Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-12
The Drake Building on Third Street
Burned This Morning.
i VICIOUS AND UGLY BLAZE.
One OF ths Handsomest Bu siness
Blocks in the City in Ruins.
THE ST. PAUL DELMoNICo GUTTED
4 Disaster That Cannot be SoOa Re-
paire5-xO seS and Insurance.

y L >
in the basement Of the new and hand
soma Drake building On the south side of
Third De Jackson strest, and there re-
saltsj oA f the most vicious and de-
structi7s C iagrations that has ever taken
place in s.. lul.
Atthe tae named Mrs. George ".
Magee, Of Magea's restaurant, observed
smoke curling up from tho basement, ard
becoming alarmed, she called several of
the employees who were engsged ia closing
up the place fer the nigat. The smoke
increased IL volume aud density, aud
she promptly orasre5 one Of the men 10
turn IN az alarm, ta9 signal being given
fIom box No. .: 1T ths Merchants hotel.
This brought oa5 the department,
and efforts w2re al once
made to squeich what st that tine
appeared TO be { very incipien5 blaze.
Meantime a number OF domestic sleeping
in the basement were aroused, and some
difficulty was experienced in getting them
to reallze tho danger Of The situation.
The biazs was mcst deceptive in it's
character and was d meult 10 handle. The
Members Of The fre department were
present IN full fo7c5 and ef5rts gore made
to get stream directly On the
blaze, but without much s1ccess.
a steady column Of black and binding
smoke steamed up from the basement,
which at times became spfocating, and in
spite Of all II .r.5 it increased ia volume.
Considerable doubt existed for some
time IS 10 the exact looaSion Of the fire,
but it s,as finally a5oertai1od that ii had
started in ths engine room which is sit
the sidewalk. moro persist
ent or yillaiuous fire to handle
has never been seen IL St. PauI, and for q
full hoar il was confued to the front Of the
basement. At o'clock the flames
burst through to the first
or ground floor proper, and
it now seemed as # the magnificent build
ing was doomed to destruction. At this
time the scene of the FIRE was surrounded
by an excited crowd of spectators, among
whom were quite number OF gentlemen
who occupied Office rooms in the building.
But little or no effort was made on the
part of the latter to secure their Office fur
allure or effects, as the building was al
most enyeloped in smoke.
About 1890 O'Clock an exciting episode
occurred. Above the din and confusion Of
the street was heard a voice proceeding
from the roof of the Drake building,
some one deserted the form of a man
looming up through the smoke, and re-
lay Of fremen were put to v1rk in
raising the fire escapa rack.
This took some time. but
the proceeding was watched by the crowd
with great concern and anxiety. Finally
a ladder was sent up and the unfortunate
individual was rescued from his very per-
iIous position. He proved to be young
man Who lodged on the top floor.
great many reports we're floating
around as to where and how
the fire. started. Some said
it started Ia the wine cellar
of the restaurant, others that it originated
in the ergjne room and still others that it
started in tbe barber shop, but according
TO tbs best information it originated
among quantity of old lumber il the rear
of the engine rcom.
The barber shop conducted by G. ".
Hall, in the basement, was ablazs about l
O'Clock and nothing was gotten out. His
stock wss valued at SO, 500 and he is in
sured for $4,000.
At this writing (1;t5 o'clock, it ap-
pears that Magee's loss viii be total. BIS
stock, fixtures, furniture, etc, is estimated
TO have been worth $4,000. Ac-
cordipg to his own statement he
is insured for about $4,000. OF this
$1,000 was placed by Lamson, $4,000 by
Hughson d Reminway, $1,000 by the Fire
4 Marine.
At , O'clock the building seemed to be
doomed. It was erected by E. F.
Drake, at a cost epproximating 100000,
and Ii was only com pleted last spring
1t is pretty fully insured. Besides Magee
on the main or ground floor were the
offices of Bacon & Stone aud Cochran &
Newport, real estate and loan brokers.
Among other policies on the building is
one in the Imperial Insurance company
for 5000, placed by ). 5. E.ton & Co.
Att o'clock mass Of smoke and steam
escaping from al she wiadows of the
structure enveioped It in a perfect shroud,
but Gully ocoasi3niny ooaId be seen the
presence of Il irnss, On She appearance of
which the yFa,a- was broushs TO bear di-
rec.ly oo them all the steamers pouring a
foo5 # uetar iu,o the building,
Al l;30 o'eigck, win the exception of q
very Geroe aud !u-55 Il ne in the. vicinity
Of the tho vine room, from the huge vol
umes Of smoke eeem5ng 10 he N SLY OF
steam. Il seemed O. beth sides of the block
that the fremel we've getting the upper
hands OF lie f-Inss IN tie Easements and
first story, when at :t5 3. NJ. all of a sud
den the roof burst out in mass OF blsze
the fire having climbed the passenger eleva'
tor thereto, and there was an exclamation
Of horror as we'll as general surprise at thi;
resuit, as it was anticipated from the frs
that the fire would not get above the
ground story.
At o'clock a loud explosion occurre ed
oausing general stampede, and tn.
sparks were drawn upward and millions O.
light, Illuminated the sky. The sight va!