Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 February 1900 — BIG FIRE IN ST. LOUIS. [ARTICLE]

BIG FIRE IN ST. LOUIS.

Loss Is Placed at $1,500,000 —One Fir«r man Killed and Several Injured. the' fivers to ry brick bunding at Broadway and Franklin, avenue, St. Louis, occupied by the dry goods firm of Penny & Gen' ties, and in a few hours had consumed $1,500,000 worth of property, caused the death of one fireman and the serious injury of many others, and alarmed the entire city. The cry that the city waa burning succeeded in almost breaking up the services in many downtown churches, and for a time it looked as if the cry was to prove true. Only by the most strenuous efforts of the firemen was the commission district saved. Soon after the flames broke out the entire building of Penny“& Gentles was enveloped. Sparks and brands were blown in every direction by a strong northwest wind, and the destruction of adjoining property was threatened. A general alarm was fumed in. and soon every engine in the city was at the scene. On the south of Penny & Gentles’ the flames communicated with the buildings occupied by Schaper Bros., dry goods, and The Famous, dry goods. The burning area increased minute by minute, the flames gaining great headway and leaping across to the east side of Broadway. In a short time a large empty store building v on the corner of Franklin avenue was destroyed, with those directly south occupied by the People’s House Furnishing Company, the Marks millinery store, Dill’s dental parlors and Derr Brothers’ 5 and 10 cent store. Falling walls caused the death of oqe fireman and wounded several others. Before the flames had been subdued the following had sustained heavy losses: Schaper Bros., Penny & Gentles, The Famous, dry goods; Fuch Millinery and Cloak Company, D. Crawford building, the People's House Furnishing Company, Derr Bros., the St. Louis Dressed Beef and Provision Company, Yued & Prabst, commission merchants; A. StiiufT?*J>4»arber; J. H. Rohde, retail liquor dealer; Herboth Mercantile Company, and the Schisler : Cornelia Company; A. Xasse, wholesale grocer; Plant Seed Company, Krenning Glass Company. Bassett’s plumbing establishment, McLain & Alcorn Commission Company, Bueller Block Commission Company, Nelson Distilling Company, Ilake & Sons Commission Company, George A. Benton, produce; Bauer Flour Company, Shaw & Richmond, produce; Fred Pohlman’s saloon. A private watchman of Penny & Gentles was arrested and held at the Four Courts. landing an investigation into the origin of the fire. He was taken into custody ns the result of a statement by a woman rooming opposite to the effect that she had seen a man answering the watchman’s description lighting matches in the store previous to the fire. He denied having had anything to do with it, and states that he was at home when the fire broke out.