The Cairo bulletin., 1904-12-24
FLAMES SWEEP
AN IOWA CITY
Two Entire Blocks in Sioux City
Are Destroyed
HELP is SUMMONED
FROM OMAHA BUT COMBINED
FIRE FIGHTING FORCE FAILS
TO STOP FIRE = LOSS ov.
ER ONE MILLION.

ny the Associated Press
Sioux City, Ia, Dee, 23 The fire
which started about nine tonight has
destroyed Two entire city blocks in
the center OF the retail district. en-
failing loss estimated at a million
dollars.
Assistance was brought from out
de cities and an eng NJ and other
equipment was i.arted from Omaha at
ten o'clock.
The burned buildings include the
Tribune. three banks. Western I'm
ion telegraph Office and dozen other
large mercantile concerns
The entire territory between Jack
son and Pierce and Third and Fourth
streets was practically consumed by
eleven o'clock and the ire was Sill
spreading rapidly. with the firemen
unable 10 secure control.
Both telegraph companies wires
were all last before ten. temporarily
cutting on all communication with
outside cities. ater he telephone
wires were used over a circuitons
route
The fire started IN the Pelletier de-
partment store located IN the Toy
building, a six-story stone block, cor
ner of Fourth and Jackson streets. oc-
cupied also by the Firat National
bank. The entire building and con-
tents were destroyed. but before the
iramen could secure control the
| aaw,.x.. had s.,ean.l otrr ~ 81. Maucn
chusetts block on the wes.s, another
six-story building. With the heat suf-
iIciently intense 10 keep the gather
ing holiday choppers a block away.
the firemen wsre unable To get near
enough TO do any material good In
stopping the DANES, which rapidly
spread 10 the westward. assisted by
brisk wind.
/ In the course OF their flight the
flames were communicated to score
of other business places west Of the
Toy book Among theaas we're the
following which are entirely destroy
ed:
Massachusetts building. occupied by
seven large stores. including the Gil
lette Hardware company. Pullman ho-
tel Johnson and Aronson, clothing
and furnishings; Orkin Bros, ladies'
furnishings George Conway. whole
ale tobacco and cigars. and the Am
erican Express company.
The next building destroyed was
the Commercial block In this struc-
ture were located the City National
bank, j. j. Prugh, quaensware. War
heldPratt- Howell company. wholesale
grocers; Peavey and Nash. furniture;
Dow Clothing company. Harsted and
Halsuth. shoes; Theodore Becker
Tailoring company, Waldo Hardware
company. and Western Union Tele-
graph company.
Leaping across tho alley Il spread
to smaller buildings facing Fourth
stree. These included the North
western National bank. Seller Bros..
wholesale liquors; Magner and Welsh.
saloon.
Wires of both the Postal and West
ern Union Telegraph companies were
in the path OF the flames and in add-
ton to burning the Wegtern Union Of
/ fee also destroyed block of cables
connecting rs system OF wires with
/ the main office The Postal com
pany's Office was not in the burned
district. but IT'S wires were destroyed.
The telephone company had great
number of wires destroyed, but wal
able to furnish partial communities
ton to outside cities.
Other buildings burned include the
Leader Hotel. at Third and Pierce
streets. West hotel. a large new struc-
ture at Third and Nebraska streets;
Higman and Skinner. wholesale
boots and shoes and a large number
of small establishments. When the
4 flames had reached a point near the
I Tribune building. the firemen concen-
trated their efforts and managed TO
prevent the destruction of that struc-
ture. although il was considerably
+ damaged.