Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-01-03
BIG SIOUX CITY FIRE.
FLAMES DESTROY MUCH OF CITY
RETAIL DISTRICT.
Twenty-Five Buildings, Covering Two
Blocks, Burned and One Fireman Is
kiiled-Loss Is Put at 1900, 600
Holiday Shoppers In Peril.

Thousands of Christmas shoppers
were placed in peril Friday night by a
lire which broke out at $50 O'Clock.
when the holiday trade In Sioux City.
Iowa, was at its height, swept through
the center of the retail district at the
heels of fleeing buyers and sightseers,
burned over two solid blocks and
caused a property loss of $2,0OO. 600.
That many persons were not killed or
injured is little short of marvellous. As
it was an unidentified man lost his life
by jumping from fifth story window,
and twenty-five buildings, including
three banks and many of the leading
business houses of the city, were de-
stroyed.
The fire started in the basement of
the Pelletier department store from a
cause that has not yet been deter
mined. The place was crowded and
when the first alarm was given there
was rush for exits which threatened
to develop into a serious panic. The
clerks in the store and several men
among the shoppers combined their
efforts in protecting the women and
children, the last of whom were lei
out of danget just as the flames reach
ed the ground floor.
Meanwhile a large crowd had gath
cred from near by business houses,
filling the streets and making effective
work by the firemen almost impossi-
bic. All the available police were call
ed into service, but they were not
strong enough to meet the emergency
and in many instances force had to be
used to drive back the excited specta-
tors. Several persons were painfully
crushed in the mob, but none was Sc
riously injured. Within short time
the Toy Building, in which the Pei
letter store is located, was enveloped
by flames, which, carried by a brisk
wind, threatened to destroy the entire
retail district.
The firemen seemed to be losing
ground in their fight against the blaze,
which threw out intense heat and sent
a shower of blazing torches over near
by buildings, igniting many of them.
This rain of fire, however, had the
compensating advantage of driving
back the crowds, making it possible to
attack the flames with more yigor.
For three hours and a half, or until
it had got beyond range of the large
buildings, the fire carried everything
in it's path. Calls for help were sent
to all towns within radius of hun
bred miles. Several Responded and
gave assistance in bringing the flames
under control at II 80 o'clock.
List of Losers Large.
The territory between Jackson,
Pierce, Third and Fourth streets, in
which We're many of the most sub
stantial buildings in the city, was
burned over The principal buildings
and business houses destroyed are as
follows:
The Toy Building, six-story stone
structure, in which, besides the Pelle-
tier store, were the First National
Bank and many Offices; the Massachu-
sets Building, another siX-Story struc.
ture, occupied by seven large stores,
including the Gillett Hardware Com
pany; the Pullman Hotel, the Leader
Hotel, the West Hotel. large new
house; Johnson & Aronson, clothing
and furnishings; Orkin Brothers, Ia
dies furnishings; George Conway,
wholesale tobacco and cigars; Ameri-
can Express Company's offices. filed
with Christmas goods awaiting ship
ment or delivery; the Commercial
Block, occupied by the City National
Bank; ]. J. Prugh, queensware; War
field Pratt Howell Company, whole
sale grocers; Peavey & Nash, furni-
ture; Dow Clothing Company; Harsted
& Halsuth, shoes; Theodore Becker
Tailoring Company, Wade Hardware
Company and the Western Union Tel
egraph Company; the Northwestern
National Bank, Seller Brothers,
wholesale liquors; Magner & Welsh,
saloon; Higman & Skinner, wholesale
boots and shoes, and large number
of small establishments.