Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-16
BUCCIES IN A BIC BLAZE
Early Morning Fire in Nebraska-M Mo-
line Company Building.
STARTS AT TOP AND WORKS DOWN
Fire wall the Entire LenRth Of the
Structure saves East Half
other Part IL Badly
wrecked.

ChAN
wrecked.
Fire which broke out at 2;SO a. m. yester-
day did damage estimated at from f'S,WO
to 100000 to the building and stock OF the
Nebraska-Moline Pillow company. located
at Eighth and LeAvenworth streets. 1t Is
thought TO have caught from the boiler
which is located In the basement and near
the elevator, ran up the elevator SHAFT
to the fourth floor. where it was first no
ticed, and spread rapidly among the bug
giles stored on that floor.
The fire was not as speCte lular as those
OF as much magnitude usually are. The
immense quantities of water poured into
the building kept the flames down. A
large number OF people were attracted to
the scene and as daylight approached the
crowds were increased by the early risers
Of that section Of the city.
The first fire companies to arrive
on the scene turned in calls for help
and soon practically all the downtown COM
panies were there and at work. The Union
Pacific yardmaster sent engines to the
scene and rapidly moved cars from the
tracks which fill the district TO get them
out of danger and also afford opportunity
for the firemen to work. The Schlitz
stables, which adjoin the pillow company
building, were also soon emptied of horses
and vehicles.
The fire, which was in the top story,
piled full Of irflammable material. was a
hard one to fight, and in spite Of the great
amount Of water poured upon it. continued
to spread.
Covers Half a Block.
The building occupied the east half Of the
block bounded by .LeaNenworth, Eighth,
Jones and Ninth streets and Is divided by
a fire wall running north and south. The
fire had a foothold near the northwest
corner of the top story and had gained
considerable Roadway before the alarm was
turned in and before the firemen arrived
had obtained a firm hold on practically all
of the west half of the top story.
The portion of the building in which the
fire started has been built for a number
Of years, but the east half was erected
three years ago. The west half was filled
with buggies. on the first floor was To-
Gated the offices and shipping rooms, the
second floor was buggies set up for dis
play and the third and fourth floors were
packed full of buggies in crates ready for
shipment. Manager Troxell of the com
pany estimates there were about 500 bug
| BlcS III lnlS part VI Tie builulhb' nc "Ouiu
not make any estimate of the value of this
portion of the stock or of the entire stock
in the building, but stated it was well
protected by insurance. The stock in the
eastern portion of the building was miscel-
laneous farm implements just being re-
ceived for the spring trade.
Blaze Spreads Downward.
At 3:l5 smoke was pouring out of the
l. 80 Nha -zpaNl SHArxy aud thn NhirR
and fourth stories were a solid mass of
flames In the portion OF the building west
of the fire wall. which extends the entire
length of the building. The firenien were
keeping this wall wet on the other side in
the hopes of preventing the spread of the
flames to the eastern half of the building,
while the flames were being fought with
dogged determination on the other side
of the structure. In spite of these efforts,
however, they continued to creep DOWN
ward and assail the mass of inflamabl5
material with which the building was piled.
Flames also broke through the roof about
this time, and for the first time the fire
made a show which could be seen beyond
the immediate vicinity.
BY AIS the west half of the fourth and
third stories were entirely consumed and
there was fire in several places on the
second floor.
At 5 o'clock the fire was evidently under
control and If nothing unforeseen occurs will
be confined to the upper floors. All the stock
on the third and fourth floors is consumed
or ruined, but the flames did not gain
much Roadway on the second floor, though
the stock there is badly damaged. This is
where the buggies were set up for display
and between fire, water and smoke they
are largely a loss. on the first floor and
basement there was no fire at any time,
but everything there was deluged with the
immense volume of water poured into the
building and stock on the east side of the
building was also considerably damaged in
the same way. The bulk Of the stock In the
west half of the building, however, was on
the third and fourth floors.
The books and papers of the company
were all secured early and there will be no
loss in this direction.
So confident were all concerned that IN,
fire was under control at 8 o'clock that the
Schlitz people put their horses back n
the stable adjoining, from which they were
removed in the early stages of the fire.
At $50 the steamers were pulled off the
fire and a number OF companies sent back
to their houses, the others remaining and
using only hydrant pressure to subdue tbs
smoIdering embers.
There appears to be some differenc OF
opinion as to where the fire started. Those
first on the scene say it was all in the tor
Of the building and not in the elevator
shaft, and the condition Of the shaft in.
dicates this, as II is not burned at the
bottom so far as can be seen now.