The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-05
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

Atabout o'clock last evening an alarm of
fire was given, caused by the breaking out OF
| fl ,mes in the rear of the wooden buildings on
Third street occupied by the "Our House"
saloon and H. Heiman's clothing store. The
| fire, when first discovered, appeared to have
originated in the upper part of Mr.. Heiman's
building, though it was said upon the street to
have first caught in the Our House building.
| The flames spread rapidly through these two
buildings, and though the Fire Department
was promptly on hand in full force, it was
found impossible to save either of them, and
finally, when the water supply for the engines
began to run low in the cistern at the corner of
Minnesota and Fourth Sts., the burning frame
of Mr.. Heiman's building was pulled down so
as to stop the fire from communicating to the
other buildings of the same row. Fortunately
steady wind aided this purpose and the Cath
Ollie block of stone buildings checked the fire
from spreading up the street.
| The frame row, of which these two buildings
formed part, was built upon lots leased from
the Catholic Church, and consisted of six
buildings, owned and occupied as follows:
The first, owned by Mr.. Witt, occupied by his
"Our House, saloon, on the first floor, and
family residence on the second floor. The
second, owned by Mr.. lehman, and occupied
by his clothing store on the first floor, and
family residence on the second floor The
third, first floor occupied by Mr.. Andrews
barber shop and DR.. Alberti's office on
the second floor. The fourth, owned by
Mr.. Cahill; first floor occupied by his book.
store second floor residence of Mr.. Conner and
family. The fifth, owned by Mr. Kreiger !;
first floor, Marks clothing store; second resi-
dence of German family. The last hpuse in
the row was owned and occupied by Mr.
Schleik, shoemaker, and Mr. Alexander, fur
rier, on the first floor; second, DR.. Rosenk' s
Office.
Upon the breaking out of the fire, the great
est alarm was excited among the families en-
dangered and Others who thought themselves
to be. For moment the street was a scene
of will confusion in which helpless women and
terrified children were the. principal actors,
but the work of saving property was prompt
ly commenced and considering the lack of Or
ganization for that purpose, quite successfully
prosecuted. The women and children of the
different families were soon collected and given
such shelter as the neighborhood afforded.
The stores upon the opposite side of the street,
and basement store-rOoms belonging thereto,
were readily given, when it was known these
were out of danger for the storing of rescued
property.
Mr.. Wits saloon fixtures and household
goods were in pant saved, but were badly
broken up and damaged. His loss will reach
$4,000 with small insurance
Mr.. Heiman's goods and furniture were much
damaged and scattered, though all removed.
His loss will amount to about So, 500.
The next building was but little injured by
the flames. Mr.. Andrews shop fixtures were
carefully moved and stored under his own SUI
perintendence, and his loss is very light. Dr..
Albertis Office furniture and books were moved,
with considerable loss and damage.
Mr.. Cahills book store had been broken
open and stock moved out before his arrival
on the scene and, in consequence his loss will
| count up nearly half the value of his stock.
The family of Mr.. Conner, residing over his
furniture in moving it.
Mr.. Marks was early on hand, had his goods
packed up, but refused to let them be taken
out of the building and loses nothing.
| So far as we learn no other occupants of the
row lost anything by the fire or damage in
moving goods.
Our firemen worked with will, and would
not abandon their efforts of saving the two
buildings burned, so long as there was any
hope of saving them even in part, and that
only failed with the failure of the water sup
| ply. Their eagerness to turn the streams upon
the most effective points for meeting the fire,
| led those who handled the hose and pipes into
positions that were certainly uncomfortably
hot and seemed to the lookers-on to be danger
GUS. The boys at the brakes worked steady
and hard, and were, for once, assisted great
deal by citizens, the police and officers of the
| Department bringing in good many recruits
to try their hands at working on the machines
| Without the cistern supply of water the
whole row would have been burned, but the
occasion suggests that our supply of water, in
case of large fire, is far from being sufficient
and that on that account, if it had not been for
| the favorable wind, the engines would have
had, after brief struggle, to stand idle while
the devouring element eat its way through
three times the amount of property now de-
strOyed by it.
All the Officers and Men of the Second
Minnesota to Rendezvous at Vino.
ma instead Of Fort Smelling.
ST. PAUL, MIMI, Feb. /, 1868.
| ORDER NO. IL.
| In accordance with instructions from Wash
ington, the officers and men of the I'd Regi-
ment Minnesota Volunteers (veterans) will re-
| assemble on the expiration of their furlOug chs