The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-04-09
STORY OF THE FIRE.
Five Thousand People Watched the
Persistent Flames.

A crowd Of five thousand people |
from seven o'clock last evening until |
an early hour this morning watched |
the fire gut the big Quilting. The blaze |
originated in the basement under the |
store room of the Cunningham Com |
mission company, which faces South /
Seventh street
Loss About 100000.
1t is estimated that the loss to the
building and to the tenants will |
amouK to 100000 or more. Eight fire |
men are victims of the blaze, which |
was by far the worst occurring in
this city in recent years. Five Of them
were victims of the smoke. One was
overcome by the heat, one badly cut, |
and another the victim of an eXplOS-
ion.
Origin of Blaze.
There are two theories advanced as
TO the cause Of the blaze. One is that
it originated in the furnace room,
while the other is that it resulted from
spontaneous combustion caused by the
overflow of oil onto mattresses stored
by the Cunningham Commission COM
pany in the basement under its store
room. AS this concern had a large
stock of paints and oils the blaze was
freely fed and spread rapidly. Today
the beautiful big building which was
erected about ten years ago and was
Richmond's most modern office block,
presents a most woeful appearance.
The interior is practically Quilted and
the walls are blackened with smoke
and dripping from the tons Of water
played upon them. Hundreds of peo-
pie are standing around looking at the
ruins.
Flames Ragged Fierceiy.
The blaze ragged most fercely in the
southwest section of the building, the
flames despite the strenuous efforts of
the firemen eating their way from the
basement to the roof After the roof
had been reached tha flames spread
downward into the section of the
building which was untouched by the
blaze raging in the interior because
of the fire-wall, which separated the
store rooms occupied by the Knox
Five and Ten Cent store and the Co
lonial Barber Shop, and which runs
from Main street to the south wall of
the building.
Fire Over Fire-Wali.
II was not until after midnight that
the blaze succeeded in surrounding
the firewal and cutting with its fiery
tongue the interior of the building east
of the firewall. Up to this time the
firemen had been combining their eff
fnrt mainly RI fiobtipsy fro al the
southwest section of the building.
After the flames reached the east sec
ton of the building the tiremen were
forced to direct the attack against the
entire building. A hurry up call for
assistance was. sent to Dayton and to
Cambridge City. When Dayton hose
company and engine company and the
Cambridge City hose company ar
rived it was possible to play fifteen
streams on the building, the interior of
which at this time looked like scene
from the internal regions. The excel
lent work done by the out of town fire
men had the desired effect and by
three O'Clock the blaze was well under
control and only squirting up fitfully
In various spots.
Additional Ala.
The arrival of the Dayton and Cam
bridge City companies was also boon
to the local firemen who were reduced
in numbers by injuries and the deadly
smoke and almost exhausted by their
hard work Never for a minute, how
ever, did the local fire fighters quit
their gigantic task, but chung to the
fight With the tenacity of bulldog. II
was due to their heroic efforts that the
buildings adjoining the Colonial were
saved from destruction. After Chief
Miller had been hauled struggling from
the basement of the building anC
placed under the care of a physician
Assistant Chief Charles SinneX as
sumed command of the fire fighters.
Smoke Hndered Work.
For hours the firemen were unable
to locate where the blaze was raging
the most owing 10 the heavy smoke
which rolled out of the building at ev
cry place possible for it to escape
Firemen were sent to the roof OF TIT
building from that vantage spO
they fought the fire until it drove
them from their position. To every
one. it appeared that the building o
the International Harvester company
to the rear of the Colonial buildin:
would also be destroyed. Thi
building was kept drenched with wal
or and the flames were fought bacl
from it by firemen stationed in tn
alley which separates the two build
ings. After the flames spread to tn
east section of the Colonial the Grit
fin block was threatened and familie
who resided there quickly vacate
their flats and removed their house
hold goods to the street.
Store Rooms Vacated.
All of the store rooms on the grOun
floor of the Colonial were quickly V;
Gated. Pianos were rolled out of tn
Watson piano store while the clerk
and volunteers carried various assor
ment of goods from the Model Clotl
ing company. the Knox Five and TIE
Cent Store and the other store room
Tenants of office rooms ON the secOn
floor were successful in saving mo.
of their property but the tenants
office rooms on the third floor wei
not so successful. Smoke forced the