Evening star., 1908-01-27
ONE FIREMAN KILLED
Chicago Has a HaIf.mi'|ion-
Dollar Blaze.
HOTEL FLORENCE BURNED
seven-story Mayer Building Also
/ Gutted.
TWENTY MEN ARE INJURED
Flames at One Time Threaten a
Score lof Buildings, But Are
Kept in Check.
WENTY MEN ARE INJURED

CHICAGO. January, 27.-One fireman
is supposed to have been killed. more
than a.score of Others were injured and
property valued at $4,000 was de-
stroyedi in fire which devastated the
Mayer building. seven-story brick struc-
ture. and the Hotel Florence, at lg3-l67
Adams street. early today.
The fire broke out in the basement
Of the Mayer building and spread SO
pApidly that when, the first detachment
in flames. A'strong north wind swept
the flames to the adjacent hotel building
and in a few minutes that structure also
was a roaring furnace. The walls and
roofs of both structures collapsed about
an hour later, carrying down with them
an entire company of firemen. All ex-
cept one, James Gallagher. of Truck
Company No. 1. were rescued. His body
is believed to be in the ruins.
Bank Was a Fire Break
Famed by, a. forty-mile gale fire
which broke out in the Hotel Florence
163. Adams street early today scattered
burning embers about the southern por-
tion OF the loop district. endangering
a score of structures and causing a loss
estimated at 100000. All the guests of
the hotel are believed to have escaped
Adjoining the. burning structure on the
east Is the partially completed sixteen
story building OF the Corn Exchange Ma
tional Bank. The skyscraper was given
a severe test. but with the exception OF
some temporary woodwork, resisted the
flames successfully.
Two members of the fire department
were struck by boards which fell from
burning scaffolding on the fifteenth floor
OF the bank building. One of them, Ed
ward Wakefield, truckman. was
knocked unconscious. The other. Her
bert Schnlon, a pipeman. escaped with
81 ght bruises. The wind drove the
flames directly against the bank struct-
ure. which formed a complete barrier to
thetspread Of the. fire.
II Somesof the Losses.
During the height of the fire a flaming
cascade Of sparks poured on the Rookery
building at La Sale and Adams streets
and upon the BOARD of Trade, Grand Pa
ciac Hotel. illinois Trust and Savings
Bank, Western Union and Home Insur-
aDce and other big structures. Some OF
the guests. In the Grand Pacific Hotel
were awakened by the noise of the fire
engines and the glare Of the flames, but
whatever fears they may have entertained
were alIayed by employees of the house
The fire gained considerable headway
before 1t was. discovered, and shortly after
the fifemen arrived the second and third
floors and a portion OF the rear wall fell.
a six-story building adjoining the hotel
on the west caught fire and was partly
gutted. 1t was occupied by six printing
and two tailoring concerns, most of which
suffered heavy damage.
Despite the threatening nature Of the
fire, hard work by the ffremen confined
1t to the three. structures. Two hours
after the first alarm had sounded the
flames we're under control
". p. Dunn & Co, printers, occupied
four floors of the Mayer building. Their
damage. will amount 10 more than $780,
600. Other occupants Of the Mayer build
ing were Dinse,' Page & Co., electro
typers; johnson, Koch & Quin, book
binders, and Kann Brothers, dry goods
specialties