Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 November 1891 — ST. LOUIS SCORCHED. [ARTICLE]

ST. LOUIS SCORCHED.

WITH TWO MILLIONS LOSS. SHE OUTDOES CHICAGO. Her Gallant Firemen Gaffer from Bltlnr Cold and Stifling Smoke— List of tbe Loitera— Minneapolis Also Greet* the Cold Snap Warmly. Work of Fierce Flame*. Two million dollars went up h» smoke at St. Louis, and three of the largest business houses in the city and a half dozen smaller buildings are a mass of ruins. The fire started in the mll-ltnery •tore of Penny & Gentles, corner of Franklin avenue and Broadway. A second and third alarm were sounded within fifteen minutes, and the almost complete force of the fire department responded. The flames spread at a rapid iat\ the material which thoy fed npon being of a highly inflammab.echaracter. A strong west wind wi» blowing at tho time, which madetho work of the firemen perilous and for a time fruitless. Within half an hour tho large dry goods store of Connenfe-ds, which adjoined Penny & Gentles’, was aliro, and the flames were working their way to- the Famous mammoth shoe house oiv the corner of Broadway and Morgan street Four firomen were caught bn, the Famous Building and were o\ ergomo by smoke. They we. rescued by their companions. The weali. r was bitterly cold ana the firemen, hose, wagon and. aHi- matter not in the 1 mediate vicinity of the flames was covered with-100-Within- an hour theentlre block on the west side of Broadway, between Franklin avenue' and Morgan street, was a mass of flames, which wero being fanned by a strong wind, and, being carried across the street, threatened destruction to tho- immense dry-goods house of D. Crawfcnd A Co, and the furniture store of Koppietnan ifclC'Oi The firemen poured their streams of wator into the fire blindly, as tho smoke was so dense and tho odor of burning ribbons, feathers, clotii uud'shoos so strong that they could not remain on> the windward side. The lire raged for two hours, and it was only by the almost superhuman work of the firemen that a tremendous conflagration was- averted. During one qf the many collapses of burning floors in the different buildings two ilremon- named Lynch and Simon wero caught by the falling of looso bricks and' timbers. Both men were badly hurt,, and wore corrled to the hospital in an ambulance. The watchman at Sonnenfelds 1 establishment Is miss-' Ing. and It is feared that he may he in the rnins.

Across from Penny <fc Gentles’ on Franklin avenue wero the establishments of Grierson & Co , hattors, Ed F. Boh I and a drug storo on the corner of Broadway and Kranklln avenue. Theso places were badly damaged by snjoko and water. The wind had died away considerably and tho linemen woro ablo to do battle with greater success The whole block on the east side of Broadway, between- Franklin- ave»uo and Morgan street, Including, the establishment of I). Crawford & Co . was damaged by fire and smoke It took hard and active work to prevent tho flames from going down Morgan street to Fourth, as all the buildings- wero old and inflammable. When control was gained, the block of buildings, which before was filled with holiday goods, was a mass of charred timber, and tho main part of the walls had fallen. The stores of Boononfelds, Penny & Gontlos and tho Famous Shoo House (the largest shoe house in tho West) wore wiped out by flames. O* Franklin avenue, opposite I’otiny <fc Gentles’ establishment, was a block of retail stores. Those woro seriously damaged. Tho occupant* wore O. W. Heyer, dry goods; Grierson & Co., hattors* Ed F. Bohl, hatter; P. 11. Goulkamp&Go, clothiers; St. I.ouls Tailoring Company; C. Beemer & Co., clothing; CharlesT. Laage, clothing; L. Voiklng, boots and shoes; Geo. R. Stamper, dry goods; Franklin saloon and Halser & Co , dry goods. A doseestimate places the-hum of tho Famous Company as follows; On stock, 9(100,000; insurance, 8400,000. Penny <fc Gontlos’ loss, $176,000; insurance, SIOO,000. Bonnonfold’s loss, 8125,000: Insurance, $75,000. The other losses will make tho aggregate losses, ranch nearly two millions of dollars. On the oast side of Broadway the Weinman House, a four-story brick hotel. was completely destroyed. The “Square Doal Clothing Company,” E. B. Stow & Co/, grocors; M. Toblln, millinery,; G. Thai <fe Co. . clotfiilng; tho New York Millinery Company, and the Koppolman Furniture (om-pany were so badiy damagod by smoke asid water that their loss will be total. Tho origin of the fin lo unknown, but it is supposedito-have boon- caused by an ovorlicated stove or a defective flue. Four firomnn were compelled to slide down tho hose-plpo from the fourth story of the “Famous”'store-during the fire, but ail esca-pedlunlnjurod.