People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1895 — HALF A MILLION LOSS. [ARTICLE]

HALF A MILLION LOSS.

BUSINESS BLOCKS AT INDIANAPOLIS BURNED. Indiana State Bank, Weitern Union, Express Companies and a Large Store the Chief Sufferers —Oshkosh, Wl*., Also a Heavy Loser From Fire. Indianapolis, Ind., Sept. 19. —Half a million dollars in buildings and merchandise went up in flames and smoke yesterday as the result of one of the most disastrous and stubborn fires in the history of Indianapolis, and parts of several blocks, including some of the finest buildings in the city, are in ruins, or badly damaged. Valuable stocks had to be flooded with water, to an enormous loss, to prevent their total destruction and a wider spread of the fire. The fire started at 6 o’clock on the third floor of the five-story stone and brick building on Washington street, between Meridian and Pennsylvania streets, owned by A. B. Pettis and occupied by Eastman, Schleicher & Co. It soon had great headway, and all the resources of the city fire department were at once called into play to combat what was certain to prove a disastrous blaze. In spite of the quick work and hard fighting of the firemen the flames spread rapidly, and it was several hours before they were sufficiently under control to quiet fears that the entire business district might be burned. Following are the buildings entirely burned or badly damaged: A. B. Pettis building, five stories, occupied by Eastman, Schleicher & Co. with a china and furniture store; Indiana National Bank building; Condit building, five stories, occupied by Western Union Company; Pacific Express building, four stories; George Maunfeld building, three stories; Blackford building, four stories, occupied by the American Express Company, Boston Clothing Company, etc.; Mayer Stencil Company building, three stories; A. B. Pettis building, six stories, occupied by dry goods store. The Indiana Bank building is completely wrecked. The banking-room had recently been remodeled at a cost of about S6O, ■). The great vault in the Indiana National bank, which is situated in the rear of the building and fronting on Pearl street, contains nearly $2,000,000 in cash. The flames licked clean everything around it, but the money is believed to be safe. The fire in the Western Union building was placed under control about 9:30 a. m. The instruments in the operating room were destroyed and the battery floor, just above, was burned away. The Flire building was water-soaked and the many offices were damaged in various sums. The two buildings that are totally wrecked are the Eastman, Schleicher & <Jo. block and the Indiana Natiorfal bank building. The first named stood a shell after the fire had been extinguished and that and the bank building will be pulled down. The Postal Telegraph building, in the rear of the Blackford block, was slightly damaged by fire and water, but the company has lost no wires. The total loss on stock, fixtures and effects will amount to $357,000. The loss on buildings aggregates about $97,000, giving a total loss of $454,000. Evidence has come to light which indicates that the fire may have been the result of a malicious piece of incendiarism. The man upon whom there appears to have been a determination to wreak vengeance is W. H. Eastman, senior member of the firm of Eastman, Schleicher & Lee, whose losses aggregate $175,000. He was threatened by an enemy several days ago. The name of the man who made the treat is Hagardty, and he has served one or more terms in the penitentiary. The theory is h« made his way into the basement of the Eastman, Schleicher & Lee store, easy, and applied the torch. The police which would have been comparatively are looking for him.

BIG BLAZE AT OSHKOSH.

Wisconsin Town Suffers 3 Loss of a Quarter of a Million. Oshkosh, Wis., Sept. 19.—Oshkosh had a quarter of a million tire yesterday. It was confined to the south side river front, between Kansas and Oregon streets, and before extinguished a sash and door factory, one of the largest in the country, a w’agon factory, 6,000,000 feet of lumber, two brick saloons and a number of dwellings were destroyed. One man was burned to death and four were injured, as follows: ZILLMER, JOHN, foreman sash department Morgan factory; burned to death. The injured: Davis, John; leg broken. Fireman, named unlearned; crushed by falling lumber; will recover. Fireman, name unlearned; crushed by falling lumber; will recover. Fireman, name unlearned; crushed by falling lumber; will recover. The losses are as follows: Morgan company, ?100,000, insurance $60,000; Conlee company, $75,000, insurance $60,000; Gabe Streich, $20,000; insurance $11,000; E. Lang, $5,000, insurance $2,500; two residences, $5,000, partially covered. Every insurance company doing business in the city is said to have been hit. Judge Cooley Improving, Ann Arbor, Mich., Sept. 19.—The condition of Judge Thomas M. Cooley is reported as more favorable. The judge is suffering from severe exhaustion. He returned last week from a trip to Boston, and the tedium of the trip was too much for him. Dr. V. C. Vaughan, his physician, thinks he will soon recover.