The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-25
FIRE DESTROYS
MUSIC STORE
Christensen & Arson Co.'S Stock Is
Ruined by Early Morning Blaze.
FIREMEN MEET DIFFICULTY
SEVERAL MEN ALMOST CAUGHT
BY FALLING STAIRCASE.
FIREMEN MEET DIFFICULTY

The Christensen & Arson Music COM
pany's establishments at "A South Main
street was practically destroyed by fire
which broke out under mysterious circum-
stances about 4:30 o'clock Yesterday morn
ing. The loss h estimated at $50 OOU, and
the entire stock was covered by only
S-J,UOJ insurance. Every musical instru-
ment IN the building was damaged and
stacks Of sheet music and several thou
sand pianOla records We're scOrched and
WateF-sOaked. The building which be-
longs to the Taylor a Armstrong COM
pany was damaged to the amount OF
about s.. 600 II is a tWO-stOTV structure
and IN all probability the walls will have
10 be torn down.
The nightWatchman. discovered smoke
issuing from the rear of the building and
upon investigation found that the store
was on fire. The alarm was turned in
and stations No. l and No. > responded.
The doors were broken down and yellow
clouds OF dense smoke belched forth. The
firemen were driven back. The flames
We're smOulderlug, but IL was impossible
10 enter the building. Five lines of hose
were laid ready for use. The tiremcn, ly-
ing flat on the floor showed the hose back
into the building. They crawled into the
place, but were soon forced TO retreat.
The new hardwood floor that had just
Deen completed was blistered with heat
The walls We're also hot, and in places the
plaster fell off.
1t was apparent that the flames We're
IN the basement and creeping up the par
UitlOns 10 the second story. Vain efforts
We're made 10 find "a trap door. The build
ms was hot as an oven and there was
no way of telling where the flames would
break out. Captain Mike Earl fitted on
e. smoke protector and craWled through
The building bat could find no flames
The smoke became thicker and the heat
broke the windows. When q dTaught was
of ha
be heard. They We're in the basement. and
without further delay the axes were put
IN operation. A hole was chopped through
The floor. This famed the smOulderlnB
wood into flames. They burst out through
= section of the floor which sank, tax
ing pianos with ii into the basement. The
hose was put in operation, but the fire
men were unable 10 stand the heat and
smoke Tor any length of time. Relays
were sent in TO fight the fire. ana one or
TWO Of the firemen had TO be carried out.
Firemen in Danger.
An entrance was gained through the
rear OF the building, where the uremeh
could fight the flames with some degree
of safety They held the fire in check,
but the smoke was suffOcating. From the
roof advantageous work was accom-
plished in fighting the flames. which were
creeping up through the partitions 10 the
second floor. The staircase fell and scy-
eral men narrowly escaped being carried
opened up in the walls from the roof and
a stream of water was put in action.
After five streams of water had played
on the building Tor few minutes the
flames were under control. The smoke
cleared out. but the fire had reached
every part of the building. The partitions
were Knocked out, both upstairs and
down. The laths were smOuldering and il
took some time TO eNtinguish all the live
embeTs.
Chief W. N Bywater said the fire mad
evidently been burning slowly Tor several
hours before il was discovered. lie stated
that il was the hardest fire TO fight he
had ever witnessed. He made a thorough
Investigation with "a view of learning the
cause of the fire, but It's origin is q mys-
terry. Carpenters mad been AT work on
the new floor up 10 midnight in order 10
complete IL. The boards had been given
one coat OF oil, ana il ls possible that the
fire started from spontaneous combus-
ton. II might have started from defect
i've wiring, but there was nothing that
could be found TO bear this out.
New Stock and Fixtures Gone.
The compauy's stock of new pianos had
Just arrived about "a week ago and 81, 5Jo
had been spent for fixtures All the new
stock was damaged and many Of The IN
struments lay in the basement, split into
llindung wood. The large safe had
dropped through the floor and carried
the office fixtures with it. The whole in
side OF the building was wrecked, and the
fire ruined the walls. They are likely 10
fall at any moment The roof would
hardly bear the weight of the uremen
and is in a dangerous condition.
r During the fire several members of the
firm were there. In the afternoon ar
\ engagements were made TO occupy the
rUnding on Main street formerly used by
the Wells. Fargo a Co bank. and the
firm expects TO begin business there to-
dag.
Several carloads of new instruments
no e.
and will probably arrive within few
days.
Young & Fowler, representatives Of sew
eral eastern companies, had written about
$4,000 of the insurance on the stock. The
rest of the insurance on the stock was
carried by the Home Fire Insurance com
many. The building carried about $1,000
insurance in the Home Fire company.