The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-12-29
SIOUX CITY IS
SWEPT BY FIRE
FINEST PART OF BUSINESS SEC
TIoN DESTROYED.
LOSS MAY REACH $s.ooo,oOO.
elegant Buildings Built in Boom
Times, the Pride Of the City
crumble Before Wild Car
nival Of Flames.

FhhNN'
Sioux City, Ia, Dec. 24.--Two solid
blocks out of the heart Of the business
section of Sioux City were completely
destroyed by fire last night. The
loss will approximate between $1,000
900 and $4,000, 900, and marks the
greatest conlagration in the city's
half century of existence.
Buildings which were erected dur
ing the old boom days, worthy to have
graced cities of twice the size, such
as the Toy bank building and the
Massachusetts block, and about which
the business life of the city conferred,
we're laid in ashes, and the whole VI
tai business life of the city was struck
a crushing blow.
The fire started at, SOP p. M, in the
basement of the store of the Pelletier
Dry Goods COMPANY in the Massachu-
sets block, at the corner OF Fourth
and Jackson streets. With this as a
starting point practically the whole
two blocks between Third and Fourth
and Jackson and Pierce streets were
destroyed. Only one or two buildings,
among them that occupied by the
Sioux City Tribune, were left stand
ing amid the ruin wrought by the
flames.
From the Massachusetts block the
fire jumped east across Jackson street
to the Toy bank building, a seven
story Office structure, built Of solid
granite, which was also destroyed.
The r. S. Martin Dry Goods COM
pany's store, to the north of the fire.
swept blocks, took fire, but the flames
were finally extinguished, although
| considerable damage was suffered by
| water.
The fire stopped at the corner of
Fourth and Pierce streets, just before
it reached the Davidson Bros. dry
goods store, the largest Of the kind
in Sioux City. 1t, seemed for a time
that this must surely go, but it was
finally saved, by the efforts Of the
firemen. The fire vas under control
by II O'Clock. 81
The Omaha department was sent
for, but arrived too late to be of ser
vice. ..
Grotesque ruins and blackened frag
ments are all that remain Of Siou1
City's choicest business section. The
path of destruction of the flames de
ies description.
Partial List of Losses.
Pelletier Dry Goods company, $240,
900; insurance, 5000, 200.
Orkin Bros, furnishings, loss, SIS,
900; insurance, $500.
]. X. Prugh & Co., queensware, loss
sec 900; insurance, $35, 1000.
r. R. Purslow, West hotel and othe
buildings, $751; 900; insurance, $4,000
j. W. Brown, Commercial block, $40,
900; insurance, half.
=. Schulein estate, loss, $50, 900; insuI
ance, $4,000.
} Northwestern National bank, ,loss
/, $1,000; covered.
Fagley & Co., clothing, loss, SIS, 900
covered.
: Paul Leader, hotel, loss, $4,000
insurance, $4,000.
George NJ. Conway, wholesale tobac
conist, loss, 5000; insurance, $45
900.
State Bank Building company, To
building, loss, STE, 900; insurance NO
i, known.
, Martin Bros, department store, loss
$4,000; covered.
, Davidson Bros, department store
loss, $4,000; covered.
Wagner & Walsh, saloon, loss, $13
!, 900; insurance, $4,000.
The Destroyed Buildings.
Other blocks and stores which wer
burned out include the following:
Gillette Hardware company.
Johnson & Aronson. clothing mel
chants.
Pullman hotel.
City National bank.
Bolton block.
American Express company.
Peavey e. Nash Furniture company
Dow Clothing company.
Warfield, Pratt, Howell Co., whole
sale grocers.
Harstad G Halsteth, retail shoes.
Hotel West.
Hotel Leader.
Weld Hardware company.
Western Union Telegraph company
Theodore Becker,gents' furnishings
Seller Bros, Wholesale liquor.
George Conway, wholesale cigars.