The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-12-28
Midnight Fire Destroys the
ParOchial School of st.
James Church.
HAD A GOOD START
Firemen Find Basement in
Flames But by Efficient
Work Confine Damage.

Fire of unknown origin, discovered
just after midnight this morning,
Quilted the building of the st. James
parochial school on Congress street
in one of the most spectacular and
disastrous fires that Kenosha has had
for many years. While the walls were
not RACED, the flames Quilted the en-
tire structure making it very difficult
if not impossible to remodel the build
ing. The loss from fire and water
will probably total more than $4,000
with less than one-third the amount
covered by insurance.
Efficient work by the fire depart
ment which had six streams of water
on the fire prevented the flames from
spreading to the church or the Sis
ters' home, both closely adjoining
the school building.
Discovered by Motorman.
The fire was discovered at 12:40 this
morning by street car motorman who
returning home from work noticed
smoke issuing from the building. He
notified the fire department and sound
ed an alarm in the community. In
vestigation revealed that already the
entire basement of the building was in
flames and that the blaze was spreading
to the upper sections of the building.
All of the departments answered the
call and within a very short time all
the pumps were in operation and six
streams of water playing on the
flames The fire had evidently been
srnouldering for some time and shortly
after that the entire ceiling broke into
flames, producing most spectacular
blaze. The efficient work of the fire.
men prevented the flames from spread
ing despite the big start which had
been secured by the fire.
Burned for Hours.
Within less than an hour the de-
partment had the fire under control
but the fire smouldered until five
o'clock this morning The steel cell
ings in the structure aided greatly in
preventing the flames from making a
total wreck of the building and in in
creasing the danger of the fire spread
ing to other structures. Some of the
IOOuS, WAllS oOdhSu Win wafer anu
saturated with smoke, were otherwise
unframed. In others the fire had eat
en- through the floor and badly dam
aged the furniture and school books.
Featured in the ruins were the toys
and Christmas decorations which had
| been bought for distribution among the
poorer children of the city.
Probably Started from Furnace.
Fire Chief Schwartz declared that
indications seemed to point that the
fire had started from some part of the
heating plant in the building. The
janitor declared that he had banked
the fire as usual and that when he left
the building everything was in the
best Of order. The fire appeared to
have started in that part of the build
ing where the furnace and the store
of coal was located and this furnishes
the most logical suggestion as to The
cause Of the fire.
Several of the sisters, who taught
at the school, were in the building on
Thursday night completing their ar
engagements for the Christmas celebra-
ton which was to be held at the school
this morning. They had worked until
after nine o'clock in one of the rooms
preparing the baskets of toys and can
dies which were to be given to charity.
When they left the building they are
certain that there was no trace of
the fire.
Built Thirty-one Years Ago.
The st. James school building was
erected in 1891 by the members of the
St. James parish under the direction
of the Reverend Father J. L. Cleary
The cost of the structure then was
5000 but at the present time it would
| La.-e ec..A nnn l., ,.a.,1eaa :.