The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-05
Pike Building and Its Many Stores
Mighty Mass of Ruins.
FOR SEVERAL HOURS
IT FIERCELY RACED,
The Magnificent Opera House in the
Block, Together With the Vast
Quantity of Scenery, Went
to Fiery Fate.

fire in its history. Abaout 100 o'clock
yesterday flames were discovered
in the cellar of George Joffee's grocery
in Pike building. on Fourth street, be-
tween Vine and Walnut
Soon after the fire department play
ed on the building it was thought the
flames were under control. But an
hour later however, there was an ex-
plosion, supposed to come from liquors
in storage, and the flames soon after
wards 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 destroyed, includ-
ing the Offices of the United States Ex-
press company, Adams Express COM
pany. Whites restaurant owned by
Maynard & Kerr; George Joffee's gro
Gerry, John B. Martins restaurant,
Empson's confectionery, Henry Strauss
cigar store and the Offices of Pike The
alter company on the first floor, Pixies
theater, auditorium and the green
rooms and other Offices on the second
floor and all Offices on the third, fourth
and fifth floors. The Seasongood build
ing, adjoining the Pike building on the
west, at the corner Of Vine and Fourth,
was badly damaged. The building adj
Joining the Pike building on the east,
owned by the L. B. Harrison estate
and occupied by the Robert Clarke
company, publishers, and Duhme Bros,
jewelers., on the first floor, and others
in the upper stories, were totally de-
stroyed. The Fosdick building on the
east, the Robert Clarke company and
Duhme Bros. and Norfolk and Western
railroad Offices and others were badly
ramaged, while the Carlisle building,
occupied by the Southern Pacific rail-
way, H Smith & Sons, Cincinnati
Trust company on the first floor and
very many Offices on the other five
floors were slightly damaged
The fire swept across the alley
known as Baker street and burned the
large publishing house of the Ameri-
can Book company at the corner of
Baker street and other property along
Baker street, including the large box
factory Of Zumbiel & Co., the earpen-
ter shop OF Henry Behrens, and did
great damage to the Bell Telephone
company, SO that all telephones In the
city were cut on for some time. The
fire was in the center Of the city and
caused great alarm.
All the guests in the Burnet House
on Vine street, just across the street
from the telephone building, were call
ed out of their rooms, also those at
Gibson. Emory and Stag hotels, which
were in close proximity to the fire.
The Kankakee building, which Is
across the street from the
building and the Pike
opera house, and occupied by the
Western Union Associated Press. Big
Four railroad and other offices, were
and all wires of the West
tern Union for hours were in dan
ger, but this location was spared by
narrow escape. There was scarcely
any wind blowing. and this prevented
the fire from spreading in any direc-
ton except southwark to Baker street.
Not only the entire fire department.
but also the police and other depart
ments were on hand, expecting a gen.
eral catastrophe. Mayor Fleis1ehman
was on scene. About twenty people
had sleeping apartments in Pike build
Ing, and there were reports at first
that several lives had been lost, but
none OF these reports have been con-
armed. There were many narrow es-
.apes.
Night Watchman John Agin and Mat
Garretson and Harry Richardson
doorkeepers. saved six lives by enter
Ing the building and forcing their way
through smoke. Agin, Richardson and |
Garretson proceeded through the build
Ing giving the alarm to all until they |
had to be helped out Of the structure
themselves. Captain ]. G. Grammar, /
head of detective bureau. who was
asleep In his office on the third floor.
was awakened and escaped in his |
night clothes. He lost all records of |
the office. and everything he had Moth
Ing was saved from the upper floors,
even from the rooms of the theatre |
company. As there are over 400 diff.
ferent losers it is impossible at this |
writing to estimate the total loss The
ire was still burning at 8 a. M. with /
little prospect of control in the terri I
tory bounded by Vine. Walnut, Fourth /
Ind Baker streets. and the loss is es-
IImated at over three millions. John /
keenan,, night Waterman Of American
Book company. was caught by falling
walls and fatally injured.
The Pike theatre building was total
" DESTROYED by fire in 1865 and IL
narrowly escaped total destruction on
March so, 1902, when there was Sun
lay matinee in progress, but no lives
were lost in any fires. After fire last
rear the interior Of the Pike theatre
we're remedeled and the theatre re-
decorated and refurnished at an ex-
tense ct several thousand dollars, over
'l5eo worth OF gold leaf alone being