The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-01-31
THE DEvOURlNG ELEMENT,
Burning of the Minnesota State Prison
at Saltwater.
The cOnyicts All Rescued and Placed
Under Guard in the Prison Yard.
Gould Cutting Down Railroad Expenses
in Texas.
Death of Ex-Governor Leteher of Viz
GINA.
The Coolest Weather of the Season in
the Ohio Valley.
SERIOUS LOSS.


Destruction by Fire OF the Minnesota
state Prison at saltwater
MINNEAPOLIS, MINI Jan. 26.-Esrly
this morning IRE broke out in the state
prison at Saltwater, and in spite of all
efforts all the buildings were destroyed.
All the prisoners, including the Younger
brothers were taken out and placed In-
der a strong guard In the yard. The
loss is probably half million dollars.
LATER-A fire caught in the basement
of the state penitentiary a. II As last
night. 1t was first discovered by q
pedestrian, who failed TO attract the
attention of the guards and
ran down town and turned on
the alarm. The fire caught under the
main office Of the car company, and
when the fire department arriYed il was
impossible to do any effective work on
account of the dense smoke. At l
O'Clock il became evident that the pris-
on in the rear OF the offices was doomed,
and company K, of the state militia, was
called to assist in removing the convicts,
about $50 in all. They we're shackled
together by means of long. fine chains
and removed to different points In the
prison grounds.
The fire spread with remarkable ra-
nidity. Starting al the end of the prison,
il soon reached the warden's Office and
rooms occupied by the guards. Ii then
spread TO the offices of the Northwestern
Car company, the entire front part OF
The building being mass of flames.
From the office of the car company the
fire spread 10 the kitchen and eating room
of the prison and the aadjoining part in
4. I'll ii. Il 81. Nni A
sboYe named departments were Quilted
The part of the buildings where the fire
staff. d comprised wood work which af-
TO ded means of transmitting the
flames To the cells of the prison. The
cells proper were fire pronf and had it
not been Tor the difficulty alluded 10,
the fire could have been confined to the
II ont or office part of the building
The convicts were transferred with
little trouble and are now under guard.
How tie fire started is shrouded in
mystery The loss is about SOC, 900 and
Is partially covered by insurance.
When the fire fret started Chief joey
of Saltwater went into the burning
structure and had a narrow escape fir IN
death. He was caught in the office
OF Inc Car Company and ovcrpOwered
with smoke. While IN this condition
some one from the outside turned on
stream of water in the room which
knocked HIN down and put out the
light. He was discovered almost suifo-
cate and dragged from the building
mufe dead than alive. A fortunate fea.
tuie consists in the saving of all the
private and personal papers and letters
of Senator Sabin. They were al saved.
The fire WAS marked by an act of gre at
har"ism by George p. Dodd, of ihe Still
watsr c. mp my. Immediately alter the
c0nvIc.s had been removed the cry was
raised tia a man was confined in cell
No % The crowd stood aghast at the
horrible fate in store for the poor wretch
and many faces were turned
n the direction of the cell occupied by
the apparently doomed man. DOdd
quickly stepped aside and rushed into
the building, and was lost TO view in a
volume of binding smoke. In less time
than it takes to record it he returned,
bearing the rescued convict, who proved
To be new man IN the prison.