Omaha daily bee., 1904-12-24
SIOUX CITY HARD HIT
Fire Destroys Business Property Estimated
to Be Worth Million Dollars.
NEARLY TWO BLOCKS ARE SWEPT CLEAN
Starts IN Basement Of P'lletier "a While
Crowded with Psol q
FORTUNATELY ALL The SHoPP Z z icAPE
Fay, Commercial and Massachus = Ocls
Entirely Destroyed.
ONE FIREMAN is THE ONLY Il E IT
outside Towns Requested TO Sen Aid,
but Flames Are Under Control
FoRTUNATELYNl The sHopP zE
Fay, Commercial and Massachus = Oc
Entirely Destroyed. s:
ONE FIREMAN is THE ONLY u z
Outside Towns Requested TO seI Aid
but Flames Are Under Control
before Many Could Reach
the scene.

SIOUX CITY. Ia, Dec. 23.-A fire which
resulted in the death Of one fireman, a
monetary loss roughly estimated at 81, ,000-
600 and the destruction OF nearly two en-
tire blocks, started in the basement Of
the PeIletier department stcre located at
Fourth and Jackson streets. at o'clock
tonight The district burned over lies in
the center Of the business portion of the
city. and among the buildings were sew
eral Of the most substantial structures in
the city. In these buildings were located
many large stores and several wholesale
establishments and three national banks
The fire started in the basement Of the
store, but its origin is in doubt.
large number of Christmas shoppers
crowded the Pelletier and other stores and
Il was with dificulty that all managed TO
escape from the burning building. The
flames enveloped much of the building be-
fore the fire department arrived and was
quite beyond control. For three hours and
a half, until they had gotten beyond range
of the large buildings. the flames carried
everything in their path. Both telegraph
companies were put out of business by
reason of their wires all being burned out
and the office Of the Western Union was
destroyed. Although a great number of
telephone circuits were within the district.
lished with outside points
The fire was gotten under control at IL 30
with the assistace OF several outside de-
partments.
Starts in Big Store.
The fire started in the Pelletier depart
ment store, located in the Toy building a
six-story stone block. at the corner OF
Fourth and jackson streets, occupied also
by the First National bank. The entire
building, together with its contents was
destroyed. but before the hremen could
secure control of the flames they had
spread also to the Massachusetts block on
the west. another large, fine six-story
building. With the heat sufficiently intense
TO keep the gathered holiday shoppers a
block away. the firemen were unable to get
near enough to do any material good in
stopping the ravages Of the flames. which
rapidly spread to- the Westward, assisted
by a brisk wind.
In the course of their flight the flames
were communicated to a score OF other
business places. located in the buildings to
the west of the Toy block. Among these
were the following, which are entirely de-
stroyed:
The Massachusetts, building, occupied by
seven large stores. including the Gillette
Hardware company, the Pullman hotel
johnson Aronsen. clothing and furnish
ings; Orkin Bros, womens furnishings;
George Conway, wholesale tobacco and
cigars and the American Express COM
pany. Several families lived in the rear OF
the building, but 50 far as known all the
occupants escaped.
The next building destroyed was the
Commercial block. In this structure were
located the City National bank j. j. Prugn.
queensware; Warfield-Pratt- Howell com
pany, wholesale grocers; Peavey & Nash,
furniture; Dow Clothing company, Harsted
d Halsuth, shoes: Theodore Becker Tailor
ing company. Weld Hardware company
and Western Union Telegraph company
Flames Jump Alley.
Leaping across the alley the fire next
spread to the smaller buildings facins
Fourth street These included the North.
western National bank, Seller Bros, whole
sale liquors, and Magner & Walsh's saloon.
The wires of both the Postal and Western
Union Telegraph companies were in tine
path Of the flames, and in addition to burn
ing the Western Union office also destroyed
nearly a block Of cables connecting its sys-
tenn of wires with the main Office. The
Postal company's ONCE was not In the
burned district, but its wires were de-
stroyed. The telephone company had a
great number OF wires destroyed but was
able to furnish partial communication to
outside cities
other buildings burned include the Leader
hotel, at Third and Pierce sctreets; the
West hotel, a large new structure. at
Third and Nebraska streets; Higman &
Skinner. wholesale boots and shoes. and a
large number of small establishments.
When the flames had reached a point
neSr the Tribune building. facing Pierce
N.tr the al AZ
forts and managed to prevent the destruc-
tion OF that structure. although II was
considerably damaged.
The outside departments did not arrive
in time 10 offer material aid