The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-24

FIRE WAS SOON
BEYOND CONTROL
Two Big Business Blocks Are
Burned at Sioux City, la.
ONE FIREMAN LOST HIS LIFE
DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT ONE
MILLION DOLLARS.
ONE FIREMAN LOST HIS LIFE

NIoU& CITY, Ia Dec. pa fire.
y which resulted in the death of one
fireman. d monetary loss roughly
estimated at a million dollars, and the
destruction Of near two blocks. started
in the basement of the Pelletier depart
ment store, i'm the Toy block, six
story stone building 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
several of the most substantial struc-
lures in the city. In these buildings
were located 2 large number of large
stores and several wholesale establish
meuts and three national banks. The
fire started i'm the basement Of the
store, but its origin is in doubt.
Soon Beyond Control.
large number Of Christmas shop
pers crowded the Peiletier and other
stores and it was with difficulty that
all managed 10 escape from the burn
ing building. The flames enveloped
much of the building before the fire
department arrived, and was quite be-
yond 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. AL
though a great number of telephone
circuits We're within the district long
distance circuits were later established
with outside points,
The fire was conquered at 1880.
From the Pelletier store the flames
spread to the Massachusetts block on
the west another large six-stOry build
ing. The fire continued westward,
driven by a brisk wind.
In the course Of their flight the flames
were communicated to score of other
business places located in the buildings
west of the Toy block. Among
these were the following, which were
entirely destroyed:
The Massachusetts building, occupied
by seven large stores. including the
Gillette Hardware company, the Pull
man hotel. Johnson q ATOnsOn, cloth
ing and furnishings; Orkin Brothers.
ladies furnishings, George Conway,
wholesale tobacco and cigars, and the
American Express company. Several
families lived in the rear of the build
iugs. but 50 far as known all the oCcu-
pants escaped.
Commercial Block Destroyed.
The next building destroyed was the
Commercial block In this structure
were located the City National bank.
j. J. PTugh. queensware; WaTheid-
pratt-Howell company. wholesale
ErOcers; Peavy & Nash. furniture. Dow
Clothing company. Harsted & Halsuth,
shoes, Theodore Becker, Tailoring COM
pany: Wald Hardware company and
The Western Union Telegraph company
Lcaping across the alley the fire next
spread to the smaller buildings facing
Fourth street. These included the
Northwestern National bank; Seller
Brothers. wholesale liquors, and Wagner
* Welsh's saloon.
Other buildings burned include the
Leader hotel. at Third and Pierce
streets. the West hotel, a new structure
al Third and Nebraska streets; Higman
* Skinner wholesale boots and shoes.
and a large number Of small establish
1Ecnts
When the flames had reached a point
near the Tribune building, facing
Pierce street. the fremen concentrated
their efforts and managed to prevent
The destruction of that building, al
though il was much damaged.
The outside departments did not ar
rive i'm time 10 offer material aid.
\ partial list Of losses is:
Pelletier Dry Goods company. S240
coo; J. X. Brugh & Co, queensware,
loss $4,000; r. r. Purslow, West hotel
and other buildings $f5.00 Commercial
block sac, 600. Schulein estate. loss 500
coo; George NJ. Conway, wholesale to-
1larcODfst loSl Sl5 600. state Rank
Building company, toy building. loss
$l75,000; Martin Brothers, department
store, loss $4,000.