Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-17
FIRE LICKS UP ANOKA.
EVERY STREET A SETTLING
SEA OF FLAME.

The Loss Upwards of a Million of Dol
lars-NO Lives Lost. but the People
Appalled, by the Awfulness of the
Scene-The Local Fire Department
Utterly Inadequate to Cope with the
Flames and Outside Aid not Obtain
able in Time.
ST. PAUL, MINI, Aug. 1j.-For the
fourth time in its history, the city of
Anoka has been fire stricken and the en-
tire business portion for the second time
entirely wiped out of existence. The
ruin is widespread and extensive. The
loss is placed by the most conservative at
$1,000,000 at least. From the COngrega-
tional Church, at the corner of Main street
and Third avenue west to Rum river, and
from Monroe street north to
Van Buren, street, is naught
but heaps of smoking ashes and
blackened ruins. The alarm was given
shortly after 2 O'Clock this morning, and
was promptly answered by Engine Com
pany No. l, Hose Companies Nos. l and 2
and a hook and ladder company. The
cause of the alarm was found to be fire in
the skating rink of Kinne & Vandervelde,
situated in the rear of the post Office and
high school buildings. Although the fire
department was quickly at work, it was
soon evident that the flames were beyond
its control and that the adjoining build
ings must 90, and in few minutes
Campbell & Foote'S brick block, in
which the post office was situated,
was in flames. followed simultaneously
by the appearance of fire in the high
school adjoining DOwdell Brothers res
taurant.
CONTINUANCE OF THE MARCH.
The flames communicated to the hand
some new brick block belonging to IL. L..
TicknOr, and from there across Second
avenue to II. S. Plummer's dry goods
store, Cutters dry goods store, Ticknor q
Co.'s drug store, and Ryan's boot and shoe
store, and so on until the nver barred
their progress. While the devastation
palling flames Ieaped from the wooden
buildings on the north side of
Main street and envelOped the hand
some and stately structure lately
erected by w. D. Washburn, and in which
was situated the Anoka First National
Bank and the Washburn Opera House.
The city seemed to be in a blaze up and
down both sides of Main street, from
Third avenue to the river, and on both
sides of Second evenue from Van Buren
to Monroe streets. The pitiless flames
swept irresistibly from the Wash
burn block to the brick hardware store of
Putnam, Chesley 81 Lindsay, and from the
First n ational Bank to the Bridge square.
SWEEPING THE SQUARE.
The fire speedily made its may thence
along Bridge square on the east side,
sweeping away Daniels boot and shoe
store, Alean & Wickland's dry goods
store, the AnOka Union brick block and
Peters drug store, and thence across
jackson street diagOnally to the great
Lincoln Touring mill and elevator, con-
suming a small Touring mill near the
bridge, two planning mills, one shingle
mill, dry kiln, lumber shed and an
office. all belonging to w. d. Washburn
& Co., the flames being brought to a
standstill at a line ninety feet from the
mammoth Washburn saw and shingle
mills. From the point where it first COM
municated to the Lincoln Mills 1t went
eastward to the corner of Second ave-
nue. and jackson street, there joining
forces with the section which jumped
! Main street and attacked the Jackson
Hotel and stables, a blacksmith shop, an
engine house and the Jail, eXhausting it.
self at the corner of Jackson street and
! Third avenue. That branch of the great
| confagration which took it's way south
on Second avenue destroyed everything tC
! Monroe street, where 1t was brought un.
| der control. NO lives were lOSt. ana nc
! very serious accident occurred, though il
was the scene of the widest and most
| uncomfortable confusion.
/ THE PEOPLE APPALLED,.
Men fell exhausted by the heat anC
smoke, while women tainted, appalled, by
| the terrible visitation. The losses and
assurances cannot be definitely ascer
tanned for several days, as many los
everything, papers and documents in
cluded.
1t is said that Washburn & Co. hav,
insurance as follows: On the Lincoln
Mills 500, 900, on the planning mills $4,000
on the shingle mills $4,000, on the small
Touring mill $13,500, on the banks $40, 900
on the office $500, on the lumber she'd
$4,000, on the dry kiln $50, 1000, a total o
$143,500. Their loss is believed to be full,
$175,OOO and possible 100000. Assistance
was summoned from st. Paul and Min
neapolis, but it reached the doomed cit,
to late to be Of much service.
KINGSTON, ONT, Aug. 16.-The oil
Frontence brewery was destroyed by fir
last night. The loss is about $50, ,00C
Alexander Gun, Member of Parliament
owned the building.