The Cairo bulletin., 1904-04-09

Last night about 1880 fire was dis.
covered in the rear of the building
at 9O9 Commercial avenue. occupied by
Cairo's largest department store, The
Fair, as a tinware, hardware and
granite ware department. and before
dawn this morning. four of Cairos
fine business houses were in ashes
representing a loss Of about $40,00e
including the stocks and fixtures con
tanned in the -four buildings
Both fire companies were on the
scene imediately and two lines of hose
were soon playing on the blaze. which
had already gained considerable head
way The water had hardly been
turned on full force before one OF
the lines Of hose burst and vas OF
little value
With a cold, raging wind from the
south west blowing at the rate of
thirty or forty miles an hour, lash
ing the hungry flames toward the front
of the building, the task OF the fire.
men seemed well nigh hopeless one,
but they worked increasingly and in
n short time every available line Of
hose was in service.
The combined efforts of the depart.
mcnt assisted by many volunteers,
seemed OF little avail, however and
the flames spread to the adjoining
building on the south which was oc-
eupisd by The Fair and contained
glassware. chinaware. pictures and a
general stock Of novelties. etc
Efforts were made To remove some
OF the stock from these buildings but
the smoke was stiffling and 1t was
impossible to get inside
The fire burned rapidly. as the up.
par portion OF the building was full
of infamamble stock, such as toys and
Christmas goods and for time the
fire threatened to cross Commercial
avenue to Burke's livery stable and
the frame buildings south Of the
stable. The long tongues OF flames
reached across the street but the wind
carried them above the threatened
houses and by keeping constant
stream of water on the buildings they
were saved.
When the fire was at its greatest
it appeared as if the entire block wa
doomed, but at 1880 there was ;
crash and the upper portion Of th
burning building fell. The flremen
taking advantage of the momentar
smotherlng caused by the falling tin
bers, and the tin roof covering h1ncl
of The fire and holding the h7at, ad
vanced close TO the flames and uirne
several streams of water on the ad
joining buildings.
Ii was too late, however. as tn
flames had gained good headway il
the building on the south occupied o.
the lower floor by The Fair as a ter
cent store and on the upper floor b
p. Lehnig, as a tailor shop and II
the building on the north occupied bN
John f. Ashley, as a saloon. and be
fore the fire could be checked il con
sumed both places.
by the time these buildings were
consumed the fire was well under con
tro and was prevented from spread
ing further.
The buildings where the fire origi
mated. at 907-909 Commercial avenu'
were owned by the Zimmerman sis
ters of Chicago and were part of tn
estate of Fannie Zimmerman. Th'
loss of perhaps $4,000 and little l.
known regarding the insurance. bu
II is thought they are partially insured
The building at 90j Commercial
Avenue was owned by p. Lehning anf
was partially insured while the build
ing at oil Commercial avenue wa'
owned by Henry Bernstein. John Ash
ley occupied the building with sa
loon which was one of the finest II
the city. Both building and saloon
fixtures were partially in sured.
The stock Of The Fair owned b,