Morris tribune., 1882-05-04
LAKE CITY, MINNESOTA, DISASTER.
At Least Fffty Business Houses of the CITY
Burned, Entailing Loss of S4OO OO0


A most disastrous conhagration occurred at
1kake City, Wsbasha county, Minnesota. ON Sat-
urday last The Are originated In ths unused
Kitchen OF the old Sexton house on Lake avenue
at 12:46 g. m. The building was vacated as a
hotel some time ago and was In charge of an
old Irish woman named Pugh. The fire is pre-
sumed to have been started by an incendiary
Soon after 1t broke out an alarm was given and
the hre department went promptly to work !;
bat q strong east wind was blowing. and moth,
ing could be lone 10 prevent the flames from
progressing speedily TO the business part of the
city.
The heavy esst wind blowing from or the
aaSs had full sweep st the city, and the fire
once started, close by tbs lake shore. II fairly
Ieaped with the gale from ono wooden building
20 another, straight for the heart CT the town.
No human power could have stopped its pro-
Sress while ii had anything to feed upon with
IN reach OF Its nyi1g cinders and tongues OF
dame ss directed BY the wind The few WOOD
On buildings In the vicinity OF the sexton house
were quickly iSpited and the fire leaped across
Ene streets TO The wagon shops OF A N, Curtis
and Richardson Bros, & Co., from which it ad-
Vsneed across another street TO Dobasr's
Blacksmith shop aud 70 all the buildings most.
iy or brick, on the east side of WashinSton
street. between Center and Marion streets,
every one OF whic Wss eonsu ned Crossing
washington street the tsmss ignitsd Sam Lind
gren's soloon. ana the other brick BUILDINGS Oh
~. II
eert and the First N tonal bank were soon il.
VolYed together with tbs new brick building
OF Patton 4 Son, occupied as = restaurant by
Mrs. Kyle, which was ss far as the fire eS-
tended down Washington street ON the west
side.
Cinders from the east side Of Washington
street were blown disgonally across to the wood
Sn buildings on the corner OF the block aboYe
known as Siglers block, which took fire and
burned rapidly, the confagrstion moving along
coin sides OF Center street. resching across
Main to the fine brick stores OF c. F. Young 4
Brother, and extending IS far west on the north
sloe 0r center strest the store OF the Lake
ClSy Furniture Co. which WAS DESTROYED The
buildings on the lower eide Of Center, between
Washington and Main streets including thu
First National bank were all consumed From
Sisier's wooden buildings on Washington snd
CEDAR streets The fire quickly extended ever the
whole square bounding Washington, Center and
Main streets and Lyon avenue, destroying every
oaitdinS thereon, including the fine three story
rostonce block, though the lower corner room
of the latter building. occupied by the bank, s
left stapdipding, owing to the
strong efforts of the nremeu st that point,
From the postofhce block ths fire Jumped
ulsSonally across Lyon syelas and Main street
so the Commercial hotel which it consumed.
but went no further in that direction, there bs-
lng no buildings contiguous to the hotel for the
flames 70 feed upon. The stores on the lower
sloe OF Washington street, between Lyon aV-
ssnue and Center street, were more or less
damaged by heat but luckily escaped the con.
dagranoa. The list Of sufferers Is very long
and is consequently omitted, and In its place
We give diagram, which will be Of use to
those acquainted With the locality, in following
the
TRACK OF THE FIRE.