Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-15
>EIREMEN BATTLE
p FLAMES IN COLD
Omaha Merchants Express Com
pany's Headquarters Almost
Complete Loss.
ALL COVERED BY INSURANCE


With a temperature that made fire
fighting extremely difficult, the de-
partment battled all morning with a
fire that all but destroyed the big
three-story brick headquarters of the
Omaha Merchants Express and Trans
fer company at 500 South Fourteenth
street.
The fire. whose origin has not been de-
termined, rapidly swept through the big
. building. but not so fast as to prevent
,the employees from leading every horse
safely from the structure Not an ami
Nmal was killed or burned. Owing to the
extreme cold it was some little time be
fore the water from the mains was turned
on. and by the time the towers we've
pouring streams through the windows,
the fire had secured a good lead. Chief
Salter's men worked like heroes. the icy
s-@rcams cohgealng on their clothing until
they resembled icices AS fast as water
from the towers struck the structure it
would CONCEAL into ice and after the gen
eral alarm had been answered the efforts
Of the department were exerted in con-
filming the fire to the building
All the equipment OF Omaha proper was
called into play. and shortly before noon
Chief Saltor announced he had the fire
under control
started on Third Floor.
The fire in some manner started on the
third floor. where feed. hay and grain
are stored, $50 tons having Just been
added 10 the winter supply Thursday.
The second floor was given over to the
horses and harness and the main floor
to the office, wagons and equipment.
Harry Corners barnman, discovered the
fire at $3.50, and after giving the alarm
notified the rest of the occupants, who
removed the five horses in the building
at once. Ordinarily 200 head are housed,
but fortunately they were on the street
and will be given quarters in nearby
barns OF other concerns.
Threatened Box Factory.
The Eggerss-O'FIyng company. whose
box. factory adjoins the Merchants
structure on the west. was threatened
10y. the fire. and from its windows fire
Zen poured streams OF water on its
pDlazng neighbor. Despite their efforts,
windows and walls cracked with the
heat. but the plant did not catch. Fir
were employed I'm the battle with the
fire. and the burst of single hose
was all that delayed the efforts OF the
firemen after they had got into action
one hundred girls. who are employed
in the Eggerss-O 'F1yng company plant.
left the building for nearby offices, and
men were stationed in every room to
watch for the first flame that might
invade. The Eggerss-O' Flying plant IL
equipped with the automatic sprinkler
system, and not deal of worry was
evidenced by the officials, although
every precaution was taken.
Fireman Overcome.
Gilbert McMurray, 2234 Chicago street,
pipeman with hose company No. 5, Eighth
and Pierce streets. was overcome by
sanel6e, and was brought TO police head
quarters for attention. Assistant Firs
Chief Dineen froze his ears and was at
tended by police surgeons. The Merchants
building Is owned. by Edward Reed Earl
Sterricker and Mrs. Carl Woodward, and
was built. twenty-five years ago at cost
u $4,000. 1t is insured for S2l 900. the
contents being covered by insurance of
$3.50. The fire was decidedly the most
spectacular since the burning of the Board
of Trade building at Sixteenth and Far
nam streets. on February IS, 1915, and
Notwithstanding the fact that the tenn
perature lowered we'll below the zero
mark, crowd of several thousand people
satched the efforts of the men.
Fearful for Men.
tCity Commissioner w. S. Jardine. who
. president of the transfer company,
Watched the fire for a few minutes when
j was at its very height and then re
turned to meeting of the council
f"I would thousand times rather see
q burned to the ground than have sin
sle man or house a victim" he asserted
tGeorge f. West, secretary of the con-
Germ, stated that business would be con.
Quoted the same as usual for the time
heing from the branch at 1902 South Four
9cnth street. c. W. Johnson, treasurer,
and other officials assisted Mr.. West i'm
adjusting affairs to the present condi-
ions