South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-06

bank and the McInerny Buildings
The wooIworth store was Quilted.
the fire completely destroying the en-
p tire stock OF merchandise. The loss
TO the store is estimated at $3.50
Abe Livingston. owner Of the build
ing in which the and 10 cent
store is located estimates the loss
to the building at $4,000. He said
Friday that the loss is only cover
ed 10y about $4,000 insurance.
The Merchants National bank,
fortunately had not moved its fur
niture back into the building Just
south OF the one occupied by the
and 10 store The officials of the
bank said Friday that the new fix
lures had just arrived and tEat they
we're planning 90 move them in Fri
day. They estimated the loss TO the
bank building at $4,000, which they
said was completely covered by in
surance. The Union Shoe Co, and
the building occupied by it just
north OF the Livingston building, oc-
cupied by the > and 10 cent store.
were not damaged.
Fruit store Damaged.
The second and third floors of the
AIcInerny building. just south Of the
bank building. and occupied on the
first floor by the Chicago Fruit Co.
were badly damaged. The loss to
this building. which is owned by c.
W. Arnold. jr.. and Mrs. Bertha
McInerny. is estimated at $4,000.
The damage to the Chicago Fruit
cos store on the main floor Is
slight The Piggly Wiggly store on
the corner and adjoining the McIn-
eruy building. is unchanged
All of the % families occupying
the second and third floors OF the
: three buildings We're made home
less. The loss to personal property
on the two floors Of the three build
ings is estimated at $50. 900.
The fire burned nearly six hours,
being discovered shortly after 2:3O
O'Clock Friday morning by Night
i'm the basement of the Woolworth
store.
The alarm was received at the
central fire station at 2.33. Imme
diateIy every hose company in the
city was at work. Miles Of hose
was laid, and fremen divided their
attention between attempting TO cX-
49,
cupants on the second and third
nOors of tho three buildings.
Families Escape.
Nearly 20 Hghtly-clad occupants
crowded the street i'm front OF the
burning buildings. Some We're tax
ON 10 police headquarters while 9TH
ors found shelter i'm the knights of
Pythias' building on the opposite
corner
The fire was completely under
control at o'clock Friday morn
Ing. although smoke was still issu-
ing from the basement under the
Woodwork store. According TO
south Bend fire department records,
the confiagration Friday morning
f. the worst 20 occur in the city in
% years
Thousands OF men, women and
children crowded the sidewalk on
the opposite side OF Michigan st.
watching the work of the firemen
They remained there from an early
hour 10 nearly noon Friday. and in
the afternoon there was still a
goodly crowd against the fire ropes
After gaining a start in the base
mcnt of the WColworth building
the flames rapidly spread 10 the
second and third floors OF the Liv-
pgston building, and then ate
their way through to the bank
building. and then 10 the McInerny
building.
Smoke Was Dense.
The smoke was dense. and it was
difficult for the fremen TO make
much Roadway. They succeeded in
preventing the flames from going
rorthward. A mean wind famed
,he flames southwark. and soon the
three structures appeared TO be
mass OF flames.
The second floor Of the Livings
ton building, as well as the third
floor. were occupied by families
They are those OF Herman Racine.
George Paulsen. William Chubbs.
y. v Webster, Claud Miller. Robert
Perkins. r. y. Nickerson. August
Hartz. Mrs. Grace Mitchell and John
Swoveland.
The second floor OF the bank
building was occupied by the offices
OF Or. H a Fink. the State Loan
Co. and by William Abraham and
John Heffner. on the third aoor
: OF TIE bank building were the fam
lilies OF J. J.. Newshart and W L
Hostler. on the second and third
doors OF the McIneruy building
were the families OF Mrs. Ida He
witt. Mrs Pearl Van Butchart Har-
Iey Robertson and Mrs. Mary Jour
geman.
Friday the homeless families were
attempting TO find temporary shell
Ter owners OF the three buildings
swept by the fire Friday were no.
ready 90 make statements as 20
whether the burned buildings are
go be RACED and new ones erected.