Half Million Fire At Alton, Ill.

Alton, Ills., (sic) Oct. 2- A disastrous fire occurred here at 11 o’clock today starting in the E.O. Standard flour mills and burning the entire block on the riverfront. Other buildings destroyed were the Alton Rolling Mills, Gareslavey Plumbing Company, Hentz Bowling Alleys, Boston Store, offices of Sentinel-Democrat, Farmers’ Elevator, H. K. Johnson’s Hardware Store and four other stores in that building. The Kinlock telephone building and a feed store. Sixty Big Four and Terminal cars loaded with wheat were burned. Total loss will reach $500,000.

Mansfield News, Mansfield, OH 2 Oct 1901

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Alton, Il. Milling Fire
Number of Elevators and Roller Mills are Destroyed

St. Louis. Oct. 2-Fire that broke out at 10 a.m. in the E.O. Standard Milling Company, on the river front, at Alton Ill., destroyed that and several other buildings, causing a loss estimated at $400,000. A high wind blew the spark broadcast, threatening the destruction of the business section of Alton, and St. Louis was asked for help. A special train carried two engine companies from here, and they, with the local department, finally got the flames under control about 1 o’clock.

The heaviest losses are: E.O. Standard Milling Company, three buildings, loss $300,000, insured; Roller Milling Company, loss $5,000, partially insured; George B. Hayden; machine shop, loss, $15,000, partially insured; Farmers’ Elevator, loss, $25,000, partially insured, and the Model Hotel, loss, $5,000, partially insured.

Five Bluff Line freight cars loaded with wheat, the freight house of the Diamond Jo Steamboat Line and seven buildings of minor importance were also burned.

Des Moines Daily Leader, Des Moines, IA 3 Oct 1901
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!