South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-22
KRESGE BUILDING
BADLYDAMAGEDAS
STOVE 0VERTURNS
Entire Stocks Of Brandon and
Kresge Stores Damaged by
Smoke and Water.

Accidental tipping ovel % an OF
heating stove started IRE 60 ne
fourth floor OF the Brardor-Du--eI-
department store shortly after ~
o'clock yesterday morning and before
10 was finally eN.uEu'-hed ar i1.t
o'clock broke into a couf.a-ratlol
which destroyed the two TOP floors
and the roof of the building
The entire stocks OF the depart
ment store as wen a. the kresge
Five-and-Ten Cent store. The lessecs
of the building were damaged hy
smoke and water The loss VIII run
into thousands OF dollars
Tips over stove. Said.
The fire was principally confined
TO the southeast part OF the build
ing originating in the Madame
Schwartz beauty par.ors. An Oh
stove. lighted 20 increase the hcat
i'm the parlors. had been put behind
curtains and Mrs Schwartz ie said
90 have accidentally brushed against
it. tipping it over. Within a fraction
of a minute. SUIT not until the wo-
men within had made their escape,
the rooms were a mass of flames
A general alarm was turned in
Immediately after the first response
was answered by Central station.
Two bumpers were an once pressed
into service and the tower raised
steady stream Of water was poured
into the windows on the fourth floor
by means OF the tower
Flooded With Water.
had been turned in the Michigan
ST side OF the building above the
third floor was ablazc Flames
licked their way over the cornice and
within was a cauldron furnace.
Fast work on the par. Of the de-
partment kept the blaze confined
To the southernmost part of the
building
The loss on stock 10 the Brandon
! Durreu company ON the third and
| fourth floors is practically complete.
/ Fresh arrivals OF spring and early
summer stock we're piled high n the
stock room which was Ius. adjacent
/ 10 the quarters occupied bv Madame
Swartz where thc blaze originated.
+ IL was Impossible 20 estimate tina
.
/ 10 az from 5000 600 20 $500 600.
The same condition existed in the
+ s. s. Kresze store. There the dam
age was only hy wafer and smoke,
but that concern had a heavy loss
4 by reason Of the tons and tons az
/ water poured onto the blaze. which
/ trick.ed through and spoiled the
. goods
Ruined by Water
The lower floors ~ the depart
/ meut store as wen a. che main door
+ Of the ten-cent store were flooded
f with water and the stocks or both
stores were dreuched Dense clouds
~ smoke poured out from aI vim
dows and exits with the exception
I OF a few on the Jefferson blvd side
. OF the building and farthest away
+ from the Origin of the fire
Eumor spread among the thou
sands who were gathered 70 watch
f the flames that two women clerks
I had been trapped on the fourth floor
I and their escape cut off, Asst MEr
Edward y. Hagey OF the Brandon
Durreu Co. one OF the last 20 leave
the building, declared that he had
/ personally made check of the enc
/ ploves and none were missing Cus-
+ toners who were i'm the two stores
when the fire broke out easily made
/ their exit 10 the street
Waits for NaIuabIcS.
Lines were drawn by the police
and the crowds held back from tha
/ building. Every precaution was taxi
en go insure safety
Miss Ada Fisher an office clerk
] and Mrs. O.. S. MADAME" Schwartz.
whose alleged accidental tlpDine
. over OF the heating stove. originated
the blaze. were the last women 20
+ leave the building Miss Fisher
waited until she could gather money
/ and valuables belonging 90 the firm.
/ but warned that the IRE was apo
parently closing in left the building.
+ Mrs. schwartz was escorted 20 a -a1.
+ and taken home partially overcome
F by the strain.
That part OF The building formerly
occupied ty Madame Schwartz
nothing but charred clrdr-- The
same condition is true off the stock
room. where the flames borne by
a draft from below swept OUR t-e
windows % height ~ 20 feet
on the south side of rho fhlrf
and second floors on the Brandon
Durrell Co. there s. an extremely
heavy loss from water and smoke
F The stock there ls completely ruined
while So IS more or less damaged .u
all parts or the store.
Had Heavy Insurance.