The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-01
DAMAGES OVER
HALF A MILLION
Fire Broke Out in Seven-StOry
Building in Chicago.
FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY
NARROW ESCAPE OF RooMING
HOUSE INMATES.

Chicago. Dec 3l.-A fire that started
today on the second floor of the seven
story brick building in West Van Blu
rem street. occupied by the Cash Buy
er's union, destroyed property valued at
$500, 600
Spreading rapidly, the fire soon as
sumed such large proportions that the
whole district vas in danger and a sec
ond alarm vas sent in. followed bv a
series of extra calls for additional men
and apparatus. When the fire pen
etrated 10 the adjoining building, occu
pied by the ZenO Manufacturing com
pany, a four-story structure, the fire.
men We're ordered to the roofs of ad-
9acent buildings to fight the flames.
within few minutes the flames had
Quilted the structure and had spread to
the Boston Ruuher Paint company.
Then the flames, cracking the brick
walls of the building. spread to 160-162
West Van Buren, street, causing heavy
damage to the Peninsular Stove COM
pany. which hTm occupied the seven
floors
Sparks Carried by Wind.
So fierce did the blaze became that
burning sparks carried by a high gale
were driven far over the district and
building blocks away caught fire.
With decoration that was heard for
the Cash Buyers union building tore
up the streets and sidewalks. throwing
firemen into the air and tearing live
wires of the Van Buren, street electric
car line down.
Fred Block. a fireman. was struck
on the head by falling bricks and Sc
verely injured.
Crushing Iown through the fral
walls of the structure adjoining, the
towering walls OF the Peninsular Stove
rar,r
union tottered and collapsed.
A series Of small Explosions followed
the fall of the walls. A two-story
frame dwelling at 166-16S West Van
Buren, street, occupied as a rooming
house. was crushed like a shell by the
falling walls.
The inmates ha5 been awakened ear
her and escaped to the street, but were
unable to save any of their clothing.
The stables occupied by Fortune
Brothers Brewing company were gut
ted. The horses were saved
Panic on the Elevated.
There was a smaH panic on the Met
rOpolitan Elevated railway when the
motormen rushed their cars through the
smoke Passengers attempted to get
out but were held in check by the
guards. When the explosion occurred
the windows III the residences across
the street were shattered. the chimneys
We're thrown down. Firemen who We're
in the path Of the falling walls escaped
death by leaping into a hole that was
being dug at the east side of frame
building.
The fire is pronounced by Chief Cam
pion to have made a more rapid head
way than any III his experience since
the great ire of 1871.
The principal losses are:
One Hundr ID and SiXty-twO and One
Hundred and Sixty-fOur West Van
buren, street. -Seven-storyr building. SIS
600; PeniHsular stove company, 5000. 600.
15S-160 Vanbureu street. seVen-StOry
brick building. $4,000: Cash Buyers
First Nation9l Cooperative society,
500. 600: 154-iJ6 West VanbUren street,
five-story brick building. $4,000; Rub
Der Paint company. $4,000; Zeno Man
ufacturing company. $4,000.
Losses on other buildings in the v
cirlity range .'.-oril $500 70 SO 600.