Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-26
BIC LOSS BY FIRE
Cincinnati Visited BY a
100000 Blaze.
PIKE 7HEATER BURNED
Several Neighboring Build
ings Badly Damaged.
TELEPHONES CUT OFF
PERSONS SLEEPING IN PIKE
BUILDING NARROWLY ESCAPE.
Most Disastrous Confagration in Rec
ord Of the City-Experience
Of an Actor.
PERSONS SLEEPING IN PIKE
BUILDING NARROWLY ESCAPE.

CINCINNATI, Ohio February 26-This
city had a fire today that destroyed one
half of square in the center of the busi-
ness district and caused a loss of over
100000. There are approximately 400
losers. The burning embers were carried
for miles, the Kentucky suburbs being COW
cred with them. The fire departments OF
Covington, Newport and other Kentucky
towns came promptly to the assistance of
the local firemen. and it was noon before
their combined efforts had the fire under
control Crews were at work all the time
on the roofs Of surrounding buildings. and
general confagration was narrowly
averted.
1t was perhaps the greatest scare the city
ever had, as 1t was thought at one time
that the entire business section was DOOM
ed, and such would have been the case If
there had been brisk winds
Joseph Schaefer and John keenan, were
seriously injured by falling walls. but both
will recover. Although there are reports OF
persons being missing 1t Is not thought that
any lives were lost. Captain O'Keefe. with
seven firemen, was caught on the roof OF
one of the buildings, and all came near per-
ishing when the flames broke out under
them, but they were rescued by ladders.
marks of the city. All the buildings were
among the most substantial in the city,
with possibly the exception of the large but
old Pike building.
Origin Of the Fire.
About 80 o'clock this morning flames
were discovered in the cellar of George
Jofree's grocery in the Pike building on
4th street between Vine and Walnut
streets. An hour later there was an
explosion, supposed to come from liquors
in storage, and the flames soon afterward
shot up through the roof Of the six-story
stone-front building, and from that time on
for several hours the fire was beyond con-
troll. The Pike building was totally de-
stroyed, including the office of the United
States Express Company the Adams Ex-
press Company. Whites restaurant, owned
by Maynard & Kerr; George Joffee's gro
Gerry. John B. Martins restaurant, Emp
sons confectionery. Henry Strauss cigar
store and the offices of the Pike Theater
Company on the first floor, the Pike The
ater auditorium and green rooms and other
offices on the second floor, and all of 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 4th, 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 Bros.
jewelers. on the first floor and others in the
upper stories, was totally destroyed.
Fosdick Building Damaged.
The Fosdick building, east of the Robert
Clarke Company and Duhme Bros, and oc-
I1I lx,,x 4. a-r1x
and others. was badly damaged. while the
Carlisle building, occupied by the Southern
Pacific Railroad Company and Smith &
Sons and the Cincinnati Trust Company
on the first floor and very many offices on
the other five floors, was damaged.
The front stone walls of the Pike building
and those Of adjoining structures owned
by Robert Clarke & Co. and the Duhme
Bros 1ewelry store, and Of the Seasongood
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
kaker street and burned the large publish.
ing house Of the American Book Company
az the corner of Baker street and other
property along Baker street and did grea,
damage to the telephone building SO thai
0i tSiephoHeS III tile CITY We're cut OH fOI
some time.
All the guests in the burned house on Vine
street just across from the telephone build
Ing were called out OF their rooms as were
those at the Gibson, the Emery and Stas
Hotels, which were in close proximity O.
the fire. The Kankakee building, which 1.
diagonally across from the Seasongoof
building and Pike Opera House and Is oc
cupied by the Western Union, the Asso
ciated Press, the Big Four and other Of
fees, was threatened and all the wire.
OF the Western Union for hours were il
danger, but this location was spared afte,
narrow escape.
Finally Under Control.
1t was not until after daylight that tn.
hre was gotten under control and the dan
ger Of a general coniiagration was believed
90 be over
AS II is known that about twenty peoplt
eleep In the Pike building there were al
first reports that several lives had been lost
but none of these reports have been con
firmed
There were many narrow escapes. Might
Watchman John Agin and Mat Garretsor
and Harry Richardson, doorkeeper saved
ak lives by entering the building and fore
ing ther way through the smoke and res
cuing dodgers. Five men were asleep in 9
rear room OF the Pike building when the,
were rescued by having their door broker
In. They were John Mulvern b. W. Zeig
Ter. H. c. Storey, j. F. Mcdonald and w. C
Ashkhsr. All escaped in their night clothes