The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-25
GREAT LOSS BY
SIOUX CITY FIRE
Property Damage viii Amount
TO Over Two Millions.
CINE LIFE WAS SACRIFICED
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE OUT OF
EMPLOYMENT.

Sioux City, Ia. Dec. 24-Sioux City
awoke today with two of it's best bust
ness blocks in ashes, causing a loss that
may reach $500. OOO throwing hundreds
of people out of employment and en-
failing the loss of at least one life
The fire had originated i'm the base
ment of the Pellatier Dry Goods COM
pany, at Fourth and Jackson streets,
one of the main corners of the city. A
strong wind was blowing from the west
and the fire soon spread from the Mas
sachusetts building to the Toy building
across Jackson street, seven-story
structure, and then leaped across
Fourth street 10. the Metropolitan block,
which also was a seven-story building.
This building was only partly de-
stroyed, but the Toy block and its an
mex on the east was entirely burned.
The Massachusetts, building. in which
the Pelletier Dry Goods company was
located. was soon destroyed. and the
fire swept toward the west. finally wlp-
ing out two of the blocks in the center
Of the city between Jackson street on
the east, Pierce street on the west,
Fourth street on the north and Third
street on the south. Within this terri
tory the only buildings saved were the
Northwestern National bank on Fourth
and Pierce streets. and the Tribune
building on Pierce. near Third street,
Leaped the Street.
Many times the flames leaped across
Fourth street, and plate glass windows
and stocks were damaged in other large
stores.
Three hotels were burned-the West,
Leader and Pullman. An the guests
escaped ia safety. The man who was
killed jumped from the fourth-story
window in the Massachusetts, building.
| He struck a wire and missed the net
held by the iremen- Nobody has been
able to identify him. There were no
other serious casualties.
! For several hours il was believed the
! whole business section of the city would
be burned. Omaha. Council BUNS ana
other nearby cities sent FIRE apparatus,
but the fire was under control when
/ they arrived
The flames were finally checked at
| Pierce street after Seller Brothers
wholesale establishment had been de-
stroyed.
Tribune Was Saved
I The Tribune building. across from the
| Seller building, was on fire several
| times, and DavidsOn's big department
store was saved only by great effort
| All of its plate glass windows on Pierce
street side were broken by the heat. 1t
was not until o'clock this morning
that the flames were safely under con-
| troll The Western Union Telegraph
| company, whose entire plant was de-
stroyed. established a temporary office
at the Chicago & Northwestern depot.
where il began handling its business
at midnight. Today new equipment
and telegraph apparatus arrived from
| Omaha, and other cities and viii be in
stalled at once in a temporary lOca-
! ton.
The Postal company's loss was less
serious and il had it's wires in working
order early in the day.
Most of the property destroyed was
reasonably well insured and the re-
building of the burned buildings viii
begin in most instances so soon as fire
/ losses are adjusted.
Detailed Losses.
The following additional detailed
losses are reported today: Seller Broth
ers. liquor dealers, loss $4,000, insur-
ance $23. GOO. Dow Clothing company
loss S65 600. insurance $4,000.
Other losses: Higman, Skinner &
Co. boots and sh0es,- loss $4,000; Weld
! Hardware company. $4,000; Davidson
! Brothers. $40 coo: Jonathan w. Brown,
Bolton block. $35. 900: Commercial block,
$40 1000; Brown Block company. build
ing. s31. 600: James Boutwell,, building.
S23 900; John Arenson Clothing com
pany. stock So OG0; Gellete Hardware
company. $23. 600; Massachusetts Realty
company. Massachusetts building,
500, 600