The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-26
Pixies BURNS.
Famous Cincinnati Theatre a
Heap Of Rug
Fire Started in the Cellar and
Spread Rapidly.
NEARBY BUILDINGS.
Were Either Destroyed or Very
Badly Damaged.
Guests of NeighbOring Hotels
Left Their Rooms.
CROSSED THE ALLEY.
Flames Jumped to American
Book Co. Plant.
And Did Great Damage to the
Telephone System.
Loss Is Estimated at Two Mil
lion Dollars.
CROSSED THE ALLEY.
Flames Jumped to American
Book Co. Plant.
And Did Great Damage to the
Telephone System.
Loss Is Estimated at Two Mill
lion Dollars.

Cincinnati. Feb. 26.-This city was
visited with a fire today that destroyed
Oue-half of a square in the center of the
business district and caused a loss of
over S2OO0O00 The burning embers were
carried for miles. the Kentucky suburbs
being covered with them. The fire de-
partments Of Covington, Newport and
other Kentucky towns came promptly
to the assistance of the local firemeu
and it was noon before their combined
efforts had the FIRE under control Crews
were al work all the time on the roofs
of surrounding buildings and a general
conhagration was narrowly averted. Tt
was perhaps the greatest scare the city
ever had. as it was thought al one time
that the entire business section of the
city was doomed. and such would have
been the case if there had been brisk
winds Joseph Schaefer and John Kee-
nan were seriously injured by falling
walls, but both win recover Although
there are reports Of persons being miss
ing it is not thought that any lives were
lost. Captain O'Keefe with seven fire.
men were caught on the roof of one Of
the buildings and all came near perish
ing when the flames broke out under
The fire has wiped out some of the land
marks of the city About 1870 this MORN
ing flames were discovered in the cellar
of George Joffee's grocery in the Pike
building on Fourth street, between Vine
and Walnut. An hour later there was
an explosion, supposed to come from
liquors in storage, and the flames soon
afterwards 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 building was totally de-
stroyed. including the offices of the
United States Express company the
Adams Express company. Whites res
taurant owned by Maynard & Kerr;
George Joffees grocery John b. Mar
tins restaurant, Empson's confectiOn-
cry Henry Strauss cigar store and the
oIlces or the Pike Iheater company on
ahe first floor. the Pike theater audi
torlum and green rooms and other Of
ncea on the second floor and all of the
Offices on the third, fourth and fifth
aoors- The SeasOn-C4OOd building ad-
joining the Pike building on the west
at the corner of Vine and Fourth was
badly damaged.
The building adjoining the Pike build
lnE on the east. owned by the l.. r.
Harrison estate and occupied by the
Robert Clarke company publishers, and
Duhme Brothers. jewelers.. ON the first
uoor and others in the upper stories was
totally destroyed.
The Fosdick building east Of the
robert Clarke company and Duhme
Brothers and occupied by the Norfolk
G. western railway and others was bad
~ damaged while the Carlisle building
occupied by the Southern Pacific Rail-
way company and Smith & Sons and
the Cincinnati Trust company ON the
nrst Hoor, and very many offices on the
other i've floors, were damaged
The front stone wall of the Pike bui1d-
ing and those of adjoining structures
owned by Robert Clarke & 90. and the
Duhme Brothers jewely store and OF
The Season Good buildings withstood
the heat and did not fall The rear
walls of these structures. however.
which are of brick gave way with the
falling floors
The fire swept across the alley known
as Baker street and burned the large
publishing house ct the American PoaiS
company at the corner Of Baker street
ana other property along Baker street.
ana qlo great damage to the telephone
building, So that OH telephones ia the
city were cut off for some time All
the guests in the Burnett house on Vine
htTeet. lust across the street from the
tele9none building, We're called out Of
thelr rooms. as were those of the Glib
son the Emery and the Stag hotels
Which were in close proximity to the
Ife- ne hankakee building. which is
uias0naily across the street from the
Seascn-GOOd building and Pike Ouera
house and is occunied by the Western
nion- the Associated Press. the Bis.
-Four and other Offices. was threatene1
and all the wires of the Western Union
Ier hours were in danger. but this loca-
flon was spared. although it had mar
TOW escape 1T was not until after day
Hgnt that the fire was gotten under con
trol and the danger of a general con
hagration was believed to be over
As u is known that about 20 Deopl5
sieep In the Pike building there were at
ltiat ie2ofts that several lives had been
t9st. Dut none Of these reports has beeN
tVhhimed There We're many narrow
eseapss- Night Watchman John Agin
ail4 mart Garretson and Harry Rich
afQson. doorkeeoer. saved six lives bv
snteflng the building and forcing theif
~ey u1fouSh the smoke and rescufne
t9leefs- Five men were asleep in a rear
room OF the Pike building when fbev
~eLe rescued by having their door
broken. They were John Mulvern. p
W Ielgler H. c.. Storey, j. f. McDon-
ald and w c. Asker All escaDed in
their night clothes Agin, Richardson
ana SFarretsQn proceeded through the
nuildlng. giving the alarm to All unt;t
they mad to be helped out of the str1lc
1ura themselves. Can't J. c. Gannan
head of detective bureau. who was
asleep on the third floor, was awakened
and escaped In his night clothes He
lost al the records Of his Office. Moth