Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1908 — MILLINERY FEEDS FIRE [ARTICLE]

MILLINERY FEEDS FIRE

Three Big Firms at Chicago Ir That Line Suffer Heavy Losses. WALLPAPER AND FURNITURE Also Help the Blaze Along and thi Loss Totals $1,200,000. Damage Done in Basement* by Watei Reaches #7s,ooo—Half a Mil. lion Dollars in Ashes at Indianapolis.

Chicago, Jan. 29. —The third disastrous fire In the business district of tin city in as many days caused a loss estimated at $1,200,000 In the almost complete destruction of the building al 114 Wabash avenue occupied by Alfred Peats & Co., dealers in wallpaper the building adjoining it on the south occupied by John A. Colby & Sons furniture dealers, and that in the rear fronting ou Michigan avenue, occupied by the millinery; firm of Edson Kelt! A Co. Those to the north and south of the Keith building, occupied bj Gage Bros.A Co. and Theodore Aschei & Co., millinery firms, were damaged by fire and water. Street Car Lines Tied Up. The fire started In the engine room of the Peats building and raged foi three hours. Street car lines throughout the downtown district and the elevated lines were tied up and theater goers were delayed, many of then: more than an hour, In reaching the play houses. The work of the firemen was witnessed by at least 15,000 persons who, attracted by the glare which could be seen for miles, thronged the streets, in spite of.the cold.

The losses as apportioned among the various firms are as near as can be estimated: Alfred Peats & Co., $250.000; John A. Colby & Sons, $200,000: Edson Keith & Co., $600,000; Gage Bros. & Co., $25,000; Theodore Ascher & Co., $25,000. Others who suffered loss chiefly by smoke and water were: Carl Netchert, artificial flower dealer, $10,000; Remington Typewriter company. $5,000. and John A. Bry ant Company. pianos, $5,000. Heavy Damage by Water. Many basements In Wabash and Michigan avenues were flooded by water used in fighting the fire, the damage from this source being estimated at $75,000. A break down of part of the fire apparatus gave the flames a fresh start about midnight, but additional engines were sent in to take the place of disabled machines and the flames were quickly gotten un der control again. The Windsor-Clifton and the Continental hotels are in the vicinity of the tire, but no alarm was felt among the guests of either. Windows were broken by the heat in the Chicago Athletic Association building, which adjoins that occupied by Gage Bros. & Co. and it was feared for a time that the flames would be communicated to that structure.