Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-16
ISpecial Telegram to the Globe. |

CHICAGO, Feb. 15.-One of the most de-
structive fires which has happened in this
city since the burning of Field & Letters re-
tail dry goods store, occurred Saturday night,
involving q loss of property of half mil
lion dollars. At 11:30, as one of Pinker-
toms special force was walking his beat on
Adams street near the bridge, he saw glare
of light in the Empire warehouse He had
travelled the beat there for several months
and never before lavlng seen light in the
building at SO late an nour, Immediately
proceeded to the structure and saw that the
INTERIOR WAS ON FIRE.
He at once gave an alarm. The fire had
probably been burning half an hour when
discovered. VIM. Terry, al employe of the
Empire warehouse company, who had been
asleep in the Office, was awakened by stiff
ing sensation. lie opened his eyes to find
the room full of smoke.
To dress himself and rush
out to give an alarm was the work of but a
moment. He was too late. The engine was
already on the ground, and just about the
time of its arrival Ban. Bullwinkle's fire pa
troll drove up. The men of the latter
rushed into the building with Bahcock ex-
tinguishers and tarpaulns, but we're driven
back hy tho
FLAMES AND SMOKE,
the latter putting out in vast volumes from
the basement, where it is supposed the fire
originated, in the vicinity of the boiler, and
thence climbed up the open hatchway to the
fourth floor. The fremen saw at glance
that they had big job on hand, one that
would demand all their resources, and at
Pill a general alarm was turned in. This
in few minutes brought all of the depart
ment within reach of the aggregated dan
ger signal. The Empire warehouse was
built in 1862, and cost $4,000. 1t is
large block with frontage of about 1870
feet on Market street, extend
ing to the bank of the river,
distance of 14O feet. 1t is divided in the
center by two foot wall. Tho northern
half of the building, three stories and base
ment, was occupied by the Empire Ware
housing company for general storage pur
poses, the south half, two stories and base
ment, being used as government bonded
warehouse for the storage of goods on which
duties had not been paid. Both buildings
were substantially built, and the different
floors were calculated to bear an enormous
weight. All the windows and doors were
protected by iron shutters, which fastened on
the inside, fact that at once convinced the
fremen the place was doomed. The fire in
surance patrolmen with number of covers
entered upon the main floor with the inten-
ton CT securing some sacks of seed that
were piled clear to the ceiling Twelve of
them were inside when the draught through
the building closed the doors on them, and
tho
FLAMES LEAPED AT THEM
from every corner. Blinded by smoke and
suffocated with heat, they made run for
the doors, but piles of seed fell upon them
and impeded their progress. Patrolman
Guirk was pinned immovably to the floor by
two huge sacks of heavy stuff, but was res
cued by companion who lifted one of the
burning bags. They finally reached the
doors in safety, but considered their escape
an exceedingly narrow enc. Marshall Swee-
nia arranged his forces so as to surround the
fire and attack it from every side. Ladders
were raised to the upper stories and the red
no. shutters were pried off after the expen-
diture of much valuable time, and streams
were directed through the opening thus
four leads of hose to the upper deck of the
propeller Colorado, that lay in the river ad-
jscent to the burning building, but they were
of no use until the heat from the inside melt
anxiety was manifested over the dangerous
condition of the west and north walls of
the building, as they threatened to fall at
any moment, blu. fortunately such q catas-
sTUBBoBNEsT AND MOST UNCoMPRoMIsING OF
FIRES,
and reminded one of the flames which
crumbled the city into ashes in 1871. No
nhiOOAe VI "oNSA "o0io lie
Again and again heavy streams were
brought to bear directly on the flames
through an open window or doorway and at
the end of quarter of an hour of steady
playing the glow YVES as bright as at first.
1t clutched the iron shutters in its grasp,
twisted and worked them loose from their
fastenings, rising up
HOTTER AND HOTTER,
as the draft increased through the newly
opened apertures, and with thousands of
gallons of water converted into combustible
gases. it grew a dark glowing red,
which shot up above the roof. Presently
deadened detonations from within an
nounced the bursting of whisky
barrels, and the red glare was spread still
wider. TIE intense heat made itself evil
dent in the swelling and bullying of walls on
the north side, which seemed to sway back
and forth under waves of flames, and to
seriously threaten to topple outward and
ovERwHELM THE FIREMEN
stationed on that side. Presently there was
a oroob ord Tho pph,,la infarior want doup in