The Detroit times., 1909-12-10

WISni9sn Cash Register Co. $1,000
A. A. Gray Co. ........... 20 600
! total ................., $4,000
! Fire, supposed 20 have originated in
/ a chimney at he rear of the ground
floor. just above the boiler room
cleaned out the four-story brick build
inH at Nos. l21-l27 Champlain-st.. with
loss OF 100000 early Friday morn
ing.
The building formerly the plant of
the American Can Co, was sold re-
Gently To u J. Det.af for 81 900. The
first and fourth floors were occupied by
Details polishing. plating and auto
mobile parts finishing plant. A. A.
Gray & Co, furniture dealers. had
their factory on the third floor, and the
Michigan Cash Register Co had 800
600 worth OF intricate machinery and
valuable stock on the second floor.
The whole interior OF the building
was burned out. resulting in almost
total loss 10 the different firms. The
walls are standing, but are partly
burned away. and greatly Weakened
by falling floors.
Even without the weather con
ditions. which chilled the nremen to
the marrow. and kept them shcathed
I'm icicles while they worked desper-
ately against the fire. the blaze would
nave been one OF the hardest they
have had To fight for some time. IL
had spread to the first three floors
before any alarm was turned in Pa
trolman Schmeltz, Of the central
station, passed through the alley in
the rear of the place at 3:05 a. m..
and noticed nothing wrong. BY the
time he reached the station. the first
alarm was turned in. The Waterman
at Dodge Bros auto plant had noticed
a glare, but thought il was the re-
Election from q bonfire in the alley.
Suddenly he saw a blaze on the third
floor of the Detlaff building and turn
ed in an alarm from Dodge Bros pri-
yate box. Engine No. 30. the auto
Are company. was on the spot I'm few
moments. and promptly turned in am
other alarm from the regular box.
Battalion Chief McGraw. on his ar
rival turned IN a second alarm, and
within a half hour the third alarm.
calling ont al available fire compan-
les, was turned in But the blaze had
too great a start and the fireman
had al they could 40 70 keep II from
spreading.
4, the outset the fire fighters swarm
ed into the building, ont were quickly
,Griyen back by the sitting smo6c.
Several Of the drcmen We're helpless
wben they rachd the frsh air DGr
quickly rvived AMI rclurned 20 duty.
At $40 O'Clock. the machinery On
the second floor crashed downward
with q roar IKE all explosion. ana the
! whole huiidinI rocked
Policemen rusher into the mouse "a
No. III Champ'ain-st.. adjoining the
/ factory on the west. and ordered The
eight occupants OF the place into the
! street for fear the walls would !nll.
( The place is occupied by Mrs. Victoria
! Pekas and sub-ieascd TO q number %
tenants They dressed hurriedly and
ned to the street. In the home Ct
Mrs. Emma Whitman, No. l3l Cham
plain-sct. adioianing the factor on
Inc east. similar order was given
bur Mrs Whitman aud six other &C.
Cbrants of he house. refused 10 VA
cate
Let 'em iali" said Mrs. Whitmaa.
lies too cold outdoors When thcr
start 70 fall. I'll grab my dog auh
canary bird md get out ia time.
St NaryS home lust in thc fear
OF the blazing building. was the seen
o. some cycitoment when th dre
was 81 Us heght but the ilmates
stayed outside prepared TO foe al tie
FIRST sign OK tho ere spreading.
Detla6. the owner of the bGi'6iu-
supplies several biz auto compani"
WI DaITg Tor TT6iT machine. Univ
Thursday night hc landed a bis con
uact from the Huppmobilc 90
"Thcrc were thousands Of small
parts for autos I'm There, said Dci-
i.fs superintendent.
/ MIR Delat Tho appeared ou %"
scene shortly before o'clock. lgured
that hi, loss would be- abuu, $4,000 OF
the building and $4,000 on machinery
and s,cCl, Luckily. nearly al os the
I Invaluable patterns for the auto parts
arc I'm the moulding 'nlant. and were
not stored In the burned building.
The superintendent Of the Michigan
Cash Register Co. stated that his hrm
had recently Installed several thou
sand. ot dollars worth of new machin-
ery. He estimated the loss of his con
Germ at 100000 ON machinery ana
stock
The \. 4 Gray cos loss is placed az
about $4,000 They had a quantity Of
finished furniture and stock IN process
OF construction on the third floor
Nearly poo mattresses stored there are
a total loss. and furnished fuel TO the
flames
The loss IN each case Is fairly we'll
covered ny insurance
The burned building has history.
and once figured in a remarkable legal
battle II was built by the Clark Can
ca. which sold ont 10 the trust II ia
turn sold 20 Detlaf
When the building was erected
woman. who owned small cottage.
bnilt close against the wesf Wall.
claimed several feet OF land, on which
me wall was built She refused 90 sell
The STRIP. and the whole west wall had
10 10 torn down and moved over. Il Is