Despite the inclement weather Sunday thousands of people viewed the ruins of the great disaster occurring Friday night and Saturday morning. The weather was highly disagreeable. A fine sifting rain fell almost all day, however, thousands of people stood for hours gazing upon the ruins. Almost a constant procession moved back and forth between the smoking ruins of St. Joseph’s church and those of the Congregational church, two blocks distant. Police officers were on hand to warn the people from getting too close to the walls which were swaying in the breeze.

Chimney Pulled Down.

About three o’clock the firemen razed the chimney which was left standing in the ruins of the Mayham residence. It was thought that the wind would carry the chimney over onto the residence of M. Fitzgerald.

Hundreds of people watched the east wall of St. Joseph’s church as if swing back and forth in the breeze. An effort was made Saturday to pull the wall down but it was impossible with the equipment that was available. The rope was swung over one of the smoke flues which are built in the walls and as soon as a strain was put on the rope it broke. The wall is gradually growing weaker and there is no chance of using it in the building of a new church.

Thirty tons of coal stored in the basement of the church blazed with relentless fury all day Sunday. It was necessary to keep a stream of water playing upon the coal all day. In various other places the ruins were smoking and smoldering.

The Heaviest Loss

St. Joseph’s congregation is called upon to stand the heaviest loss. Contractor Thomas O’Connell who years ago helped build the church said this morning that Thursday of last week the church could not have been replaced at a cost of $75,000. The debt carried by the congregation amounting to about $7,000 cuts down the insurance to almost an insignificant figure. The loss on the Congregational church is also a very severe one. Dr. G. V. Mears saw the burning ember which set fire to the church when it struck the spire. Dr. Mears said that it was only a small coal, but the stiff wind held it against the spire and the wind fanned it until the wooden shingles caught. The fire at that time was burning slowly and a dipper of water would have extinguished on the roof they were beaten out.

Paper is Burned

The ladies of St. Joseph’s congregation lost about $70 worth of newspapers and magazines in the fire. The paper had been collected for the purpose of selling it and more than a carload was in the basement ready to be shipped. All of the paper was consumed in the flames.

Patrol Roof

A.M. Boex, president of the Boex-Holman company, had eighteen men at work on the roof of the candy factory within an hour after the fire started. They were armed with brooms, wet cloths, fire extinguishers etc., and as fast as the burning embers alighted on the roof they were beaten out. Mr. Boex believes that if the north wall of St. Joseph’s church fell down there would have been no saving of the factory or that part of the city lying to the northeast.

Blankets Burn

The residence of the Misses Gruenheck, located on First street took fire on several occasions as also did the barns on the Dr. L. A. Bishop property. Blankets soaked in water were laid on the roof of the Gruenheck residence. The heat was so intense at times that the blankets burned.

Much Hose Sold

Thousands upon thousands of feet of garden hose was sold in the city Saturday. It is safe to say that a large percentage of the houses in Fond du Lac will hereafter be equipped with their own fire fighting appliances. Postal cards showing views of the fire were sold in the city like hot cakes Saturday and Sunday. The demand greatly exceeded the supply.

Reports Exaggerated

The reports of the fire printed in a number of state papers included the residence of Dr. L. A Bishop among those destroyed. An Eau Claire paper was one of the papers to contain this information, and when Henry C. Moore who with Mrs. Moore is visiting Dr. and Mrs. G. M. Moore there, read the article he immediately sent a telegram to C H Anderson instructing Mr. Anderson to offer Dr. Bishop and family the use of the Moore home.

It appears that the farther the reports traveled the worse they became. Samuel W. Heath, who is employed in the auditing department of the Terre Haute and Indianapolis Traction company at Terre Haute, read of the fire and from all accounts published in the papers reaching Terre-Haute from Chicago, this city was burning up and thousands of people had fled for their lives. Mr. Heath endeavored to get into communication with relatives here, but was informed at one office that the wires had been burned out by the fire. He left Terre Haute at midnight for this city. He was relieved when he arrived here and found the homes of his relatives still standing.