THE REPUBLICAN

February 7, 1896

 

THE BIG BLAZE

A Detailed and corrected account of Waupaca’s fire (missing) last Friday Morning.

 

            The greatest fire Waupaca has experienced for years occurred Friday morning last, a brief account of which the REPUBICAN gave in an extra before mailing the papers Friday morning. In the confusion there were some inaccuracies in the report but in the main they were correct.

            It seems that the first to discover the fire was Mr. And Mrs. Nels Jensen who owned the block next north of Lord’s block occupied by E. B. Knapp’s department store.  Mr. Jensen occupied the second floor of his block for living rooms.  Mrs. Jensen was not feeling well that night and did not sleep sound. She heard about midnight some snapping, cracking noises, but thought perhaps it might be Mr. Hansen the baker, preparing his oven for Friday morning baking.  She tried to sleep but almost had a presentiment that something was wrong.  She smelled smoke and got up, looked out of the back window and saw to her amazement fire coming out of the sky light to Lord’s block occupied by E. B. Knapp’s department store.  She woke her husband, who hastily donned his pants and shoes and then started for the engine house.  In passing Knapp’s store he noticed the ceiling all ablaze in the store.  Mr. Jensen grabbed the bell ropes hanging in the arch doorway of the City Hall and rang the fire alarm.  Soon there came several persons from Granite Hotel and Erickson’s inquiring where the fire was and Louie the teamster and Jensen the engineer hastily rose and prepared for business.  Policeman Arnold, Jensen says came soon as he commenced to ring the bell and was not the first one to give the alarm as stated in our extra.  While ringing the bell Mr. Jensen says he looked over toward the block and saw the transom sash over the doorway break out.  He says he went back to the rooms and assisted his wife and little boy over to Hans Jensen’s rooms in the engine house and succeeded in getting out a little bedding and several articles of furniture but when the explosion came it smashed in his back wall and prevented saving the bulk of his goods.  He lost a gold watch and so many relics and keepsakes which could not be computed in money also many things in his market including ice box, etc. with no insurance.

            By the time the engine was on the way to the tank Assistant Chief Ekstrom and a goodly number of the members of the fire department were on hand to push things.  The night being damp and foggy a good many members of the department, as well as citizens failed to hear the bell.  Chief of Police Claussen and Frank Stout Chief of the fire department were notified by telephone from City Hall, thus showing the utility of the “Badger”.  Mr. Stout was soon o the ground directing the work.  It was plain to be seen after the hot air explosion in the Lord block that there was no saving anything there, the whole roof having been lifted from the walls and sending the fire to every corner of the building.  An effort was made to save Nels Jensen’s building, occupied by himself as before stated, and R. P. Hanson the baker and confectioner, but the water tank at the court yard giving out a change had to be made to the taken near the Dane’s Home.  Then it was that matters commenced to look serious for the whole block.  L. Pederson moved his whole stock out of his two story brick store next to Jensen’s block, and Whittington brothers moved part of their stock out of the “Marble Hall Saloon”.  Erickson, proprietor of the old Scott hotel commenced to pull the tacks in the carpets etc., ready for a quick move.  But after fifteen or twenty minutes delay the steamer got two streams on again.  The hook and ladder boys raised a ladder in front of Pederson’s block, fastened a rope to the hose below the nozzle. Pipeman Andersen steadied the same and carried it to the top of the building, where the firemen did good work in preventing the flames from going further south  The other stream stopped further spread of the flames from Jacob Hanson’s block, occupied by Hole & Johnson, although the old wooden meat market building owned by John Ware and occupied by Mr. Haabersatt was doomed. Had the wind been high and the weather dry there is no doubt but the wooden barns, stables and houses in the same block to the west of the fire would have gone, if not more, because the giving out of the tanks would have been a more serious matter.  It was nearly six a.m. before the engine stopped playing on the fire.  It was agreed on all sides and Mayor Nelson complimented the department upon the good work done. Andrew Hanson assisted the engineer in running the steamer and it worked like a charm.

