, 1884-08-17
A SEA OF FLAMES.
An Unfortunate Minnesota
Town Devastated.
Almost Swept Away For the
Third Time.
~
How the Busy World Wagged
Yesterday.
A Devastating Fire.

ST PAUL, August l6..For the fourth
time in its history, the city of Anoka Is
FIRE stricken and the entire business por-
ton for the second time Is entirely wiped
out of existence. Ruin is widespread and
extensive. AT this time it is utterly im
possible to more than roughly approximate
the great loss, which is placed by the most
conservative at a million dollars at least
From the Congregational church at corner
of Main street and Third avenue west to
Rum river and from Moore street north.
to VanBuren street is naught but a heap
Of smoking ashes and blackened ruins. The
alarm was given shortly after 2 O'Clock
this morning. The cause was found to be
a fire in Kinnes & Vandelder's skating
rink, situated in the rear Of the Postofhce
and High School buildings. Although
the department was quickly at work, it
was soon evident the flames were beyond
control. In a.few-moments Campbell x
Foote'S brick block in which the Postofice
was situated was in flames, followed al
most simultaneously by the appearance of
fire in the High School and Dowden Bros.
restaurant. The flames communicated to
the elegant new brick block belonging to
II. L. Ticknor, and from there across
Second avenue to II. s. Plummer's dry
goods store, and across Main street to a
row Of wooden structures occupied by var
ious branches of trade. Up Second ave-
nue., taking several residences and the
Merchants hotel, down Main street on
the south side, destroying Plummer's dry
goods store, Cutters dry goods store,
Tcknor & Co, drugs, Ryan's boots and
shoes, and so on until the river barred its
course. While the devastation was being
fought in this direction, appalling flames
leaped from the wooden buildings on the
north side of Main street and enveloped
the handsome and stately structure lately
erected by w. D. Washburn, in which was
situated the Anoka First National Bank
and the elegant Washburn Opera House.
The whole city seemed ablaze at once up
and down both sides Of Main street from
Third venue to the river, and along both
sides of Second avenue from Van Buren,
to Monroe street. The pitiless flames
swept irresistably from the Washburn
block to the brick hardware store of Put
nam, Cheslea d Lindsay and the Fist
National Bank to Bridge Square. The
fire speedily made It's way thence along
Bridge Square, on the East side, sweep
ing away Daniels boot and shoe store,
Abear 4 Wicklund's dry goods, Anoka
Union Brick block, Peters drug store,
and thence across jackson street diagon-
ally TO the Great Lincoln FIGURING Mill
and Elevator, consuming also the smaller
Touring mill near the bridge, two planning
mills, n shingle dry kiln, lumber shed
and office, all belonging to W. D. Wash
burn q Co., the flames being brought to
a standstill at a line ninety feet from the
mammoth Washburn Saw and Single
Mills. From the point where fire com
municated to the Lincoln Mills it went
eastward to the corner of Second avenue
and Jackson street, there joining forces
with the section which jumped Main
street and tackled Jackson's Hotel aud
stables, blacksmith shop, engine house
and Jail, exhausting itself at the corner
Of Jackson street and Third avenue. That
branch of the great conhagration which
took its way south on Second avenue de-
stroyed everything to Monroe street,
where it was brought under control. No
lives were lost and no very serious acct
dents occurred, though it was a scene of
the widest and most uncomfortable con-
fusion. Men fell exhausted by the heat
and smoke, while women tainted, ap-
palled by the terrible visitation. The
losses and insurance cannot be definitely
ascertained for several days. Washburn
Il Co. have an insurance of SAB, 500.
Their loss is believed to be fully $4,000,
possibly S2O0, 900. Assistance was sum
moned from ST. Paul and Minneapolis,
but reached the doomed city too late to
be Of service except in saving Washburn's
Mammoth Saw and Shingle Mills.