The Mineral argus., 1884-02-07
STATE PRISON BURNED.
The Cell Building Of the StiIlwa-
ter Prison Consumed by Fire
Breaking Out just Before
Midnight.
The Building Entirely Destroyed,
with Odices and Papers or the

Win Omcc8 anu EapcfS VI III
Northwestern Car Company
and the Warden
A fire caught in the basement Of the
Minnesota state penitentiary at Saltwater,
at HAS O'Clock. Friday night, the 25th. The
fire caught usder the main Office, and when
the department arrived it was impossible to
do any effective work on
account Of the dense smoke
The FIRE spread with remarkable rapidity
and starting at the east end of the pr son
fronting on Main street. it 500 reached the
warden's office and the rooms occupied by
the guards. It Their spread to the offices OF
the Northwestern Car company, the entire
front part of the building being a mass OF
flames. From the Office of the Car COM
pany the fire spread to the kit hen and eat
ing rOom OF the prison adjoining which was
situated the chapel. All the above named
departments was Quilted. The front part OF
the building where the fire started was
composed OF considerable frame wood work,
thus sffording a means of transmitting tie
flames 70 the cell department OF the prison,
which unfortunately was capped by a
wooden cornice.
At one O'Clock il became evident that the
prison in the rear of the offices was doomed,
and Company K, of the state militia was
CdllCu Ouh VI 1ocAot VI III - -
victs; about $50 in all, were shackled togeth-
er by means of a long fine chain and re-
moved to different parts Of the prison
grounds.
The deputy warden, Abe Hall. was pros
trated by smoke, and almost suffocated. IL
the walls can be used again; the loss win foot
up to about s150, COO. The insurance is
from $1,000 to SIS. COO. The fixtures and
furniture in the Northwestern Car COM
psny's Office belong to the company, the
balance to the state.
Militia Company K was seat for aud with
their assistance tia prisoners will be re-
moved out and placed in the store room
west of the cell building. They suffered
from the cold and were soon moved by de-
tachments into the foundry north of the
cell building, where there were nreA The
eight female prisoners were taken to the
warden's house adjoining the south wall
The prisoners behaved very vel. and did
not offer to make any disturbances. The
gates were guarded by the militia. The
shackles were removed ftom the %convicts
and they remained peaceably in the found
~. Hot coffee and tea was distributed
among them. Everything in the building,
the deputy war5en's stock, the matron and
stewards goods and furniture were all de-
streyed. nothing being saved but a few
blankets. The warden telegraphed to Gov.
Hubbard for q company OF the militia
from st. Paul to relieve Company K. The
convicts sat around the foundry singing
songs, and behaved nobly. The Younger
brothers and the st. Paul negro murderers
were with the others and perfectly quiet.
The smoke had penetrated the cells before
the ~convicts could be reached. When the
cell doors were opened, some OF them were
pale and trembling, as If fearing the fire
would reach them before they could be
saved. Most Of the men were cool n
careless. The Younger brothers when their
cells were opened, took their blankets coOlly
End followed the guards, with no sign of
uneasiness. One of the convicts came near
being burned to death. He was in his cell,
and when the other prisoners were taken
out he was forgotten. Con Riellen, of the
c~onvicts, insisted on being left behind, and
the guards went back and found him locked
in. A crowbar was used to batter the door
and he was taken out in time to save his
life.
The question Of what disposition to make
/ of the convicts is a serious one. Some sug-
gest they be transferred to Fort Smelling;
others that they be aiken to st. Paul. II is
thought they can be put sack in their cells
inside of two days, although there is no
roof on the building; but temporarily this
may have to be done. The conVicts will
necessarily suffer somewhat from cold, and
their bedding is wet or destroyed, but the
citizens will make every provision possible
to shelter and feed them. The fire was
marked by an act of great heroism by Mr..
Geo. P. Dodd, of Saltwater, of Company
K.) Immediately after the c%onvicts had
been removed, a cry was raised that a man
was confined in cell No. 200. The crowd
stood aghast at the horrible fate
in store for the poor wretch,
and many faces were turned in the direction
OF the cell occupied by the apparently
doomed man. 1t was a critical moment,
and one which a man is called upon to
face but once in a life time. George Dodd,
in this instance, came TO the front like q
hero. Pushing the Grove aside he rushed
into the building and was lost to view in
the column of binding smoke which belch-
ed but as from a furnace. In less time
than it can be recorded, he had reached the
cell of the convict, who proved to be a new
man in the PERSON, and In q few minutes
returned bearing the rescued convict. 1t is
considered an act of great heroism, and
praises are to be heard on every side.
The Younger boys were seen in the foundry
by a reporter while the fire was in progress,
said Cole (the eldsst):
1 was in my cell on the ground floor on
the south side. l had gone to sleep, and
was awakened by the alarm whistle. /
looked out of my window, but could no
see any fire; smelled tie smoke but thought
it was gas escaping in the corri jors. had
no knowledge of the fire until the door was
opened. 1 did not spprehend any danger.
The guard told me that the building was on
fire and / must hurry. 1 had my pictures
on the wall, and my books, but coulAn't
take them, Wrapped myself up in a blanket.
In a drawer l had a pair of worstsd wrist
lets that Mrs. OayOn, sister of Mrs. O'Brien,
had sent me for Christmas. 1 put
them on, and could save
nothing else. l regret chiefly tke loss OF
two books Gen. Sibley had given me Wit
and Humor and Gods Book of Nature. Ny
brothers and l were released and taken to