Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-24
Worst Blaze in History of
Omaha Has Long Start When
Discovered, Wrecking Con-
tinental Block and the
Nearby Structures.
FIFTEENTH AND DOUGLAS
Estimated Losses to the Build
ings and Stocks Reaches
to High Total of
$4,000.
COLD HINDERS FIGHTERS
Business District Put in Danger
by Brands in High
Wind.
TWO FIREMEN INJURED

rue, NlllIu ulu Scup'pu' Nol III VI
damage and destroyed almost the
entire half block of property on the
north side of Douglas street, between
fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, was
discovered at 2;l5 yesterday morn
ing in the Hartman Furniture and
Carpet company at l4l4 Douglas
street. A stiff north wind, which reg
istered as high as thirty7hve miles an
hour in 6tfu gusts, started ten other,
fires. one of which was at Thirteenth
and Pacific streets, fifteen blocks
away. Byt these were quenched be-
fore much damage was done. There
was no loss of life, although two fpe
men were hurt when the west wall
OF the Continental block collapsed
1t was the worst fire i'll Omaha's
history, Chief Salter said. The water
pressure, whose supposed power is
ninety-tivc pounds. was only about
sixty pounds in the early hours of
the the re-hghting, fremen estima-
ted. Fourteen companies, including
all of the city's apparatus, except
South Omaho 5, had thirty lines of
hose playing on the seething caldron.
But it was not until about s o'clock
that the fire was under control.
Sparks from the fire started con-
hagrations in the following places:
Roof at 1910 Jones street; rubbish in
rear Of Krug theater; cellar and bal-\
cony of the Paxton hotel; balcony #
the old Murray hotel. Paxton am
mex; Yates block; roof >of Dresher
Bros block; fourth floor of Karbach
building; roof at Thirteenth and Pa
cihc street; roof over Welch's res
taurant on Farnam street, between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets,
1t was az 2:l5 O'clock when-Palire-
man Fritz Franks discovered the fire
when plate glass window in the
Hartman store cracked from the heat
and fell Gathering to the pavement.
In an instant the draft caused by the
opening SHOT wall of fame half way
across Douglas street.
Franks turned in an alarm, but be-
fore the first fire engine had arrived
from station only few blocks dis
tant, it was obvious that Hartman's
store was doomed. Within half an
hour the entire Continental block was
seething furnace, and hremen who
manned the scores of fines pouring
water into it. were blistered unmer-
'ciiuly.
Police Captain Heitfeldt polced the>
entire district with watchers looking
out for new fires started by the sheets
Of sparks which were being carried
for blocks by the high wind.
Leveled Wreck at 4 A. M.
At 4 o'clock, the corner which for
twenty-five years has been covered
by Continental building, once one OF
Omaha's most impressive CONNER
cial buildings, was leveled field OF
debris
When the walls tumbled to the
street with thunderous roar, Doug
las street and Fifteenth were sud,
denly filled with tons and tons OF I.
bricks, kindling and charred debris.
The collapse Of the building was a
spectacular sight.
A solid mass OF orange flames sew
eral hundred feet high, ntermingling
with smoke conveniently lifted by the
winds, was thrilling, but after burn
ing thus for half an hour, eating out
the floors and~ ceilings OF the build
ing, there was nothing left in shorts
while but four walls and tangle of
Crossed Wires Flash.
Suddenly there was Llinding flash.
Something had happened to the cleo
trio wires. A sheet of fire, white as
silver, blotted out the orange flames
for an instant and then subsidized again.
The Fifteenth street wall teetered for
a moment and groaned The Douglas
street wall did likewise.
Then there was roar and while
the throngs of watchers fed to points
OF safety the structure toppled to
earth, showing complete ruin of
everything from Fifteenth street clear
the beginning of the Foley build y
ing. This building had been OH fire
for some time, too, but FIRE wall
stands between it and the Continental
block and this held the flames back
for long time.
When the Douglas street wall fell
Captain Joe Hoffman of the fire COM
pany stationed at Seventh and Pierce
Continued on Page Two, Column OueA