The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-15
EVERY BUILDING
IN SQUARE NEAR
LOOP IS BURNED
Wind Carries Fire Out of One
Business Block Into Others.
Loss on Van Buren, Canal, Clin-
ton and West Jackson.
C. B. & 0. OFFICES WRECKED
Twenty-One Story Building
Housed Mercantile Bank Co.
Suspect in Ineendiary Theory
Released After Questioning.

Chicago. March 15.-A spectacular
early morning fire of undetermined
origin today destroyed a full square
Of business buildings just outside Chi
cago's loop" or downtown district,
with a loss estimated at from $1O,-
100000 to $15.oOO.00o. The fire
started in the center of the block
bounded by Van Buren. Canal and
Clinton streets, and West jackson
boulevard, burned every structure IN
that area. lcaped north across Jack
son and wrecked the 21-story Chicago.
Furlington &. Quincy railroad general
office building which also houses the
Mercantile Trust & Saving bank.
Under burden Of a strong wind dipped
over Van Buren, street sOuthward and
burned nearly thru to Harrison street
ContrOIIC at O'Clock.
The fire was not brought under
control until nearly o'clock and even
then firemen were fighting dozen
different fires and others broke out
Internationally a the wind blew sparks
about. one fireman was killed and
another seriously injured. while ten
or twelve more were slightly hurt and
an unknown numbe8 of the hundred
thousand spectators who thronGed the
burning districts slightly hurt by fall
ing bricks, burning timbers or sparks
The fire for a time threatened to
assume virtually unlimited proper
tions and every piece of fire fighting
apparatus NAAlA4lt AANE AAAAAES was NeAAAGA
out in a series of ten alarms
Fire Ran Away From Fighters.
The rapidity with which the fire
spread was astounding, Marshall
Buckley. assistant fire chief. said
'sThe fire actually seemed to run from
US"
That the original blaze from which
the conflagration grew possibly was
of incendiary origin was the statement
of Shirley i. High, city fire attorney.
who early today announced the arrest
of an unnamed man on information
supplied by H T. Schiff. president of
the confectionery specially company.
No 521 West Jackson boulevard,
where the fire started.
Won't Give Suspects Name.
Mr. High refused to divulge the
name of the man arrested but said
that he was being questioned regard
ing threatening letters Mr.. Schiff said
the man. a former employe, had sent
to him. Mr.. Schiff told Mr. High the
man was discharged when he became
incensed over refusal to permit him to
purchase stock in the company and
within the past two months had made
a series OF threats. Mr. Schiff placed
his personal loss at $4,000
Mr.. High summoned several of his
aides while the fire was at its height
and said an investigation would be be
gun Immediately. He placed the total
loss at from $4,000, 900 to SIS, 900, 600.
Buildings Aid in Checking 1t.
Traversing the main burned area.
the Metropolitan west side elevated
line today was seriously handicapped
in delivering its thousands of patrons
to the downtown district, as was the
Aurora and Elgin electric interurban
which also used the four-track struc-
ture which was caught in the midst
of the fire.
The huge Burlington office building
called called a fire proof structure,
nztnHd ha n inc racA-
ward. while progress of the flames
toward the south was ended by the
access the ffremen had to the smaller
buildings two to six stories. and which
began south of Van Buren, street.
a vacant lot. the site of the new
union depot. kept the fire from
spreading northward."
The Chicago river runs a block east