Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-12-09
HEINEMANN
BLOCK BURNED.
Destructive Fire on Sunday Forenoon
Cold and Windy.

| WeSU Oh Une First National bank. Sec
tion NO. of the fire department was
called out and while on its wp5,
William Blehl, who is manager OF
the Woolworth company's 10 cent
store, went to the basement and
| found ire burning in box of packing
and this he put out, Think ng it was
the extent of the fire, and he so in
formed the chief of the department,
who took one of the chemical machines
and went into the basement on a
tour OF investigation for himself; and
he found more fire among some boxes
and he extinguished same. He also
found that there was fire beneath the
floors and between the studding lead
| ing to the roof. All of the fire de-
/ partments of the city were now on
hand and as well as the two steamers
and the men went to work cutting
holes trying TO get at the seat of the
disturbance. BIO feet of hose was
laid for action. The fire finding
a passage to the attic, was soon in
that part of the building, burning
with great fury. 1t required an hour
and half to get the flames under
| control and another hour to eXtin-
| guish the fire. 1t seems that the fire
started near the furnace which is on
the north side of the building and
near the center. When Mr.. Heine
| mann built the new addition to tile
building the past season, which was
OF solid brick, he put in new and
very substantial chimney; one that
| would always have good draft and
one in which there could be no flaws.
| 1t was placed in the northwest corner
| of lan III n crfrt 11sfn nd urlao hn
new part was added there must have
been space of few inches left from
| the basement to the attic and up this
| the fire found its way. The entire
old part of the building is brick
veneer so the fire had plenty of ma
| terial to feed upon as it travelled up
ward, and it only required few
moments to become a Veritable fiery
furnace. The fire shot up through
| the roof and the smoke came out in
such volumes through the openings
burned that it filled the southern
part of the city. 1t required the
quickest and most effective kind of
work to get the fire under control and
our fire department was equal to the
occasion. Five or ten minutes, per-
haps, of loss of water or other acct
dent, whereby work would have been
suspended and no telling where the
confiagration would have ended as
the day was bitter cold one and
there was q terrific wind from the
northwest. The building was very
badly damaged. The firemen had to
cut many holes in the second story
through hardwood floors TO put out
the fire and to see that none remained.
The entire roof was destroyed and
water played havoc in all of the rooms
throughout the building and especially
in the l0-cent store. Mr.. Heinemann's
loss will be in the neighborhoad of
$40, 900.
The old part of this building was
built by George Young; in later years
it was occupied by James Montgomery
as a hardware store and afterwards
by Sell Bros Early last year Mr..
Heinemann made gfeaL Improvements
in the building, putting in a hand
some new front, adding solid brick
structure in the tear, painting the
exterior white and making it one of
the handsomest and most up to date
in the city.
The store, occupying the entire first
| floor was rented for term Of years
by the Woolworth company to be
used for 10-cent store. The loss to
this company is not given out, as the
firm conduct stores throughout the
country and it carries its own insur-
ance. The damage of it's goods is
from smoke and water and must be
very heavy.
AS the furnace to the building was
not damaged nor the chimney, the
building can be warmed and Mr..
Heinemann will arrange false roof
to keep out the snow and rain until a
| new one can be built and the 10-cent
store can carry on business and will
be ready to open within a few days.
The second floor was occupied by
German & Prehn, lawyers; j. Ripczin-
ski, insurance; O. r. Moore, photogra-
pher, Aaron's Style Shop and Ladies'
Tailoring; Wausau Dentists and office
by n. Heiemann.
The Wausau Dentists loss was $500,
fully insured.
German & Prehns loss is placed at
two hundred dollars, and is fully
| insured.
j. Ripczinski's loss is placed at
$500, which is fully covered by in
Surance.
NJ. Aaron's loss is very heavy, being
about $1,000, with only an insurance
| of 81 900.
O. r. Moores loss is estimated to
| be about $500, which is fully covered
by insurance.
The fire was an ugly one and if it
had not been handled just right a
goodly portion of our city would have
! been in ashes.
The fire was at its height when the
| churches let out and great crowds
| gathered, but it was too cold to re-
main long.
During the fire, the firemen were
| given coffee and sandwiches by the
hotel Bells which was greatly appreci-
ated by the workers.
| NJ. Aarons rooms were so badly
| damaged that it is necessary for him
to secure other quarters, which he
has now about arranged for.
The work of rebuilding this hand
some business block, Mr.. Heinemann
informs a PILOT reporter, will COM
mence at once and withina very short
time will be fully as good as before.
Ford & Markus and the Typewriter
Exchange, occupying rooms over the
Magnet in the building adjoining
the Heinemann building on the SOUTH
met with some loss, about 500 each.
The Wausau Dentists, since the
SUNDAY noon fire, have temporarily
located in the Sell Bros building or
Jefferson street. opposite the court
house and are about ready for business
again.
Another fire in a business block
and another gale of wind like Sun
days experience may not be so forum
ate to the city another time. Really
Wausau is fortunate in many respects
for which it should be exceedingly
thankful.
The Wausau fire steamers were
not brought into play at Sunday
moons fire, for the reason that they
were held in reserve in case of greater