The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-09-21
EXPLOSION AND FIRE
AT BEAVER DAM BAD.
SAM ELSER, OF FIRM OF ELSER
& PETERS. BADLY BURNED
TAEEN TO HOSPITAL.
LOSS AMOUNTS TO SEVERAL
THOE SAND D0LLARS-CAUSE
is UNKNOWN.

A terrific explosion at two o'clock
last Thursday afternoon wrecked and
set fire TO the Hawley Block, at Bea-
yer Dam, and at the same time very
seriously burning and injring Mr.. Sam
Elser OF tie clothing firm of Elser &
Peters who occupied the corenr store
room OF the structure.
Of the some fifteen or twenty peODle
in the building at the time, Mr.. Elser
although there were several close
calls. 1t seems that Mr.. Elser had
started down cellar from an outside
stairway and had gone but one or two
steps when the blast occurred, throw
ing him into the street Almost en-
yeloped in flames Mr.. Elser picked
himself up and stood in a daZed posi-
ton, until nearby people rushed to his
assistance and eXtinguished his burn
ing clothing. He was at once taken
to the hospital where attending ply
sicians state that he is very badly
being scoTched
Immediately following the explo-
sion the lower floor of the Hawley
Block were enraped in flames which
shot out OF the broken plate glass
windows and up the side of the build
ing. Practically all of the lower floors
of the building and the basement was
one seething mass of fire which quick
ly spread to all parts of the block.
One OF the large plate glass windows
in the HaWley & Voreck part of the
building and all of the windows at
Elser Peters were blown into a
thousand pieces into the streets, par
ticleS OF glass being found as far north
as the o. Fl. Stein millinery on North
Spring street, and awnings opposite
the store on Front street covered with
pieces OF class.
travelling salesman in Elser &
Peters had the hair about his head
badly scorched, and was at the time
displaying some samples of clothing
some of which he hastily grabbed and
made an exit to safety
Miss Margaret Maroney, stenogfa-
pher for attorney Geo 3. Swan, locat-
ed on the second floor of the Hawley
Block, was compelled to make her
exit from the back stairway as the
front stairs were made impossible by
the flames and smoke which filled the
hallway
The boys" at the Western Union
Telegraph Office and Welsh Fargo ex-
press ofnce perhaps had as narrow
escape as anyone, as the force of the
blast blew up portion of the floor
and it is said part of one Of the
walls. They were driven from the
building in less than five minutes so
hot became the flames A J. Samson,
the manager of the Western Union
directly under the floor of the office
and seemed to lift everything, flames
and smoke shooting through the bro
ken part OF floor and walls.
The Else & Peters clothing stock
was entirely destroyed by fire, and
practically the whole of the interior
of the bloca was gutted by fire; Haw-
ley q VOfeck cigar store and billiard
academy while not damaged as much
by fire, was hard hit by smoke and
water.
Occupants of the Hawley Block
were: Hawley & VOreck cigar store
Elser & Peters, clothiers, Western
Union Telegraph Office, Wells-Fargo
Express company office all on the
main floor On the second floor were
the offices of Dr. A W. Schoenwetter,
dentist; Attorney Geo. B. Swan: Dr.
c. e. Taylor; H. A. Bird, insurance;
R. T. Mclaughlin real estate e. E.
Williams, insurance and large store
room used by Hawley & Voreck
The building and the Hawley &
VOreck cigar store loss is probably
covered by insurance.