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

excellent advantage, keeping the fire on
! the west completely under
control, as well as keeping
| the roof we'll dampened, SO the fire had no
| chance for attack. The hook and ladder
company got their ladders in position and
| the firemen mounted the building imme-
diately east of the Drake block, and kept
continuous stream on the east side. At 2:IO
another explosion took place. at 2:20 the
fire brigade entered the front of the
building and extinguished the
fire in the elevator shaft
At 2:30 O'Clock a section Of the cornice fsil
in and this had the effect TO send skyward
torrent OF sparks and embers, the air at
at this time being filed with flames, the
hyrotechnic display being fairly magnif-
cent.
The interior OF the building wa5 at this
time seething cauldron OF flames, and 10
make the scene more appalling, an ocos-
sional loud explosion would take place.:
resulting from the ignition Of liquors in
the basement.
Mr.. a. E. Drake, q son Of the owner Of
the bailding, Was seen about o'clock this
mornIng, and he said tha5 The building had
cost over 100000, and that it
vas not insured for over $4,000.
Il had been the intention, he said, to place
additional insurance yesterday, but the
matter was overlooked. TIE building was
q foar story and basement
brick and it was one
of the most substantial and ornate struc-
lures in ST. Panl.
Rooming On The fourth floor was Mr.
James Blaikio, who had narrow escape.
He w&s asleep when the fire started and
awoke to fnd the room filed with smoke.
Going to the stairway he found the exit
filed with smoke and he was driven back.
He then made for the fire escape and let
himself down, not saving eTen his ovorcoat.
On this floor also wsre the apartments of
Mr.. Wm. George. Chas. s. Grason aud tlr.
G. ". Wallrioh. These ganlanlen Wore cut
to party when the fire started
and they lost al of their
effects, Ike the gentleman named, not
even saving stitch of clothing. Al
O'clock this morning the building was
gutted.
Abort O'Clock soma miscreant turned
in an alarm from the Seven cornsrs which
proved to be false.
at 2:15 a. II. the roof vas all gore, and
the interior of the structure one mass Of
burning woodwork, while q huge column
of sparks and cindcrs burned into The air
$50 feet in height, inclining towards tie
Merchants hotel, although there was for
tunately not breath of wind except
that created by the confagration.
The illumination wes at its height at
2:30 and frequent and repeated EXPLOSIONS
in the basement said to proceed from
whisky barrels, made quite cannonad-
ing.
At this time the heavy front top cor
nice on the building was lighted up as by
huge torch, while the walls showed no
signs of falling.
The Ere engines of the department were
throwing streams OF the adjacent blocks,
and watering the walls as far as they could
throw streams into the fiery furnace.
There was very heavy explosion at
few minutes to O'Clock, and at this time
stream was being carried to the roof
OF the P. L. Hsrdenberg 4 Co.
building, when fire appeared on the
ground floor of that building which was
put down with stream, but at o'clock
almost simultaneously tho river side Of
the building from top to bottom, next to
the restaurant, became one mass of
flames. which in five minutes broke
through the roof with furious violence,
At this writing the P. r. L, Hardenbnrg
d Co. leather store is wholly consumed
with its sixty feet front on Third street
and it is doubtful whsther the store of
Hoxie & Jaeger, commission merchants,
can be saved.
P.R.L. Hardenburgh' had stock of
leather. etc, valued at about $125.000
which was insured for that amount, the in
surance being distributed in most of the
companies throughout the city. Mr.. Kar-
denburgh was on the ground and saw his
stock ali go. He felt better for being fully
insured than he otherwise would.
The building occupied by him
belongs to the Reeves estate, and the
| owners live in Richmond, Indiana.
THE DRAKE BLOCK.
Besides The S25,O00 insurance elsewhere
mentioned on this block the owner had
moro insurance. Altogether, his son
thinks there is an insurance OF the build
ing. plate glass and all of about $4,000.
S. Eaton has $4,000. Weed s. Lawrence
| has some, and Ed. Rice has about $1,000.
The fire worked the Drake block in the
east corner to the Hardenberg store, and
at the same time portion Of the side wall
fell over upon the roof and communicated
the flames to that.
No one he's been injured up to 5 o'clock
with the exception of one fireman who was
nearly suffocated in the third story and
whose ear was bsdly cut by falling broken
glass while descending the ladder with an
other man who was in tbs building trying
to save account books, and who received
serious wound in his hand from the same
| cause.
The insurancas as far as could be ascer-
tanned at the time of gong to press were
as follows:
Eff. DRAKE ON BUILDING.
Fire & Marin. S. 01o
Lancashire, ngland. nd............5 5000
| comm rclAI Oi.son. n....-..-.--.......... ~
| G'rman SneTc20. ...---..,,,......--. %.
Phoenix, of England. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1000
OFFICES.
J. H. Drake, Office fixtures
Washington, OF Boston 81, 90
| c. M. Henderson & CO.