Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-24
TIE FARMiNGTON FIRE.
Special Telegram to the Globe.


FAsMINGToN, Nov. 2}.-Shortly after 8
o'clock, last evening, fire was discovered in the
barn of the Ni5kern hotel, which speedily COM
rnuuicated to the hotel itself, and in very
brief period assumed very alarming proportions
and threatened to envelop the entire city in
tho 1aaelstrrm Of destruction. The wind was
at the time, Blowing stiff breeze from the
west, and the buildings being mostly of wood
and very old, the fire made astonishinely rapid
progress.
Ina few brioe moments, much less than is
requisite to give au adequate descr ption, the
lurid flames enveloped the doomed structure
aI,d thence TOOK an eastward course, spreading
rapidly along Oak street and leaving naught
untouched aud unharmed in their desc .ate
pathway.
Within few moments after the first alarm
the CIT zens or tho town gathered IN force at
the scene of the con1agration. AS soon as tho
situation was compreheDded and it
that the hotel was doomed, the
work of saving the furniture and
other contents of the establishment
was commenced by the excited throng. Nearly
all the contents of the hotel were removed, but
in the hurry and confusion much of it was
damaged and rendered nearly worthless.
FROM the hotel the fire spread to Whtaker's
boot and shoe store, aud thence to Atz &
Saurer S hardware establishment. portion
Of the stoci in both Of these saved.
The bank of Pennington, a twostocy build
ing, was next attacked and rapidly crumbled
beneath the consuming force of the dsvouriDg
element. The bank was owned and by
Thomas c. Davis, president, and Claus NJ. Ditt-
mar. cashier, both well known to St. Paul
business men, aud was said to be in flourish
ing condition. Tho loss involves only the
building and is estimated at about S 600, the
papers and contents of the vault being all safe.
From the bank to Ben barbershop, small
one story frame, tho flames pursued
their eastward course, and in Il twinkling at
tackled the Egle hotel on the Northwest corner
of Oak and Third streets. This was two
story buildng and kept by Lawrence
Egle, who is also well known in st. Paul, and
to travellers generally. MIR. Esle succeeded In
saving considerable portion of his furniture,
but rs was naturally to be expected, in very
damaged condition.
Up to this time the wind had been blowing
directly from the west. But when the Egle
hotel hnd become fully enveloped, the wind
suddenly veered to the southwark, forcing the
flames ana heat across Oak street to the large
three story store of @. Il. Griebic. From the
first discovery of the fire Mr. Grisbie had made
determined effort to save his property. To
force pump III his we'll he had attached hun
dred feet Of hose, and with the aid Of assist
ance hsd spread blankets over the roof and
nices Of the building. These were thoroughly
"etlcd and q stream of water kept play
ing upon them. This prtcautinn would
undoubtedly have saved the building had not
the wand unfortunately changed. But upon
its veeriug, and when the hot breath OF the
tery monster licked the large plated windows
Of the ground story, the glass melted like mist
before the morning sun. AS the glass crun-
bled the flames penetrated the interior of the
structure, and in ten minutes the frnits of
four or i've years of patient industry and per-
severance we're swallowed up.
he Pump was kept at work (four men TAX
ing part and alternately relieving each other)
as long as any hope of saving tho building re-
manned. The structure was three stories, and
venecrcd with brick, and also provided
With iIo1 shutters for the upper windows. The
second story occupied by the proprietor,
Mr. &. b. Griebie, and his brother and family,
both of whom lost all their furniture and
clothing, saving not even any of their clothing
other than what they wore at tho time. The
third story was occupied rs Masonic
lodge room and of course nothing of the fix.
lures therein was saved. A loss Of several
hundred dollars of Masonic property is con-
s!dered As very moderate estimate.
Mr.. Griebe's stock in trade is put d wn at
about $4,000, of which only very small pro-
portion was rescued. Upon the stock and
building he holds policies in some half dozen
companies represented by John 8. Prince,
Esq, of ST. Paul, and aggregating some $l0,-
500.
Ten minutes completed tho work Of destruc-
ton OF tho Griebie building after which the
flames turned westward along Oak street to the
place of beginning, rather opposite the
starting point, and destroyed SUCCESSFULLY +.
Wintec's barber shop, j. j. Fretter's restaurant
and dwelling, Hon. G. W. Dilley's livery
stable, hlrs. Fager's house and Mrs Dew
tits house. Dilley's livery stable was
new building and uninsured, and although
he succeeded in saving his stock and carriages
his loss will reach $1,000, and falls heavily up
on very worthy and upright gentleman. The
other buildings above named were
also uninsured and represent a loss
of about $500 in each case.
Before the fire struck the Egle hotel; as be-
fore narrated, the large elevator across the
roadway from the Niskern hotel, had caught
fire and was two thirds burned. Some so, 900
OF 900 bushels of wheat were stored in the
building which belonged to the Chicago q Mil
waukee Railroad company and was at the time
operated by the we'll known firm of Pratt l.
Robinson. The total loss on building, grain
and machinery will, it is reported, aggregate
over $50 900, which is believed to be partially
covered by insurance.
Among the owners of the grain stored in the
elevator, are Archibald and Schurmeier Of your
city. who, it is reported, will sustain a loss of
S32, 600, which, however, is insured to about
$4,000. The destruction of the building was
complete. nothing whatever being saved, the
rapidity with which the fire travelled, the
length land breadth Of the structure, prevent.
ing any attempt at removing the contents.
The following diagram and explanations will
enable the reader to get better and more cor
rect idea Of the extent Of the devastation: