Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2022 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== The Pantagraph, Bloomington, IL June 19, 1900 SWEPT BY FIRE Heart of Bloomington Business District Eaten by Conflagration. STARTED IN LAUNDRY One Entire Block Gone, and Others Were Threatened. MORE THAN A MILLION GONE Most Fearful Holocaust in the History of the City STORY OF A NIGHT OF TERROR - One of the most destructive fires in the history of Bloomington began at 12:30 a.m. and was still in progress at daylight. The entire block of business buildings bounded by Monroe, Main, Jefferson and East streets, was consumed, and the blocks across Jefferson and Main streets were threatened. The total losses will reach in the aggregate nearly $1,000,000. ORIGIN OF THE FIRE The origin of the fire could not be determined this morning and many theories were advanced. It is probable that the exact cause will never be known. It is known that the blaze was first seen on the second floor. Officer Brennan, who is on the night police force, saw the flames and immediately hastened to the station across the street from the Model laundry. A telephone alarm was sent in and the department responded promptly. This was about 12:30 this morning. When the firemen arrived the second floor was a mass of seething flame and smoke. This was sufficient evidence, the police and firemen believed, to convince them that the fire originated on the second floor of the laundry. Mr. Marquis and Mr. Eddy were both in the place last night at 9:30 o'clock. Mr. Eddy was attracted by a light on the second floor and went in. He found a couple of colored boys in the building, one of whom was a youth about 14 years of age, and had been employed in the building. Mr. Eddy looked all around the structure and saw that every- thing was in good condition. This being done he locked up and went away. Nothing more was known until the fire was seen. Chief Henry Myers was in the midst of his labors with the burning buildings. He could not advance any theory for the cause of the fire and said it would probably never be known. The furnace in the Model laundry is situated in the southeast corner of the basement. It was looked after by Mr. Eddy and there is no possibility that it could have started from this source. The material in the laundry building was of a kind that would burn quick and the light dress goods and other stuff only added fury to the flames. CHURCH THREATENED The fire was so intense on the interior of the Second Presbyterian church that the hand could not be bourne against it and the frescoing on the walls peeled off. The south wall of the laundry building fell at 2 o'clock, carrying telegraph wires and poles with it. Mr. R. F. Evans and Mr. William Evans own the Grand Leader building, which is insured for about $7,000. B. S. GREEN'S LOSS The loss to the B. S. Green company was estimated last night at about $95,000, $23,000 of this being on the build- ing and the remainder on the stock, which was estimated at about $70,000, the insurance on it being from $50,000 to $60,000. The building was a four-story, pressed brick structure and was put up in 1887 by Mr. B. S. Green. Later a stock company was formed consisting of Messrs. B. S. and Marshall Green and J. A. Dunham. This company was formed in 1888. The building with the fixtures cost $22,000. Ever since it was constructed it has been occupied by the B. S. Green company. They conducted a wholesale saddlery business, their territory being Illinois, part of Indiana, Iowa and Missouri. The ground floor was occupied by the offices, the third floor by the harness rooms and the others by the stock. The building was a total loss. What the loss in business will be could not be told last night. THE MODEL LAUNDRY The structure occupied by the Model Laundry company was built five and one half years ago and was a com- paratively new structure. It was put up by Messrs. T. W. and W. L. Evans and its first intended use was for that of a laundry. Mr. T. J. Noblett who ran a small laundry on West Monroe street, made a contract with the Evans Brothers and he was the first occupant. The business later passed into the control of the Eddy brothers, Louis A. and A. C. Last April the business was bought by Mr. C. C. Marquis and Mr. L. W. Merwin jointly. They had each owned a fourth of the stock and bought the other one-half from the Eddy brothers, thus securing the complete control of the place. They conducted the business under the name of the Model Laundry company. The machinery was all first class and included the most approved devices for laundry work. The estimated worth of the machinery was about $10,000. Monday is the day on which goods are collected and a large amount of shirts, collars and cuffs and other kinds of garments cleaned at a place of the kind were destroyed in the gen- eral destruction. The loss on the goods owned by other people is estimated at $2,000. This sum is only a rough estimate. When the building was put up by Mr. Evans it originally cost $10,000. GRIESHEIM BUILDING CATCHES It was about 2:45 when the fire got in its work on the splendid Griesheim office building, the largest in the city. The upper stories were ignited first, and the flames quickly licked up the decorative woodwork along the copings. Scores of offices of professional men who occupy the building were next ignited, and the fire at this writing threatens the entire structure. WATER GIVES OUT All of the water at the square was exhausted at 2:30 and the engineer of the *** commenced whistling for the chief. BOMBARDMENT OF CARTRIDGES When the flames struck Myer & Miller's hardware store a quantity of cartridges began shooting off and the excite- ment reached fever heat. The awnings on the stores on Jefferson street a block away caught fire long before the flames reached them. CROSSES MAIN STREET The flames reached across Main street at 2:10 and three streams of water commenced playing on it at once. The building first invaded is owned by Rr. (sic) Herman Schroeder and contains the McLean county Coal company's office, the No. Name store and an empty store building. The front of the Green building fell at 2:15 o'clock. It was only the work of a few minutes until the flames spread to the Durley block. The roof commenced burning at first and the entire front of the old Grand Leader building burst out at once. The principal sufferers are: MODEL LAUNDRY CO., laundry B. S. GREEN CO., harness GRAND LEADER, dry goods COOPER, JACKMAN & CO., china GEORGE BRAND, furniture R. THOMPSON & CO. clothing MYERS & MILLER, hardware PIXLEY & CO., clothing NO NAME STORE, notions M'LEAN COUNTY COAL CO. DR. SCHROEDER'S FLATS ==========================================================================