Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-31
MANY EXTRA CALLS SENT IN.
Explosion 10 Basement OF One Build
ing Tore Up Sidewalks, Throwing
FIremen Into Air
WALLS TOTTEREO AND FELL.
Then Came a Series Of Small ExplO
sious Flames Made More Rapid
Progress Than Any Fire Since 1871

Chicago, Dec. 3l.-A fire that started
today on tho second floor Of the seven
story brick building in West Van Blu
rem street, occupied by The Cash Buy
ers' union, destroyed property valued
at $500, OOO
Spreading rapidly the fire soon as
sumed large proportions and the whols
district was IN danger, A second
alarm was sent In, followed by a Sc
ries OF extra calls for additional men
and apparatus When the fire pene-
trated to the adjoining building, occu-
pied by the Zeno Manufacturing COM
pany a four-story structure, the fire.
men were ordered to tho roofs OF adj
jacent buildings to fight the flames,
Within few minutes the flames had
Quilted the structure, and had spread
TO the Boston Rubber Paint company
Then the flames, cracking the brick
walls Of the building spread TO 1902
West Van Buren, street. causing heavy
damage to the Penlnsular Stove COM
pany, which firm occupied the seven
floors.
So fierce did the blaze become that
burning sparks carried By a high gale
were driven FAR over the district and
buildings blocks away caught IRE,
With a defamation that was heard for
squares am explosion in the basement
Of the Cash Buyers union building tore
up the streets and sidewalks throwing
fremen into the air and tearing live
wires of the Van Buren, street electric
car lin down.
Fred BOckl a fireman. was struck on
the head by falling bricks and severely
Injured
Crushing down through the frall
walls u the structure adjoining, the
towering walls Of the Peninsula stove
company and those Of the Cash Buy
ers' union tottered and collapsed
a series OF small explosions followed
the fall OF the walls a tWO-story frame
dwelling at 1868 West Vanburen street,
occupied as a rooming house, was
crushed like she'll by the falling walls.
The inmates had been awakened earlier
and escaped TO the street, but were un-
able TO save any OF their clothing.
The stables occupied by Fortune
Brothers Brewing company were Quilted.
The horses were saved
There was a small panic on the Me-
tropOlitan elevated railway when the
motormen rushed their cars through the
smoke Passengers attempted TO get
out but were held I'm check by the
guards. When the explosion occurred
the windows In the residences across
the street were shattered. the chlmneys
were thrown down Flremen who
were In the path OF the falling walls es-
capped death by leaplng into hole that
was being dug at tho east side OF
frame building.
The fire IL pronounced by Chief Cam
plon 70 have made a more rapid bead
way than any IN his experience slnos
the great fire Of 1871.
The principal losses are:
1874 West Vunburen street. sewn
story brick building, $4,000 Penlrsu,ae
Stove company. 100000; 1880 Venbur,
Pm street, Geven-stogy brick building.
$4,000, Cash Buyers First National
Cooperative society $4,000 1914
West Vanburen street hve-sttry brick
building, $4,000; Rubber Paint COM
lany, $4,000 2ouo Manufacturing cor.
amy $4,000
losses on other buildings IA the VI
Unity tango from. 500 20 $500.