Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-17
BOARD OF TRADE
BUILDING BADLY
WRECKED BY FIRE
Big Office Structure at Sixteenth
and Farnam Streets Heavily
Damaged by Early
Morning Blaze.
STARTS IN UNIVERSITY CLUB
Hard Fight to Save the Schlitz
Hotel from Across the
Alley. 'A
BLAZE EARLY UNDER CONTROL

The Board Of Trade building, the
six-story brick store and office build
ing at Sixteenth and Farnam streets
owned by the Board of Trade Build
ing company, erected thirty years ago
at cost OF something like 100000
and insured for 100000. was at an
early hour yesterday damaged by
fire that originated in the kitchen OF
the University club on the sixth floor.
The damage to the building by fire is
estimated at anywhere from SlSOo@ to
$500 600 The loss TO occupants probably
will be as much more. At this time the
undercurrent of opinion among the prin-
cipal stockholders OF the Board of Trade
Building company that the building is so
badly damaged that It will never be re-
! paired. and that instead II win be con-
demned, RACED to the ground and struc-l
ture in keeping with the location and tho
value Of the ground erected Immediately.
origin Unknown.
Tho origin OF the fire is unknown.
| House employees of the University club
were the last to leave the building. They
went away shortly after 10 o'clock last
night and at that hour the fires in tho
kitchen were all out lights turned off
and the doors locked.
AZ o'clock Tuesday morning when the
\. u. r, watchman for the United States
National banks temporary home, the
building to the vest made his rounds he
noted flames breaking through the win
dows OF the sixth floor. southwest corner.
| lie Immediately turned in an alarm At
about the same time Ernest Bolln. night
watchman in the Board OF Trade building.
from the basement smclled smoke ana
going up the stairs found the University
club room kitchen a mass OF flames.
general fire alarm was turned in.
by this time the fire had gained such
headway that upon the arrival OF the de-
pnrtment the flames had broken through
The roof and we're shooting out OF all tho
windows OF tho south half of the sixth
story, The fire burned with great rapidity
! and inside of an hour the south half OF
the floor had fallen. going through a
large light well covered with glass. drop
iping to the third floor and into the por-
tion OF the building occupied as a lodge
room by number OF the fraternal socle-
ties of the city
With eighteen streams of water pouring
into the building, at o'clock the fire
was under control and an hour later. It
was completely extingulshed. though the
flremon worked around the structurs
until noon. clearing away the debris and
sweeping out the water
While the fire was confined to the upper
story of the building, the damage spread
| IN - Al.
entire roof was burned off and the tim
bers and IRON sirders dropped 10 the
floor below warped It and sprung IL out
OF shape, making IL doubtful if repairs
will be possible. 1t is the opinion. though
no inspection has been made, that the
walls Of the fifth and sixth stories are 40
badly sprung by heat and water that they
will have 20 be taken down In the event
It should be determined to make repairs.
other Damages slight.
Damages TO surrounding buildings were
slight, though at times the fire threatened
TO destroy them. The Schlitz hotel to the
south and across the alley was saved by
having several streams poured upon IL
for fully two hours. once or twice tho
roof was on fire. Water was poured into
the windows on the alley side Of the hotel
and their contents were thoroughly
soaked.
The one-story building on the west, oo-
cupied by the United States National
bank, sustained slight loss by reason of
water. and some OF the papers outside
the safes we're soaked and damaged.
Officers Meet.
Several OF the officers and directors
held an informal meeting and adjourned
! (Contiued on Page Five. Column TWo.j