Destructive Fires.
As mentioned before in this work five very destructive fires in the business districts of the city have tried the metal of our property holders and merchants.
Oct. 10, 1882, the south half of block 43, East Front street, a row of frame buildings was wiped entirely out, the fire starting in the old El Paso House, now the site of the Grand opera house. The business men burnt out at that time were:
Foreman Bros., El Paso House; Geiger & Ingels, implements; C. P. Shur, meat market; R. Webber, boots and shoes; S. D. Patton, sewing machines, pianos and organs; O. A. Cavan, Hall's safes; D. C. York, barber shop; Chas. McCoy, drugs and books; John Geiger, saloon; Thos. Doyle, groceries: Saltzberger & Seidel, groceries; W. G. Randall, law office; Carl Schuirman, restaurant; P. C. Ransom, office; James Harper and Dr. J. Q. Adams, offices.
May 8, 1889, the Illinois Central coal sheds containing 1500 tons of coal caught fire and before the south gale, it swept almost across the city north and south and $20,000 worth of property was destroyed. The parties affected by this were
I. C. R. R. coal sheds, I. C. & T. P. & W. freight depot and offices and residence of agent;. Major Wathen, Summit House; O. W. McClellan, contents of Summit House; H. Saltzberger, groceries; Campbell House, damaged; S. D. Patton's barn; C. Geiger, residence in north part of city; W. R. Fleming, household goods in Geiger residence.
Apr. 30, 1890, D. Evans' elevator, Mrs. Bane's and David Hibbs' residences were destroyed and other buildings damaged, entailing a loss of about eight or ten thousand.
Aug. 15, 1893, the West end of Block 41, West Front street suffered. More than half of the business houses on the block were destroyed and the loss amounted to $12,500. Those sustaining losses were:
J. A. Tarman, two buildings; Newton estate, building; P. Thometz, bakery; M. E. Cazelet, two buildings and grocery stock; Jas. Hendren, two buildings; C. M. Parmalee, meat market; Alvin Hodgson, flour and feed; James Cannon, harness and saddlery; H. Kreidler, building and buggies; C. M. Westcott, damaged building; L. Kurtz, damage to stock; Willis Klug, furniture; F. L. Kyser, barn burned.
But the disaster that more than any other changed the appearance of the business district was the fire of 1894. July 19, fire broke out in the center of block 42 on Front
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