Old News: Remembering the Bowen-Merrill Fire

Driving the (old) news: Around 3pm on March 17, 1890, the Bowen-Merrill Co. stationery and book store at 16-18 W. Washington St. caught fire.

• Employees who saw smoke coming from the iron gratings in the sidewalk called IFD crews to what officials initially believed was a relatively safe situation, with the fire contained to the four-story building's basement.

Yes, but: By 5pm, flames had spread throughout the structure, causing the roof and floors to collapse without warning.

• A total of 86 firefighters responded. In addition to the 12 killed at the scene and the one who died from his injuries years later, more than a dozen others were hospitalized.

Between the lines: The fire sparked the formation of Indianapolis' Board of Public Safety and led to the creation of the first statewide pension fund in 1891.

• Donations from around the country covered funeral costs.

The latest: Indianapolis Professional Firefighters Local 416 and the Indianapolis Firefighters Emerald Society honored the 13 men Saturday morning at a memorial ceremony.

• Thomas Black
• George Faulkner
• Albert Hoffman
• Anthony Voltz
• John Burkhart
• Ulysses Glazier
• David Lowery
• Henry Woodruff
• William Jones
• Andrew Cherry
• George Glenn
• Espy Stormer
• William McGinnis