The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-05-18
CaIkins Building on Main Street
Cutted by Fire EntaiIing a
Loss Of $4,000
JOHN SCHMITZ LOSES HIS LIFE
Boy Killed by Explosion In Basement
of Burned NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
is Badly Scorched and Pitts
Loss is $4,000.

One of the most disastrous fires seen
in Kenosha IN many years broke out
at 10 O'Clock this morning in the base
ment Of the store room in the Calkins
building on Main street and before
the flames had been extinguished one
life had been lost and property valued
at over $4,000 destroyed.
John Schmitz, a son of William
Schnitz, persisted in the basement of
the Pitts store during the fire.
The Kenosha postof6ce was prac-
tica11y Quilted by the flames and the
business of the office has been trans
ferred to room on the second floor of
the Monaghan building on Market
street.
Postmaster Maloney expects to be
able to continue the business of the
Office by tonight or tomorrow morn
ing.
The loss from the fire is estimated
at from $35, 900 to $4,000 with insur-
ance of SIS. 5000.
The story of the fearful fire which
resulted in such a property loss and
the loss of the life of young Schn1itz
will probably never be fully told as
the only one who could have told of
the origin of the fire was the young
man whose charred and blackened
body lies in the Hansen morgue.
It was just before 10 O'Clock that
the warning of the fire was sent out
from the power house and people hur-
rying along Main street saw thin
line of smoke issuing from the side
basement windows of the postofic e.
In a minute the column of smoke
grew thicker and denser and before
the members of the fire department
could make the run to the burning
building the entire structure was filled
with smoke.
| For more than two hours the fire.
men continued to work on the build
ing, fighting desperate fight against
the smoke and flames and in that
time the fire was under control. How
ever, in the two hours it had been
burning the building had been Quilted.
The Pitts stock is regarded as almost
total loss and the fixtures and fur
niture of the postofice are damaged
beyond repair.
A minute before the dense smoke
began to pour into the two buildings
young Schmitz had gone to the base
rnent of the Pitts store carrying a
lamp. He had intended to fiji can
with aspha1tum paint. It is thought
possible that the young boy slipped
and threw the lamp into barrel of
some explosive material for a short
time later the men in the store heard
the report of an explosion and cry
for help and then all was still. It is
| thought that the boy was instantly
killed in the explosion as the charred
remains show that his legs were blown
off.
| In few minutes after the news OF
the fire had been sent out it became
the only matter of interest OH Main
street and stores and places of bust
ness were deserted, while people
gathered by the hundreds to watch
| IAAO d0N d4NO VI IAAO S14OhO dAN4 11d1uOS
and to aid in the effort to recover
property from the burning stores.
The men in the postoffice were just
preparing for the coming of the heavy
| 10 o'clock mail when the smoke came
pouring into the building. Postmast-
er Ma1oney recognized the danger in
the situation at once and ordered all
the property of the government to be
carried to place of safety at once.
In the building were 5000 worth of
stamps and stamped envelopes, cash
and money orders to a large amount
and all of the mail that had been re-
ceived during the day. Calling in the
aid of sight-seers this mail, money
and stamps were hurried1y transferred
to buildings in the neighborhood and
it is thought that nearly all of the
government property was saved.
In the rush which followed thee COM
ing of the smoke the clerks of the Of.
fce we're heroes. G. II. Gonnermann
one of the youngest clerks, in his eff
forts to save the mail from the smoke
filled building, ventured once too
often into the letter room and was
overcome by the smoke. Fortunately
he was seen by firemen and they res
cned him from his perilous position.
The first care was given to the post
Office and when this property had
been carried out the band of rescuers
which now numbered hundreds went
to the Pitts store. But the smoke.
had so filed the building that it was,
impossible to force an entrance and
the stock was left prey to the rapid
ly spreading flames.