Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1905 — BIG SIOUX CITY FIRE. [ARTICLE]

BIG SIOUX CITY FIRE.

FLAMES DESTROY MUCH OF CITY RETAIL DISTRICT. Twenty-five Buildings, Covering TwoBlocks, Burned and One Fireman la Killed—Loss Is Put at $2,000,000Holiday Shoppers in Peril. Thousands of Christmas shoppers were placed in peril Friday night by a lire which broke out at 8:30 o’clock, when the holiday trade in Sioux City, lowa, was at its height, swept through the center of the retail district at the heels of fleeing buyers and sightseers, burned over two solid blocks and caused a property loss of $2,060,00(1 That many persons were not killed or injured is little short of marvelous. As it was an unidentified man lost his life by jumping from a fifth story window, and twenty-five buildings, including three banks and many of the leading business houses of the city, were destroyed. T’he fire started in the basement of the Pelletier department store from a cause that has not yet been determined. The place was crowded and when the first alarm was given there was a rush for exits which threatened to develop into a serious panic. The clerks in the store and several men among the shoppers combined their efforts in protecting the women and children, the last of whom were led out of danget just as the flames reached the ground floor. Meanwhile a large crowd had gathered from near by business houses, filling the streets and making effective work by the firemen alipost impossible. All the available police were called into service, but they were not strong enough to meet the emergency and in many instances force had to be used to drive back the excited spectators. Several persons were painfully crushed in the mob, but none was seriously injured. Within a short time the Toy Building, in which the Pelletier store is located, was enveloped by flames, which, carried by a brisk wind, threatened to destroy the entire retail district.

The ’firemen seemed to be losing ground in their fight against the blaze, which threw out intense heat and sent a shower of blazing torches over nearby buildings, igniting many of them. This rain of fire, however, had the compensating advantage of driving back the crowds, making it possible to attack the flames with more vigor. For three hours and a half, or until it had got beyond range of the large buildings, the fire carried everything in its path. Calls for help were sent to all towns within a radius of a hundred miles. Several responded and gave assistance in bringing the flames under control at 11:30 o’clock. List of Losers Large. The territory between Jackson, Pierce, Third and Fourth streets. In which were many of the most substantial buildings in the city, was burned over. The principal buildings aud business houses destroyed are as follows: The Toy Building, a six-story stone structure, in which, besides the Pelletier* store, were the First National Bank and many qjfices; the Massachusetts Building, another six-story struc ture, occupied by seven large stores, including the Gillett Hardware Company; the Pullman Hotel, the Leader Hotel, the West Hotel, a large new house; Johnson & Aronson, clothing and furnishings; Orkin Brothers, ladies' furnishings; George Conway, wholesale tobacco and cigars; American Express Company’s offices, filled with Christmas goods awaiting shipment or delivery; the Commercial Block, occupied by the City 'National Bank: J. J. Prugb, queensware; War-field-Pratt-Howell Company, wholesale Peavey & Nash, furniture; Dow Clothing Company; Harsted & Halsuth, shoes; Theodore Becker Tailoring Company; Walde Hardware Company and the Western Union Telegraph Company; the Northwestern National Bank. Selzer Brothers, wholesale liquors; Magner & Welsh, saloon; Higman & Skinner, wholesale boots and shoes, and a large number of smajl establishments.