Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-11-27
FIRE AT HARRINGTON, MINI.
Destruction Of Almost all the Business Part
Of the Town.

the 'ba. Of the Niskern hotel, Farming
ton, MIMI, which speedily communicated
to tho hotel itself, and in very brief pc
Rod assumed very alarming proportions
and threatened to envelop the entire city
in the maelstrom of destruction. The
wind was at tho time, blowing stiff
breeze from the west, and the buildings
being mostly of wood and very old, tho
fire made astonishingly rapid progress:
E In few brief moments, much less
than is requisite to give an adequate de-
scription, the lurid flames enveloped the
doomed structure and thence took an
eastward course, spreading rapidly along
Oak street and leaving naught untouched
aud unframed in their desolate pathway.
Within few moments after the first
alarm the citizens of the town gathered
In force at the scene Of the confagration.
As soon as the situation was comprehend
ed and it was seen that tho hotel was
doomed, the work of saving the furniture
and other contents of the establishment
was commenced by the excited throng.
Nearly all tho 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 Whita-
ker's boot and shoe stole, and thence to
Atz and Sauer's hardware establishment.
A portion of the stock in both of these
was saved.
The bank of Pennington. two-story
building, was attacked and rapidly crum-
bled beneath the consuming force of the
devouring elemen:. The bank was own
ed and run by Thomas G. Davis, presi.
dent, and Claus NJ. Dittmar, cashier,
both wellknown to St. Paul business
men, and was SAID to be in fourishing
condition. The loss involves only the
building, and is estimated at about ST.
900, the papers and contents of the vault
being all safe.
From the bank to Ben's barbershop, a
small one story frame, the flames pursued
their eastward course, and in twinkling
attacked the Eagle hotel on the north.
west corner OF Oak aud Third streets
This was :wo-story building, and was
kept by Lawrence Egle, who is also we'll
known in st. Paul, and to travellers gen.
orally. Mr.. Fgle succeeded in saving q
considerable portion of his furniture, but
as vas naturally to be expected, in very
damaged condition.
Up to this time tho wind had been
blowing directly from the west. But
when the Egle hotel had become fully
enveloped, the wind suddenly veered t.
the southwark, forcing the flames and
heat across Oak street to the large three
story store of G. r. Grlebio. From the
first discovery of the fire Mr.. Griebie had
made determined effort to save his
property. To a force pump in his well
he had attached hundred feet Of hose
and with the aid of assistance had spread
blankets over the roof and cornices Of
the building. These we're thoroughly
wetted and stream Of water kept play
ing upon them. This precaution would
ndoubtedly have saved the building hae
not the wind unfortunately changed
But upon it's veering, and when the no
breath of the fiery monster licked thu
large plated windows of the ground story
the glass melted like mist before thu
morning sun. As the glass crumbled tn
flames penetrated the interior of tin
structure, and in ten minutes the fruit
| of four or five years Of patient industr,
and perseverance were Swallowed up.
The pump was kept at work flour mel
taking part and alternately relieving eacl
othet) as long as any hope of saving thu
building remained. The structures wa
three stories and veneered with brick, arc
also provided IRON shutters for the uppe
windows. The second story was occupied
by the proprietor, MI. C. B. Griebe, ant
his brother and family, both of WHOM
lost their furniture and clothing, sayin:
not even any of their clothing other thai
what they wore at the time. The thlrt
story was occupied as Masonic lodg
room and of course nothing IF the fix
lures therein was saved. A loss of sever
al hundred dollars of Masonic property i
considered as very moderate estimate
Mr.. Griebie's stock in trade is put dow
at about $4,000, of which only yer.
small proportion was rescued. Upol
the stock and building he holds policie
in some half dozen companies represent
ed by John 8. Prince. ESQ.,, of st Paul
and aggregatipg some $lO,5O0.
Ten minutes completed the work o
destruction of the Griebie building, afte
which the flames turned westward alons
Oak street to the place Of beginning, Q
rather opposite the starting point, ant
destroyed successfully F. Winters barbe
shop, III. Fretter's restaurant and dwell
ing, Hon. =. w. Dilley's livery stable
Mrs. Fager's house, and Mrs. Dewitt
house. Dilley's livery stable was nev
building and uninsured, and although b.
succeeded in saving bis stock and CARR
ges, his loss will reach $1,000, and fall
heavy on very worthy and upright gen
tleman. The other buildings above nam
cd were also uninsured and represent ,
loss of about $500 in each case.
Before the fire struck the Egle hotel
as before narrated, the large elevate
across the roadway from the Niskern no
tel, had caught fire and was two-third
burned, Some $4,000 or 1000 bushels
of wheat wers stored in the building
which belonged to the Chicago and Mil
waukee Railroad company, aud was a
the time operated by the wellsknowl
firm of Pratt and Robinson. The tota
loss ON building, grain aud machiner,
will, it is reported, aggregate over 500,
900, which is believed to be PARTIAL,
covered by insurance.
! Among the owners of the grain stored
in the elevator, are Archibald AMI Shur
me,r of IS. Paul, who, it is reported viii
sustain loss of 1000, which, however
is insured to about 427, 900. The destruc
ton Of the building was complete, no
thing whatever being saved, the rapidit!
with which the fire travelled, the Length
and breadth of the structure, preventing
any attempt at removing the contents.
| From the commencement of the fir
everybody in the town turned out ant
gathered at the scene Of destruction. In
tense excitement prevailed, but Of conrs'
nothing could be done to stay the pro
gress Of the devouring elements. Thu
livid flames, as they shot athwart the sky
| and siezed the hapless buildings in thei1
fierce en- brace, cast solemn and awe in
spring glance upon the helpless and pan
ic-stricken crowd. No facilities for bat
thing the flames and resisting then
was at hand. Not even bucket brigade
could be organized on account OF the lacl
of va'er. The few wells near at hane
and which afforded the only means O.
getting water were inadequate, and tren
the very start all hope of successful resis
lance seems to have died out in The
breasts of, the terror stricken citizens. In
deed, from the outset, it became nantes
that nothing but a, steam engine ant
plenty of water could adequately cope
with the rapidly spreading confagration