Martens, Hugo Edward

1878 - 1922  (43 years)

• Name	Martens, Hugo Edward
  Birth	19 Nov 1878	Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
  Gender	Male
  Education - High School	1895	Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
  Kaukauna High School Class of 1895
  	Kaukauna High School Class of 1895
  Obituary	23 Mar 1922
  Appleton Post Crescent
  See Image HUGO MARTENS DIES IN KAUKAUNA FIRE - Martens Store Badly Damaged Property Loss in Midnight Fire Will be in Excess of $50,000 GET HELP FROM APPLETON - Member of Firm Loses Life When He Tries to Save Papers in Office Hugo E. Martens was suffocated to death and heavy property damage was caused by a fire which partially ruined the store building of Julius J. Martens Co.. South Kaukauna, Wednesday night and for a time threatened the business district. The property loss was said to be in excess of $50.000. Appleton fire department was summoned about 1 o'clock in the morning and the fire confined to the one building in which it started after an all night battle. The loss is partially covered by insurance. Hugo Martens, one of the owners of the burning store, reached the scene shortly after the fire started and succeeded in entering the building apparently intent on saving valuable papers in the office. He returned to the street, put on a gas mask and entered a second time. It is said that he was warned by the police not to make the attempt. This time he did not return and desperate efforts were made by fire fighters and police officers to reach him. The smoke was too dense, however, and the fire had gained too much headway so the rescue attempts had to be abandoned. FOUND NEAR DOOR It was not until the fire had been brought under control about 4 o'clock in the morning flint the body was recovered. It was found by Patrolman. James MacFadden lying about 15 feet from the door, in the dry goods department The gas mask had been torn from Mr. Martens face. It is believed he had lost his way in the smoke-filled building and had decided to make a dash to safety without the mask protection. The fire in the Third St. brick business block was discovered about 11:15 Wednesday evening by a passerby who summoned the Kaukauna fire department. Warning also was given Mrs. Julius J. Martens, who was at home in the Martens apartment above the store. No information was obtained as to the exact cause of the fire. It started, in the basement near the furnace and worked its way up until most of the first floor and the merchandise was ablaze. The flames reached the Masonic lodge rooms on the second floor causing considerable damage but the Martens living rooms were untouched by fire, although damaged by smoke and water. SEETHING FURNACE Kaukauna firemen fought valiantly to check the spread of the flames but when the fire burned through to the first floor in a stretch across the entire building the situation looked serious and Mayor Charles Raught telephoned Chief George P. McGillan of the Appleton department for help. The call was received here at 12:50 and hose company No. 1 with Chief McGillan and three men was rushed to the scene. The basement was a seething furnace when the Appleton men arrived and the fire was spreading rapidly. The pumping apparatus of the Appleton truck was put into action and flood nozzles used to deluge the basement. It became evident that the municipal pumping station could not supply water fast enough for the eight streams used on all sides of the structure. The Appleton crew then disconnected its lines from the hydrant and located its truck at the canal. Water was supplied for five hours by the Appleton pump through two hoses laid for more than three blocks. The combined efforts of the two departments began to count against the raging fires which reached its height about 2:45. This was about the time when the single story unit at the rear, in which the grocery department is located, was ignited. A metal roof made it difficult to apply water in sufficient quantities to save this portion. PROTECT OTHER BUILDINGS Efforts were concentrated on keeping the flames from getting through into the second story, and to protect neighboring buildings. The battle kept up until early morning and the Appleton department returned home about 6 o'clock. Streams were played on the smoldering mass nearly all morning Thursday. The damage, was confined to the basement and first floor of the store, which is owned jointly by Hugo and Julius J. Martens. The front remains almost intact, and the brick walls withstood the ravages of the flames successfully. The, ceiling over the main floor was burned partially but the damage to the second story was not as serious. The counters and goods on shelves fell through into the basement when the floor burned away. Some of the merchandise may be salvaged. Stock in the warehouse at the right of the store was not damaged. Plans for rebuilding have not been announced. Hugo Martens was secretary-treasurer of the company and was one of the first to reach the building after the fire was discovered. Fred V. Heinemann, district attorney spent Thursday morning in Kaukauna, investigating the death of Hugo Martens. His decision was that death was due to suffocation. Testimony he obtained showed that the man made th eattempts to enter the building and that the third entry proved fatal. Appleton Post-Crescent Thursday,March 23,1922,Appleton,Wisconsin Page 1 and 16 MartensHugo E.3/23/1922Post Crescent3/24/19226 also; Card of Thanks Edward J. Kenney, Hugo E. Martens Kaukauna Times 3/30/19 22 8 NewsObituary Hugo Martens, Mrs. H. D. Wing, Edward J. Kenney Kaukauna Tim es 3/30/1922 4 Obituary
  Death	23 Mar 1922	Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
  Burial	Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
  		Martens, Hugo Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Kaukauna, Wisconsin, USA
  Person ID	I101466	1FamilyTree
  Last Modified	7 Mar 2018

  
  

  Father	Martens, Julius Joachim,   b. 16 Oct 1839, Mecklenberg, Schwerin, Germany d. 6 Oct 1901, Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA (Age 61 years)
  Mother	Rosberg, Ernestine,   b. 16 May 1846, Saxony, Germany d. 20 Sep 1934 (Age 88 years)
  Family ID	F35729	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart