The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-02
EARLY MORNING
BLAZE DESTROYS
SEARS BUILDING
Bennett Glass & Paint Co. Is
Burned Out With Loss Ap-
proximating $4,000.
THIRD SERIOUS FIRE
WITHIN TEN DAYS
POLICEMEN JOIN WITH FIREMEN
IN FIGHTING THE
FLAMES.

salt Lakes third serious fire within ten
days occurred at $50 o'clock Friday
morning when the Sears building 81 West
Second South street occupied by the
Bennett Glass & Paint company. was
practically destroyed with its contents.
The loss, as estimated by ". J. Bennett,
president OF the company. viii approx
mate between $1,000 and $4,000. witlt in
suTdnCe OF $500
The fire of yesterday morning was the
most disastrous blaze occurring IN Salt
Lake within the past eighteen months, and
for a time threatened the entire block.
The fire was confined within the building
and not permitted to spread, due solely
TO the splendidly magnificent work of the
fire department
The fire, as near as can he learned.
broke out on the second floor. the gen
erai supposition Of its cause being defect
i've wiring or spontaneous combustion. It
was first discovered by Patrolmen Har-
ris and Phillips. who were in the vicin-
ity, at $3.50 O'Clock. Harris turned in a
telephone alarm and then Joined Phillips
in the work of arousing the twenty-five
inmates III the kimhall rOOming house
adjoining the paint store.
BY some mistake the fire department
received the alarm as being at the Cul-
mer Paint company on East First South,
and the apparatus dashed there. At the
same time, however. the conductor on
n0rthbOund Warm Springs car, in passing
the corner, saw the smoke issuing from
TIE DuslulnH- ana NEIlEd ID al alarm Lf0lf
box 81, at West Temple and First South
streets. Within a few minutes depart
ments ] and 3 had arrived at the fire,
and were followed by Nos. and g.
By the time the hose could be laid the
flames were shooting skyward. the stocks
Of oils, paints and other inflammabie ma
terials furnishing a fuel that converted
the enclosure into seething furnace.
Fight Fire Two Hours.
For over two hours the firemen. under
the direction Of Chief GIOre. Assistant
Chief Fitzgerald and Captain Ayiand.
fought the fire with such success that
It was confined within the building. Had
it been allowed to spread it seemed GER
tain thai the larger part Of the block
would have been destroyed.
A noticeable feature of the fire was the
valiant and efficient assistance given the
fireHieR by the patrolmen. Sergeant Beck
stead with q squad consisting of PATROL
men CloUgh, Simpson. Emil johnson.
Phillips, kast, Stains Rhodes, Pierce. H
d. Lyon and John NJ. Lyon. were quickly
on the scene, and casting aside their
clubs. became firemen. They were in the
thickest Of the fire, working side by side
with the firemen. handling the u0zzies,
dragging hose, and rendering valuable
service.
For the work of Chief Glore and his
men there was nothing btS praise heard
yesterday. There were few among the
big CROWD Of OnlOOkcrs who believed that
TIE IRE hVulU W supper dS IL WAS. FIUul
a distance the mass of shooting flames
gave the appearance of the entire block
being on fire. and at close range the sight
was more fearsOme with the cracking
bcmbardment Of exploding cans of paints
and oils.
Through the energies Of the department
the flames were confined to the second
and third floors and the elevator shaft.
With the exception Of space surround
ing the shaft, the first floor and base
ment were practically untouched by the
fire. and the damage TO the contents Of
these floors was mainly done by water.
The adjoining buildings were unframed
There were no accidents reported, al
though several Of the firemen barely es-
capped being plunged into the heart Of the
fire by the falling in Of the roof. Four
men were on the roof when Captain Ay-
land gave the warning, and they had
barely reached safety when the roof
fell in.
Much criticism was directed toward a
motorman named J. A. Hanson. who ran
his car over one Of the main lines Of hose
cutting it in two. The only excuse tile
motOrman could give is that he didn't
see the hose" He will likely be made the
subject of an investigation.
Immediately after the fire was discov-
cred. Mr. Bennett and Sheriff-eleet
Sharp. a brcther-in-iaw. were notified by
telephone and FASTENED to the fire Later
in the day Mr.. Bennett said that the Joss
would reach between $500 and $4,000,
resume business today I'm It's warehouse.
which escaped the fire The main stock
OF goods is carried in the warehouse. and
aside from a slight shortage in stock, the
will not be hampered to any
extent in the resumption OF
business.
Speaking Of the fire. Mr.. Bennett said.
THE warehouses. containing z full line
of stock, were untouched. and We viii be
able to resume business at the usual
hour tomorrow morning in one Of the
just around the corner on
West Temple street.
"Our loss might easily have been much
heavier. and in this connection I want to
say that the work of the fire and police
departments was highly efficient. and
too much cannot be said in praise Of their
work"
The fire Of yesterday was the fourth
in less than two weeks, and all occurring
within the same block. The first was at
the +. @. Holding Electric company. 50
West First South, Dec. 20; Breeder Office
Supply company. 60 West Second South.
Dec p: Walker block, Main and Second
South, Dec. %; and the Bennett Glass &
Paint company, G. West First South,
Jan. ].