Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-31

 INJURED At Big Fire In Chi cago To-Day.
Fierce Gale Drove Sparks In Every Direction Set Buildings Blocks Away On Fire Loss About $l, : 100000.

Chicago, Dec 31.--A fire which de- stroyed S60O,000 worth of property in West Van Buren street, today, start cd on the second floor of the seven story brick building occupied by the Cash Buyers union. The building was entirely destroyed.
 Spreading rapidly, the fire soon as- sumed large proportions. Fearing that i the whole district was i'll danger, 9 second alarm was sent in, closely fol- lowed by series of extra calls for al- ditional men and apparatus. When the fire penetrated to the adjoining build- ing, occupied by the Zeno Manufacture ing Go, four-story structure, the fire men were ordered to the roofs of ad- jacent buildings to fight the flames Within few minutes the flames had gutted the structure and had spread to the Boston Rubber Paint Go. Then the flames. cracking the brick walls of the building, spread to 1902 West Van Buren street, causing heavy damage to the Peninsular Stove Go, which firm occupied the seven floors
 So fierce did the blaze become that burning sparks carried by 3 high gale were driven far over the district and buildings blocks away caught fire. With a detonation that was heard for squares, an explosion in tho basement Of the Cash Buyers Union buildinS tore up the streets and sidewalks, throwing firemen into the air and tear ing live wires of the Van Buren street electric car line down, Crushing down through the fraiI walls of the struc- ture adjoining, the towering walls of the Peninsular Stove Co and those of the Cash Buyers Union tottered and collapsed. A series of small explosions followed the fall of the walls. x two story frame dwelling at 1863 West Van Buren street, occupied as 3 room ing house, was crushed like q shell by the failing walls. The inmates haa been awakened earlier and escaped to the streets, but were unable to save any of their clothing. The stables oc cupied by Fortune Bros Brewing Go were gutted. The horses were saved.
 Fred Blocki, fireman. was struck on the head hy failing bricks and se- verely injured.
 There was at small panic on the AIetropol lltan elerated railWas when. tho maotOTamem rushed their cars through the smoke. Passengers at, tempted to get out, but were held in check by the guards. When the ex- plosion occurred the windows in the residences across the street were shat tered, and chimneys were thrown down Firemen who were in the path of the falling walls escaped death by leaping into a hole that was. beina dug at the side of a frame building.
 Search is being made for the body of the night watchman of the Cash Buyers union. He is believed to have re-enteTed the burning building afteh giving the alarm He has not been seen since. The fire is pronounced by Chief Canpion to have made a more rapid headWay than any in his ex- perience since the great fire of 1871.
 The principal losses are: 162-164 West Van Buren street, seven-stoly brick building. 75,OOO: Peninsular Stove O.. $2OO,0OO; 15s- -16O Van Buren street, seven-story brick building, S75,- OOO;. Cash Buyers First National Go operative society, $1OOO0O; 154-156 West Van Ruren street, five-story brick building, $5o0oO; Rnbber Paint Co, S40,D0O; Zeno Manufacturing Go, $2O,, GOO. Losses on other buildings in tho vicinity range from $500 to $3,0oo.