The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-11-17
MONDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER ~, 1866.


TIE Fire Of Friday Night. 49,, p.
The Times issued an extra on Saturday
giving full particulars of the fire of Friday
night. The account being in the main cor
rect, we adopt it, as below. The only par
t;culars in addition, was the breaking OF
considerable more window glass in the neigh
borhood than is mentioned by our neighbor,
including the windows on the east side of the
First Presbyterian Church:
Fire---Explosion of Powder---Loss $25 900!
About half-past twelve o'clock this (Satur-
day. morning the cry of fire was raised, and
soon after a terrible explosion took place,
which aroused our citizens, and for the time
Being created much excitement. On repair
ing to the scene of confagration, it was found
that the store of II. l. Sanford, on the
corner of Third and Wabasha streets, was on
fire, and the flames were making rapid head
way.
The Hook and Ladder Company, with
their apparatus and their engine, were soon
on the ground, and by dint of great cxertion,
for which they deserve great praise, the
building on the opposite corner, occupied by
Emmett & Moss, as a law office, by Has
lett Thompson, as a clothing store, and by
several young men in the story above, was
saved from destruction.
When the explosion of powder took place
in Sandford's store, the door and window
shutters of Emmett & Moss were forced
open, the plastcring of some portions of the
building blown off and the sides of the build
ing otherwise injured. Up stairs in the
front room, Dr. Stewart was sick of fever
and he was severely shocked by the tremen-
dous noise. He was Immediately removed
to an adjoining building, and we trust will
receive no material injury.
In the back room, fronting on Wabasha
street, a young man by the maine of Sch
warar, was sleeping near by window, the
glass of which was entirely destroyed and
the frame work blown in upon him. lie
narrowly escaped being struck by some OF
the fragments. As matter of course he
was much frightened and his left arm was
somewhat paralyzed. The room adjoining
was occupied by Mr.. 1glehart, as law
Office. The window in this room shared the
same fate as the other, and considerable
plastering was blown off. Fortunately Mr.
Iglehart slept in room back, and was free
from danger. The room occupied by Mr..
Sprig Hall was not injured nor was the store
of Haslett & Thompson below, with the ex-
ception of the destruction of the glass and
frame work in one window.
The firemen found that they could not
save the building. and they set themselves to
work to secure the safe of Mr.. Sa1idford
which was among the burning timbers
After considerable hard labor it was secured,
broken open and the contents, consisting OF
papers (no books) several bank bills and two
or three hundred dollars in gold, were safely
deposited in the hands of Mr.. Sandford.
By this tine, the building ado ming Mr.
Sandford's, occupied by Mr.. Amidon as
marble and graye-stone factory, was envel-
bped in flames. The citizens succeeded III
saving several unfinished grave-stones and
some marble, but the building, being light
frame structure, was soon heap OF ruins
We could not learn the loss of Mr.. A, mol
to whom the building belonged.
The building occupied by Mr.. SANFORD
was the property of Mr.. Brown, OF Bee
town, Wisconsin, and its value could moi
exceed 5000. No insurance. Mr.. Sandforf
had lust received his fall stock of goods, ant
he informs us that his loss is 25,OOO, upo1
which there was no insurance. 1t was hi
intention to be insured in few days. Among
his stock were four or five kegs and seyeIa
cans of gunpowder, which were the cause o
the explosion, to which we have already al
Iudcd. His books containing his account
were burned.
Cause of fire a mystery-supposed to b.
the work of an incendiary. 1t was dlscov
cred in the extreme back part of the build
ing. in the front portion of which Mr.. Sand
ford was sleeping and who was aroused bu
short time previous to the explosion. HI
building being old and dry, the flames had
all their own way.
At the time of the fire the wind wa
blowing from the North, which carried tn
flames towards the river Had it been blow
ing from the West, great portion Of Thir
street would have been swept by the fer.
A,o,,or.s R,,t enough. Nearly S3O 600 @