and very many offices on the other five
floors, were slightly damaged.
Rear Walls Fell.
The front stone walls of the Pike
building and those of the adjoining
structures. occupied by Robert Clarke
& Co. and the Duhme Brothers jewelry
store. and of the Seasongood building
| stood the heat and did not fall. The
rear walls of these structures, how
ever, which were of brick. gave way
with the falling floors. The fire swept
across the alley known as Baker
street and burned the large publishing
house Of the American Book company
at the corner OF Baker street and other
property along Baker street. including
the large box factory of Zumbiel &
ems, and did great damage to the Bell
Telephone building, so that all tele-
phones in the city were cut on for
some time.
| Captain ]. c. Grammar. the we'll
known superintendent Of the detective
bureau, who was asleep in his Office
on the third floor. was awakened and
escaped in his night clothes. He lost
all the records of his office and every.
thing he had. Nothing was saved from
the upper floors Of the Pike building
even from the rooms of the theater
company.
AS 1t is known that about 90 people
sleep in the Pike building. there were
at first reports that several lives had
been lost. but none of these reports
have been confirmed. There were
| frh f,fa
men saved many lives by entering the
building and forcing their way through
the smoke and rescuing dodgers.
The Losses.
The American Book company viii
lose a quarter Of a million on theil
publishing house and stock and ma
chinery. The plates OF the Eclectic
system Of school books are all stored
in this building, which was wei
equipped with presses and electrica
appliances in publication work.
Robert Clarke &c Co. place their loss
at s350.000. including $4,000 in plates
of law books and other works. Anon,
Pike building. $4,000; Seasongoot
building. s125.0O0; Harrison building
$125.O00; Fosdick building. sl25.0O0
Duhme Brothers, jewellers, $4,000
Richter & Phillips. jewellers. $4,000
Smith Brothers. milliners. $4,000; Joi
, fees grocery. $4,000; Strauss. whole
sale cigar store. $4,000; Adams ES
press company. $4,000: Empson's can
, dy store. $4,000: Whites restaurant
$4,000: Martins restaurant. $4,000
scenery Pike Theater stock company
| $4,000; Wolf & Sons. iron works, $40
! 600; Woodrow Stationery and Print
: ing company. $4,000: Howard Saxb,
; publisher. $4,000: Catholic Telegraph
and innumerable Offices.
The loss of the Henrietta Crosma
company. which has been at the Pix
{ this week, Is over double that OF tn
I Pike stock company. Henrietta Croi
man was called up. with other guest
at the Burnet house. and witnessed tn
burning of her company's effects. Sh
went into the crow on the street
the night and offered her assistanc,
: The Pike building belongs to the Pix
estate and Powell Crossley is the gel
: eral lessee. subletting 1t to over 2C
tenants.
The building adjoining the Pike G
the west, a fine. six-story structur
was supposed to be fireproof. but ii