The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-11-11
LARGE FURNITURE STORE
DESTROYED BY FIRE.

and 500. 900 resulted from fire which
completely Quilted the store of c. &
w. Frazier, York street furniture
dealers and damaged the Toledo
House adjoining early Wednesday
morning, the loss to the stock of the
Frazier store being practically total
while the building, also owned by the
firm, is badly damaged, large por-
tion of the roof being burned Off
The damage to the Toledo House is
not heavy, hole being burned in the
side of the building and the front be-
ing scorched.
Efficient work of the fire depart
ment and the absence of west wind
undoubtedly saved the city from a
much more serious confiagaratlon.
The buildings adjoining the Frazer
store on the east are wooden
structures and the next block con-
tains number of wooden buildings
which would have fed the flames and
caused a fire that would have been
impossible to control, and it is doubt
full that the fire could have been
checked this side of Sixth street.
The fire was hard one to fight but
the tiremen performed heroic service
and held the flames in check in
excellent manner.
Just how and where the flames or
iginated seems to be mystery. The
fire was discovered at o'clock by DR..
j. II. Meany returning from call,
and an alarm was at once given.
From appearances the fire started
midway in the Frazier store and
Fire Chief Kratz is inclined to be-
lieve that it was caused by spontan-
eous combustion. When the depart
ment reached the scene the in
terror of the furniture store was in
flames which had eaten their way to
the front of the building and it was
impossible to enter. The tiremen eX-
perienced difficulty in fighting the
fire owing to the crowded condition
Of the store which contained an un-
usually large stock. An open stair
way leading to the second floor per-
mitted the flames to eat their way to
>f I,n bnt M .hich
contained the upholstered, leather
and willow goods which fed the flames
and in short time the upper por-
tion of the building was a seething
mass of flames, and the tiremen were
unable to reach the fire there.
Volumes Of smoke penetrated the
Toledo House and drove guests OF the
hotel into the street in their night
clothing. Eight girls, members of the
Lew Wheeler Lady Minstrels at the
Crystal, were among the number and
the girls were sheltered in rooms
leased by the hotel on Buffalo street.
Other guests rushed from the hotel
with their personal belongings and
aided in removing furniture and bed
clothing. A large hole was burned in
the side of the dining rooms of the
hotel and the front of the structure
was Scorched and blackened, but the
loss is not serious.
For nearly four hours the tremen
battled with the flames before the
fire was gotten under check and adj
joining property was safe. The Fra
zier store carried large stock, stor-
ed on the two floors and in the base
ment and the store was seething
furnace all the time. The spread of
the flames was rapid and that the
loss was not far more serious is due
to the excellent work of the depart
ment.
The loss to the G.. & w. Frazier
company is estimated at from $4,000
to $4,000 on stock and $4,000 or more
on the building. The location of the
building and the fact that it is a
wooden structure made the insurance
rates excessive and this accounts for
the absence of Insurance.
The second floor of the Frazier
building was used as lodge rooms by
Chickerming lodge, i. O. 0. f.,
Maccabees, both Knights and Ladies,
the Grand Army, Knights of Pythias,
Marine Engineers, Stationary Engineer
and the Modern Woodmen and all of
the lodges will lose heavily, their
regalia being destroyed and some of
the records being burned. The second
story was completely Quilted by the
flames and the furnishings are total
loss.
The loss on the stock of the G. & w.
Frazier Company is complete, there
being no insurance, The building
was insured for small amount.
S1OOO,and the Toledo House loss is
covered by insurance.