Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-05
THE FIERY FURNACE,
Which Waited Music Hall Up Among
the Spheres Last Night.
A SERIOUS LOSS TO THE CITY
The Heaviest Disaster Which Has o.
Cured for Many Years.
$4,000 IN PROPERTY GONE UP,
But Insurance Covers the Greater Por.
tion of the Damage.

But Insurance Covers the Greater Por.
ton of the Damage.
lightning is said never to strike twice in
the same place. But fire doesn't discriminate
in this way. though the visitation may be at
long intervals. Six years ago the northwest
corner of Wabashaw and Third streets was
devastated by fire; yesterday it was struck
again by the destroying flames, and Warmers
block stands in ruins to-day.
At 5:l5 o'clock box No. 16 told by its strokes
tho existence of ire in the vicinity
of Bridge Square. The fire department
responded to the alarm, and found no difficulty
in finding the locality of the fire. Before they
got on the ground the notice Of the fire had be
come pretty generally disseminated. and a
large crowd had gathered around the foot of
the stairs leading up to the Music Hall from
Wabashaw street. Some made their way up
stairs, and came back begrimmed
when discovered the fire seemed
to have gotten under fair Roadway, and de6ed
from the first many efforts to put out the fame
nucleus. When the fire department arrived at
the scene, the building seemed to be filled
with smoke and every channel of egress, the
were filled with volumes tilmy, feathered-
edges of smoke.
At first the fire laddies seemed not
to comprehend or appreciate the stu
alton, and were slow to take
hold. But once at work, they labored with a
we'll directed zeal and vigor. which confined the
flames within the walls of the one block, and
saved adjoining buildings, which were every
moment jeopardized.
Au effort was made to run line of hose up
10 OF and u az pE aforo
tire at the place of origin. The
smoke was found intolerable, and
just then a sudden explosion, combined
to drive the tre-hghters pell-mell down the
stairway. After this a line of hose was run up
to a back window and did effective service.
Another we'll directed stream played upon the
building from Wabashaw street, aud two
streams deluged the Third street front.
HOW AND WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED.
Mr.. E. S. German first discovered the fire in
its incipiency. He was in his Office smelt the
odor, investigated and detected smoke issuing
from the wood closet belonging to Davis,
O3rien & Wilson's wood closet. He opened
the door, saw the flames under full Roadway,
aud at once seized vessel or two Of water at
hand, and attempted to extinguish the flames.
The inHammable material at hand was too good
feeder, and leaving his post, he gave the
alarm which brought general assistance.
The wood closet, in which the fire started,
is a. dark inside room, across the hall from the
Office occupied by Davis, O'Brieu & Wilson,
Alongside this one are others, filled with similar
combustible material, shavngs and dry wood,
upon which the flames fed, and to the defiance
of all effort to subdue them. No cause can be
assigned for the sudden confagratiop. The sup
position generally hazarded that probably
hot ashes and live Goals had baen poured Tut in
the closet. This is stoutly denied by Ernest
Ringwad. offce-boy, and he has several to sus-
tain him in it. The origin of the fire is con-
signed to the mysteries. The place of the fire
made it hard to be reached, and great difficulty
attended all attempts to fight it. At o'clock
the fire was discovered; at 80 o'clock it had
such q mastery of the inside building that
smoke gave way to flame, and all was red-hot.
Very soon after the light of the cracking
flames showed glaringly through the windows
then short tongue of flame found egress to
the outside, then receded, to be followed by
dozen. They united add grand rolling flame
of fire bclched forth from the third story win
dows on Wabashaw street, and Third street was
illuminated from the blazing cornice and roof.
Meanwhile people had congregated in num-
hers sufficient to populate st. Paul, and with
s1rplus almost sufficient to civilize Minneapo-
lis.
What with spectators, the fiery furnace, the
denge OF water the shouts Of direction, tbs
excited demands for assistance. the hurrying
to and fro of parties rescuing plumber, the
puff of the engines q scene beggaring descrip-
lion stood out in bold relief in the
fire light of the crumbling building.
WARMER BLOCK,
The building was erected about six years
ago, to replace two story frame which was
consumed by fire with the loss of Ii fe. It was
an imposing and substantial structure erected
by Reuben Warner. built by John Summers.
With a front of 81 feet on Third street, it ex-
tended back on Wabashaw street for
1870 feet. The frat floor was occupied
by Myers & Finch jewelers.; D. D.Lambie & Co.,
druggists, and Thomas Fl. Lyle, barber. The
second floor was occupied for law Offices by Da-
Wis, OBrien q Wilson, 1. V. D. Heard, E. S.
German, W. II. Underwood, j. A. Spencer and
p public hall the loss of which will be seri-
ously felt. The basement was occupied by
Mitchell & Steenstra job print
ing Office. The next building on
Third street, west, belonged to Hiram Rogers,
and had occupants. first floor. s. G. Dickinson,
being used as offices. This, too, came in for a
serious acorch, but met with no great damage,
owing to the strenuous efforts of the depart
Incnt.
HISTORICAL.
The spot occupied by DLnsic Hall has three
times been swept by the flames. In the fall
of 1855, one Sandford had frame grocery
there, and during windy night in December
it took fire and burned down. There at
bDaG LlHlc nO IRE uepdIttlieu1 pue ouI oio IlOok
& Ladder company, and they did some good
service in saving surrounding buildings. Sand
ford had two or three kegs of gunpowder ir
his store. When they went AIT shook az
things i'll the vicinity lively. DR.. Stewart, at
that timea bachelor, had rooms in the build
ing opposite, and was in bed sick with fever al
the time. The conclusion threw him ont of
bed, and cured him.!
R. & Jno. NJ. Warner then leased the ground
and built frame store thereon. just si1
years ago this month it burned down one fear
ful cold night-one of the coolest nights, il
fact, ever felt in this city. The fremen die
splendid service that night and to the aston
ishment of every one, the fire confined t
the single frame structure in which i
originated.
The Losses.
Every occupant OF the Inflated building sui
fered more or less. The walls Of the buildin
are left standing, the 1oof partially burnt OF
and the lower floor intact, but the heat of th
fire and deluge of water has probably made tn