Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-26
A BAD BLAZE.

Destruction of Col. KIefer's Distlllery
| Works-Rapid and Thorough Work of the
Fire Fiend-StriIking Illustration of the
Need of Better Facilities for Fighting the
Demon-Loss So 900, With Only 81 600
| Insurance.
The alarm of fire from box No. 81, O few
minutes before IL o'clock last night, an
nounced one of the most destructive confia-
grations of the season. A banner of lurid
flames shot up from the vicinity of the har-
vester works, and illuminated the vicinity
for miles around.
1t was first supposed that the devouring
element had seized upon this valuable prop
erty, but subsequent inquiry revealed the
fact that Col. Kiefer's new
DIsTILLERY AND REoTIFYING WORKS
had caught fire and were rapidly under the
complete dominion of the flames.
| A GLOBE reporter visited the distiIlery,
which is situated at the Post siding, about
three miles from the CITY. The destruction
was wonderfully rapid and something over
an hour after the fire had started the site of
the distillery was as bare as if swept by a
simeon. e
The fire ragged furiously, feeding upon the
intiammable contents of the distillery, which
consisted of alcohol, raw spirits and dis
| titled liquor. The lamentable deficiency of
water was never illustrated with more cogen-
cy than last night.
MOVEMENTS OF ENGINES.
Nos. 2 and steamers started for the fire,
but owing to the heavy roads the team at
taohed to No. doubled with No. engine at
Seventh street bridge, the latter proceeding
to the fire.
A stream was finally directed on the blaze,
but it fell on the doomed building like so
much chaf, and the efforts of the depart
ment were directed to saving the sheds of
the stock yard.
PROPERTY DESTROYED.
The buildings destroyed consisted of the
government warehouse, the distilIery and the
redistilling works. They were constructed
last fall at cost of $4,000, and had Just
gotten under way this spring.
The warehouse contained about eight
thousand gallons of stock, valued at $4,000.
In addition to this, quantity of raw mate
rial was destroyed, the exact value of which
is not known. A hummer of improvements
have recently been made which will swell
the loss above what is given.
INSURANCE.
Col. Kiefer's total insurance on stock and
buildings is $4,000. Mr.. John Wagner
owned an interest in the bonded warehouse
stock, which is insured for $1,000.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The origin of the fire is involved in doubt.
The night watchman first discovered flames
issuing from the boiler house, and the fire
is supposed to have originated by sparks
from the engine.
The machinery was very valuable, con-
sisting of 36 horse power engine with per-
feet equipments. At the hour of writing
(2:30 A. NJ the fire is still smouldering, and
the once valuable works are involved in COM
piete ruin. A number of barrels of spirits
were taken from the building before the fire
had gained complete headway, but the value
of the goods saved is not known.
Aside from the pecuniary loss. the fire is
an exceedingly unfortunate occurrence, as
the distillery was the first enterprise of the
kind in the State, and the set back received
will not be recovered without an immense
outlay of time and great expenditure of
money.