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Show i3'7EARS-AG0 PEST FIRE: , BURNED THE ATLAS BLOCK Histcry of the Buildln? Vf Well ''Has Cost Its Owners a Mint of .Ioncy. ' The Atlas block is a total wreck. Not a thing will remain that will be of any value to Its owners, the S. S. Walker Estate company. . The building: was originally erected in 1883 by S. S. "Walker at a cost of $125,-000, $125,-000, and was used as a theater and was known as the Walker opera-house. The theater continued to lose money for Its owners, who finally fitted up a number of offices on the upper floors to try and break even. 'On the morning- of July S, 1890, Just thirteen years ago, a fire attacked the building-, and when several hours later It had been extinguished, little but the front of the structure remained standing. There were insurance policies to the amount of 150,000 covering the building, but the loss was heavy. June of 1895 saw the business block which burned last night completed, at a cost of another $125,000. ' Since that time the building has been a money-maker for Its owners, although al-though It was not, strictly speaking, a modern structure. The heavy loss of the first fire was a lesson to the owners, and since that time a much larger amount of insurance has been carried. On the building alone policies to the amount of $75,000 were in force, and there was Insurance to the j amount of $10,000 on the office rent, making a total of $S5,00O. The direct Insurance Insur-ance will be payable immediately, bnt that on the office rents will be paid monthly In amounts equaling the total rent per month of the entire building. Although the owners will stand to lose heavily, their loss will not exceed $30,000. ' |