Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-14
IN TIRE RUINS.


Three OF the Fourteen Safes in the Drake
Block Recovered aud Opened-Condiiion
of heir Coatents-The Fire Still Burning
in the Easements.
On Yesterday the men at work on the ruins of
the Drake block unearthed some of the safes
which we're under the debris. There are four
teen altogether in the bottom of the cellar.
The first safe opened was small one belong
ing to Mr. Drake, and was used in the land
Office of the St. Paul & Sioux City railway.
which had its Office in the block. 1t was in the
rear of the building and in part that did not
suffer SO much from the great heat as other
portions. Everything inside was in the very
best preservation, and large roll of postage
stamps suffered other damage than by being
partially stuck together from the dampness
caused by the sweating of the chamber from the
heat.
The safe belonging to Messrs. Bacon &
Stone, real estate men was the next reached, ard
in this no damage had eusued. They had Eome
SIS 20 III notes and all are safe.
The safe of Messrs. Reed q Sherwood was
| in rather an unsatisfactory state when discov-
cred. II was in the bottom of the basement,
and besides the fire test, it was about half Gov
cred with water, which had got inside. and when
| lhe safe was opened the books and papers were
found in an exceedingly pulpy condition. Mr..
Sherwood said he expected the books would all
have to be tgauscrlDeti, AID 1t doubtful :
the whole could be used. The back of the safe
was sprung and so were the partitions and 0thec
work on the inside. The safe Wds knocked hor5
de combat.
1t is expected that several of the safes will be
reached to-day, and then the rival agents VIII be
| able 10 blow the relative merits OF tHeir wares.
| Mr.. G. L. Lowath, who had his Office or the
upper floor. found his copying press IN the base
/ of lTg tpttQr hOnLs firmly
| grasped. 1t appeared to be little the worse for
| lis scorching and its big plunge. Mr.. Lowdth
was coDgratulating himself Ia having found It,
as it vas all NJ had left of 81 0yG worth Of
property which he has lost.
Me srs Cochran & Newport's comp; Rtnaent
| in the vaults was opened ana found III apple-ple
order, and nothing was the least damaged.
In the Hardenhergh block the fire Is still
| burning in the basement with such Vi gor that
his safe ard also that Of Arthur, Warren & Ab-
bott could not be reached. hy-
drant stream of water was being thrown
upon the ruins during the entire day :,
but the mass OF debris is so great that water has
n immediate effect. 1t may be two three
DAYS before all the safes in both bu ldings are
recovered and until that time the exact losses
of the sufferers cannot be positively asc rtain-
ed. A number of the occupants VIII suffer
comparat velY little loss il the contents OF thel
safes are secure.
George W. Hail. the barber who occupied
the basement, has taken up hi headquarters st
Phillips shop ar the corner of Jackson and
Fourth streets.
Inspector of buildings, Elmer, was seen by a
GIoBE reporter yestertsy evening, and IN peak
,ug of the Drake buiidng ruins he said that he
had Dotifed Mr.. Drake ye teyday that the rear
wall would haze to come down ard to axe
II easures to protect the alley, as the walls vera
a raeI ace to both life Al d DO cry. He also
though that the upper part of ire front wall
would hsve to cOms down. although the
| wall was at present IL perfect pllulb
In alluding to the walls of the badenoorsn
building he thought thatthey would I'll have to
| come down, including the dividing wall betwa n
it and he Drake ding. The ruins have beea
placed in charge of Mr.. Brink who WI! have The
= debris removed.
: Tie firm of Arthur, Warren Il Abbott, who
occupied the floors over afdenbeTgh Co. anc
Hoxsie & Jaggar, and whose loss by the fire
/ Wedre-d : morning was almost total, have Sc
q cured the upper floors ever the store occupied
2 By snith Bros. & Erskine, Nos
r Z}3 and 235 East Third street
Mr. Warren, member Of the firm, was seen By
> a GLOBE reporter last night, and he stated tina
f thew wonld be fully installed in their rev
. quarters il a day or two, when all orders woult
!, meet with the usual prompt attention. In speak
< ing of their Lose he said tha
II WIS from s4s,e0c to $4,000, which was COS
cred by an in urance of o,oea, placed re
rorted IN vest 4rday's Issue of Il is per. Thc
stock consisted Of notions aid fancy goods oi
II description. and thzre vas small salvage
but to what extent vas notyet kTown.