            The losses and insurance are as follows:

            Hannah C. Lord; two story double brick store, loss $8,000.  Insured for $6,000 in the Continental $2,000, German American $2,000 Commercial Union $2,000 I. P. Lord, agent.

            E. B. Knapp; department store, furniture, undertaking, crockery, groceries, stoves and house furnishings, loss $12,000.  Insured for $8,700, in the following companies:  Farmer’s of York $700; Home $1,500; North British and Mercantile $1500; Western of Tornoto $2,000; Fire Association $1,500; German of Freeport $700; Royal $800.  All above in I. P. Lord’s agency except Royal, in Olson & Johnson’s agency.

            Nels Jensen, two story brick building, living rooms and meat market.  Loss on building, $3000; on household goods, $300 on meat market fixtures, $300.  Insurance on building $1,400.  Insured in the Hartford, Churchill’s agency.

            R. P. Hanson, baker and confectioner.  Loss on stock between $300 and $400.  Insurance, $500 in Concordia, Olson & Johnson’s agency.  The oven was damaged but little.

            Lars Pederson sustained a loss on goods by removal and damage to the extent of $50.  Insured in Olson & Johnson’s agency. On building $1000 in Royal, and $1000 in Fireman’s fund.  On stock, N. W. National $1,500, Concordia, $2,000.

            I. P. Lord lost 1000 bushel of potatoes, pool table, one ton of coal and a coal stove which were stored in the Lord block.  Value about $250, no insurance.

            Paul Behm lost about 1,000 bushel of potatoes stored in the cellar under Knapp’s.  There was no insurance.  Loss $100.

            Whittington Bro’s. loss on goods removed about 50, and Brown Pederson and Peder Nelson damage by breaking glass etc., probably $25.

                                                            THE REPUBLICAN

February 7, 1896

            The adjusters representing the companies that insured Lord’s and Jensen’s blocks have not yet arrived on the grounds yet.

            Mr. Habersaatt has rented W. c. Lord’s vacant building and commenced to sell his stock of meats.  It is not known whether he has decided to make a permanent market place there or not.

            Mr. Hansen moved his bakery stock and show cases to the Danes’ Home restaurant building pending the arrival of the insurance adjuster.

            Lars Pederson had his house so filled with general merchandise that the women folks almost demanded an addition for a kitchen.  He has moved the stock over to the store this week.

            R. P. Hanson was paid $390 cash by the insurance adjuster of the Concordia and grumbling.  Mr. Hanson says he is satisfied and as soon as the building can be got ready will go to baking again.

            The insurance adjusters settled with E. B. Knaap satisfactorily.  It is learned that in Mr. Knapp’s insurance of $8,700 part of it covered his hearse etc., which were not burned.  He gets 80 per cent of the value of the goods destroyed.

            In our report of the fire on first page we forgot to mention among the losses the little wooden meat market between the Lord block and Hole & Johnson’s store. John Ware’s loss on building and fixtures was about $300 and Haabersaatt’s loss on market stock was probably $50.  No insurance.

            The insurance adjusters offered Mr. Pederson $400 but we learn he did not care to take that, believing the general loss and damage to his large stock by removal and other causes to be three times that amount.  He will stand them a suit if they don’t liquidate better.

            Lars Pederson’s loss on building was adjusted at $44 and paid.  The adjusters were not prepared to settle the claim on the damage to stock until the goods were straightened out and inventoried.  Consequently Mr. Pederson employed Peter Holst, a former clerk, and Ed Williams both first class men of experience in merchandise and clothing, to straighten up the stock and get it in shape for adjustment.

            Alfred Johnson and his wife did a fine thing.  Mrs. Johnson made a lot of hot coffee sent Alfred word to invite all the firemen over and get something to drink.  It was just the finest refreshment to the cold and tired firemen after three hours work at the fire.  At a meeting of the engine company Monday evening they got a vote of thanks.  Also Bronn Peterson and Peder Nelson, who own the block where Whittington Bros saloon is, sent over a box of cigars Monday night and the fire boys gave them a vote of thanks.