Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-26
A obstructive Fire There Yesterday
Morning.
THIRTEEN BUILDINGS BURNED.
Spilled Whisky Aids in Spreading the
Flames Along the Street.
INEFFICIENCY OF THE FIRE DEPT.
The Loss in the NeighbOrhOOd Of $780,.
600; Insurance the Same.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. |

DULUTH, Mimi, March 24.-Probably
the most destructive fire that has ever been
witnessed in Duluth started this morning
about 1890. 1t originated in little build
ing owned by DR.. Austin on Superior street
between Lake avenue and First avenue west
and occupied by Miss Merrill as dress
making establishment. The fire caught
from coal stove which exploded, and
quickly spread. When it reached the laces
and straw goods in the place, almost in
moment the flames. were leaping through
the door and the window.
An alarm was sounded, but it must have
been fully fifteen or twenty
minutes after the alarm was given
that the hose was laid. Some difficulty
here arose about getting at the water tank
in front of Bunnell block, and it was fully
fifteen minutes more before water was
thrown. Before the engine got to work the
hook and ladder truck made its appear
ance, but was unable to accomplish very
much, as the fire in the meantime had
spread with such lightning repidity, and
almost as quickly as they would get to
work at one building, it would take fire.
From Miss MerrilTs place the
fire spread to Sullivan's restaurant, also
owned by DR.. Austin, and it was
soon enveloped- By this time Superior
street was blocked with spectators and per-
| sons who ran to and fro trying to save
goods. One thing happened here which
| tended to spread the fire much more rap
| idly than it otherwise would have done,
when in trying to save Sullivan's stock,
| some men, by some means, split barrel
or two of whisky on the sidewalk, and the
fire getting into it, ran down as far as
Poirier's corner on Lake avenue, thereby
cutting off all means of saving goods ex-
cept by the back doors or passing through
| the flames.
By this time, perhaps IL O'Clock, the
fire had spread to Peter Deans store on
the west and Weiss clothing store on the
east. The salvage corps had in the mean
time done good work in saving property,
especially IN Deans store, where a large
quantity of stock was saved, but in a badly
damaged condition.
The first building which the hook and
ladder company hitched on to was Deans,
| and in pulling out the front
boy was struck on the head but not very
badly injured.
The fire had now spread to Morrison &
McGregor's grocery store, and almost i'm
mediately after to the New York boot and
shoe store, occupied by Nils Hoff, caught
while the hook and ladder company were
| trying to tear it down. It Was but short
time before this that the water was finally
| got to play on the flames. The roof of
Sullivan's restaurant fell in, quickly fol-
lowed by Gerst's jewelry store and the har-
ness shop, owned by Ed. Wright. The
stone walls of the Clark block arrested the
flames on the west side, but on the east
| side they swept all before them to the cor
ner, including Poirier's boot and shoe
establishment. In Dambruck's restaurant
q good deal was saved. Even before Mr.
Poirier's building had taken fire the
flames had cleaned out all the
| small buildings in the rear
as far as the alley, until they came to Nils
Hof's residence, which they quickly con-
| sumed. The iercest blaze was that caused
| by Poirier's building, it being the highest,
| and great fears were entertained for the
buildings opposite on Superior street; also
across Lake avenue it was so intensely hot
that it was at times thought the east side
| of Superior street would not be saved, al
though water was kept playing on them
| all the time. 1t might have been possible
to save Poirier's building, had it not been
for the water supply giving out, which ne
cessitated a delay of fifteen or twenty min
utes, to move the engine down to the slip.
| AS soon as it was discovered that it
would be impossible to save Poirier's
place, then the fight was made to save the
buildings north of HofFs residence and the
stores opposite on Superior street, which
was done, but not before the Central house,
owned by John A.Smith was pretty well de-
stroyed. 1t was here that the most effec-
| tive work was done.
| It is understood that work will be com
| menced on three or four fine brick blocks
Immediately. No serious accidents are
reported. A. F. Leopold, furniture dealer,
| was slightly injured. Thirteen buildings
in all were destroyed, with losses and
names of insurance companies as fol-
lows:
A. Miles building, occupied by Geists
jewelry store and Hills confectionery
$4,000; insurance $4,000. The owner did
not know the company and the agent
would not give its name.
Dr.. A. Austin, five buildings, occupied
by Wright, harness and saddlery, Birdsall,
saddlery, Miss Merrill, millinery, Sullivan,
saloon, and Weiss, clothing, $4,000; insur-
ance $1,000, in the Springfield of Massa-
chusetts.
Chris Haug, building, occupied by Haug
Bros, S2,500; insurance in the Western
Assurance, 5000; milwaukee Mechanical,
$500; Imperial of london, $500.
Peter Dean, $3.50; insured in the IN
derwriters of New York, $1,000.
MacDougall & McLennar, two buildings
occupied by Morrison 6 AcGregor and N.
Hof, 81, 500; insurance in the North
American. ST 300: PENNSYLVANIA &7OO