Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1893 — FOUR BLOCKS BURNED. [ARTICLE]

FOUR BLOCKS BURNED.

Eire Starting In a Planing Mill Destroy* Property Worth *400,000. The most disastrous fire that has occurred in Sioux City broke out at 1:15 o’clock in the morning in the Andrews Planing Mill at the comer of Fifth and Water streets, almost in the heart of the manufacturing and jobbing district, and ten minutes later was beyond control. As a result property estimated to be worth 8400,000 was burned, and thirtyfive buildings, which occupied four blocks bounded by West Fourth, West Third, Water and Kansas sti eets, are in ruins. O. C. Treadway is the heaviest loser. When the fire was discovered it was considered insignificant and a still alarm was turned in to a neighboring fire station. Scarcely had the firemen commenced work when the dust in the huge building exploded with a dull report, the walls collapsed and the fire was immediately communicated to a dozen buildings. Then a general alarm was turned in, to which every company in the city responded. The fire was beyond control, though, by this time, and the only hope was to keep the flames from spreading across 3d street. Beyond this street were mills, lum-j ber yards, bridges, factories, etc., worth thousands of dollars, and the whole department was massed here. Firemen stood playing on the flames almost hemmed in by flames, while others directed streams upon them from sheltered spots to make their position endurable. Time and again the fire crossed the street to the City Mills, St. Croix Lumber Yards and other buildings, but each time was extinguished, and finally, after a fight of an hour, the fire was subdued after it had burned four blocks. Thirty-five buildings are in ruins.