The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-04-27
LAKE CITY, MINNESOTA, DISASTER.
At Least Fifty Business Houses Of the CIT
Burned, EntailiDg Loss OF 100000


Burned, EntailiDg Loss OF 100000
A most disastrous confagration occurred al
Lake City, Wabasha county, Minnesota, On Sat
urday last. The fire originated in the unused
kitchen OF the old Sexton house on Lake avenue
at l2:45 a. M. The building was vacated as a
hot5l some time ago and was in charge of az
old Irish woman named Pugh The fire is pre-
Soon after it broke out an alarm was given and
the fire department went promptly to work
bat a strong east wind was blowing, and moth
ing could be lone to prevent the flames from
progressing speedily to the business part Of the
city.
The heavy east wind blowing from off the
lake had full sweep at the city, and the f re
once started, close by the lake shore, it fairly
leaped with the gale from one wooden building
to another, straight for the heart OF the town
No human power could have stopped iHpro
gress while it had anything to feed upon " .th
flame as directed by the wind. The few wco'-
Ell buildings in the vicinity Of the sexton house
we're quickly ignited and the fire le ped aero 80
the streets to the wagon shops of A. N Curtis
aud Richardson Bros. & Co., from which it ad-
van ced across another street to Dobner's
blacksmith shop and all thu buildings, most
ly of brick, on the east side OF Washington
sire O., between Center and Marion etre9ts
every one OF whic consu ned. Crossing
Washington street the fam 30 iguited S I'm Lind
green's soloon, and the otner brick buildings on
that eide belonging to i. d. Brown, F. Buecs-
ert and the First toaal bank were soon in
volved, together with mo new brick building
OF Patton & Son, occupied q restaurant by
Mrs. Kyle, which WAS as far az the fire ex
tended down Washington street on the west
ii ie.
Cinders from the east side Of Washington
street were blown diagonally across to the wood
ell buildings on the corner of the block a. Owe,
known as Sigler's bl ,ck, which took fire AMI
burned rapidly, the conlisgration moving along
Main to the fine brick stores of G. F. Yoang &
Brother, and extending as far west on the north
side Of Center street the store Of the Lake
City Furniture Co., which was destroyed The
buildings on the lover eide of Center, between
Washington and Main streets, including tbs
First National bank were all consumed. From
oigier's wooden buildings on Washington and
Cedar streets the fire quickly extended over the
whole square bounding Washington, Center and
building thereon, Including the fine three story
postoffice block, though the lower corner room
Of the latter building, occupied by the hank. is
ctrong efforts Of the firemea at that point.
From the postofice block the fire jumped
1iagonally across Lyon avenue and Main street
to the Commercial hotel. which it consumed,
but went no further in that direction, there ba-
ipg no buildings contiguous to the hotel for the
flames to feed upon. The stores on the lower
side of Washington street, between Lyon av-
erue and Center street, were more or loss
damaged by beat but luckily escaped the con-
Il .gration. 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 thu locality, in following
tho