Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-26
Loss is Estimated at So 100000
Ruins Are Still Burning.
BUILDINGS In VICINITY ARE DAMAGED
Fire Under Control When Explosion
OF Liquors Caused Rapid Spread
Over 400 People Suffer Losses From
Effects of Fire.

Cincinnati, Feb. ga fire which
started in the cellar of the Pike opera
house building at 1880 o'clock this
morning and caused loss estimated
at $2,000,000 was not under control
until after daylight AS the confla
grafton occurred in the heart of the
city it caused great alarm. All the oc
cupants of the Burnett and Gibson no
tells, which are in close proximity,
were called out of their rooms.
Many Narrow Escapes.
There was no loss of life however,
although there were many narrow es-
capes, several lives being saved by the
heroism Of the firemen and police. The
Pike building was totally destroyed, in
Guiding the Offices OF the United States
ard. Adams Express companies;
Whites restaurant Empson's confec-
tionery; Strauss cigar store, the thea
tire, auditorium, green room and the
main Offices on the upper floor.
Other Buildings Damaged.
The. building adjoining the Pike on
the east was occupied by Robert Clark
Co., publishers; Guhme Bros, jewel
ers and others. was entirely Quilted.
The building on the west and the Boe.
deck building on the east were badly
damaged. The large publishing house
of the American Book Co., and the
other property along Baker street, in
cluding Zumbiel & Co.'S, box factory
were also burned and the telephone
building was considerably damaged.
Other adjoining properties were also
threatened but owing to the good work
of the fire department the spread of
the fire was checked, shortly after the
flames were discovered. 1t was then
thought that the fire was under con-
troll, but an explosion supposed to have
come from the liquors in storage, caus-
ed the flames to spread beyond con-
troll.
Company Loses.
Henrietta Crossman's Co., was
the attraction at the theatre this week
and the entire scenery and costumes
were lost.
Many Losses.
There are over 400 different losers.
1t Is impossible at present to estimate
the total loss, as the fire is still burn
ing in the territory bounded by Vine,
Walnut, Fourth and Baker streets.
John Keenan,, night watchman. was
caught by falling walls and fatally in.
jured.
Fireman Killed.
New York, Feb 26.-Fire Captain
Andreise was killed and several other
firemen were injured by falling cell
2 ing at fire in an eight story building
on Broadway and Thirteenth street
today. The loss was $250000. The
= occupants of the building were Hack.
ett, Carhart & Co., mems furnishers;
Crown Suspender Co., Nonatuk Silk
Co., Brainerd & Armstrong Silk Co
and Altman Neckwear Co.
Detailed Losses.
The principal losers are: The Amer.
lean Book company. $250,000; Robert
Clarke & Co., $350,000; Pike building
S475,O0O; Seasongood building, $125,.
900; Harrison building, $125, 900; Eos
dick building, s125,000; Duhme Bros.
$75,000; Richter & Phillips, $4,000;
Joffee's grocery, $4,000; Strauss, ci
gars, $4,000; Henrietta Crossman Co.
$4,000; Saxby's magazine, $4,000
Many Smaller Losses.
There are scores of smaller losses
ranging from $1,000 to $4,000. Mos
of those in the Pike building were
without insurance as the rate has re
Gently been put at what some of then
considered too high.
Insurance Rate High.
The insurance in no case is large
and the loss is much higher than usua
on account of the high rate fixed by
the underwriters.
Kentucky Firemen Help.
Tho fro fohtare Of tha oitU wprt
given valuable assistance by the de
partments from Covington, Newpor
Y and other Kentucky towns, but it wa:
noon before their combined efforts
had the fire under control. The build
ings. destroyed were among the mos
substantial in the city.
REPRESENT SIX STATES.