The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-03-15

1 A spectacular early morning fire today destroyed a full square of bus mess buildings just outside Chicago s "loop' or downtown district, with a loss estimated at from $10,0O0,oOO to 100000. The fire started in the center of the block bounded by Van Buren, Canal, and Clinton streets, and West Jackson Boulevard, of unknown origin, burned every structure in that area, 1eaped across Jackson and wrecked the 21 story Chicago, Bur lington and Quincy railroads general office building which also houses the Mercantile Trust and Savings Bank hand under burden of a strong wind dipped over Van Buren street south ward and burned nearly through to Harrison sdreeet.
 Dozen Fires In Progress I The fire was not brought, under control until, nearly five o'clock and then even the firemen were fighting a dozen differetn fires and others broke out intermittently as the wind wafted sparks about.
 Onle fireman was killed, another se- riousIy injured, ten or more slightly hurt, and an unknown member of the hundred thousand spectators who thronged the burning district slightly hurt by failing bricks, burning tim bers or sparks.
 The fire for a time threatened to es sume virtually unlimited proportions and every piece of fire fighting ap- paratus within five miles was called out 1n a S6r1eS Ot ten dtdTInS-
 ''The ralpidity with which it spread was astonishing, Marshal Buckley. assistant fire chief, said, the fire ac- tually seemed to run from us
 May Be Incendiary.
 That the original blaze from which the conhagration grew possibly was of incendiary origin was the state nent of Shirley P. High, city fire at the arrest of an unnamed man on information supplied by H. T. Schiff, president of the Confectionery Special ty company, at 521 West Jackson Boulevard, where the fire started.
 MT. Hugh refused to divulge the name of the man arrested. but said that he was being questioned regard ing threatening letters MT. Schtff said to him MT. Schiff told MT. High the man was discharged when he be- came tncensed over refusal to permit him to purchase stock in the com had made a series of threats. MT. Schih placed his personal loss at $50,- 900.
 Tremendous Loss.s
 Mir High> summoned several of his aides while the fire was at its height and said an investigation would be begun immediately. He placed the total loss at from s10,000,0o0 to s15,- 100000,
 Traversing the main bu~ed area the Metropolitan West Side elevated line today was seriously handicapped in delivering hundreds Of thousands of patrons ito the downtown district as was the Aurora, and Elgin electric Ha cercrToan which used the four track elevated structure in this district.
 The huge Burlington office buiud- ing, called a. fireproof structure. held the fire from spreading westward, while progress of the flames toward the south was ended by the access the firemen had to smaller buildings two to six Stor1es-which begin south of Van Buren street. The Chi cago river runs a. block east of the burned district but would have af- forded but little protection had the wind veered the. sweep Of the flames toward the main business section.
 Heat Breaks Windows.
 Heat from the burning buildings across the street cracked and broke windows of the Mercantile Trust S, Savings Bank. A heavy police guard was thrown about the bank 'but was driven away quickly when the build ing caught fire Cash and securities valued at approximately six million dollars are said to be dn the banks vaults and it may be several days be- fore they can be examined.
 The Burlington building &caught fire at about the eighth story and burned up and down. No stream of water was powerful enough to fight the fire in the upper stories. burning district that the steel sup ports Of the Elevated structure could be seen at white heat
 The Van Buren street tunnel of the Chicago Surface Lines under the Chicago river debouches just at the burned area and for hours a stream of water poured into it until the tun- n n1 11d ><r