St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-20
GREAT FIRE ARRESTED.
But for the Timely Assistance Of
the Gallant. Bucket Fire
Brigade
Thousands of Dollars Worth of Pro-
perty Would Have Been Con-
sumed by the Flames.
Two Dwelling Houses and Granary Con.
tanning 1000 bushels of Oats Com
pletely Destroyed.

Between and 10 o'clock yesterday morn
Ing. the city was startled by an alarm of fire,
something that seldom happens in this city,
ana the more seldom the better. The fire
was in the building at the east end of the
bridge, which was used as an office by j. S.
! Anderson d Co., saw mill owners, as well as
Tor sleeping place for d number of the en-
| ployes. The first alarm was given by Capt.
Ben Knapp, who was standing on the deck
OF one of the steamers in port, and he rang
the bell, which was followed by the fire alarm
from the pOntoon whistle. When your re-
porter first saw the fire it was just breakin g
ont at the south side of the building, and
with the stiff breeze blowing, the whole of
the frame structure was a mass OF flames,
aud they were daring their forked tongues
towards the large pile of lumber in the yards
of j. s. Anderson 81 Co., towards which at
first the wind was blowing, but which shortly
changed few points to the west, maxim g
the wind blow a little east of north. The
FIRE was under way for some time before the
engine arrived, and when it did arrive it was
of no use, the suction pipe not being long
enough to reach from the top of tine bridge
to the water below. ItAEas fully quarter
of an hour from the tinIethe engine was in
position before water could be thrown on
the fire. A hose was also laid from the by
| drant, corner of Water and Chestnut streets,
but more hose had to be got before it became
of any use, hose having to be got from the
South hill, from the state prison and from
the engine house. But this was the most
rapid word done, considering the distance
traversed. By the time everything was
ready the fire had crossed the road, caught
in the pile of lumber nearest the building in
which the fire began, and long shed full of
dried flooring and ceiling was in flames. 1t
looked as if the whole yards and
mill must fall a prey to the fire king
but the bucket brigade, chiefly of
employees OF the mill, fought him bravely,
extinguishing each clump of burning embers
as it rushed on the lumber and the sawdust
yards, until help came from the fire engine.
DIFFICULTY IN REACHING THE FIRE.
Hose was taken i'll boat in advance of
the flames, but just as 1t got started TO play,
there was break, and length had to be
substituted. By this time also the hose from
the waterworks bad got at work on the south
side, and a stream was PLAYING under the
bridge. with two streams from the hose be-
longing to the mill. But the fire had made
great progress during all this time. The
wind being very high pieces OF fire were car
ried long distance, igniting the slabs, of
which the road up to the east bank of the lake
is composed. This in turn set fire to the
house owned by Jos. Wolf, who is a cripple,
and occupied by him, and a party named
Med -rmott, who is employed at the Wiscon-
sin Central railway works. This was COM
| p,etely destroyed, with its contents, no one
being able to go near. A short time before
the fire reached ii we saw a woman Juggling
a trunk up the hill from the house, and after
the fire got well underway a couple of men
went up among the trees for the trunk, and
it was with difficulty they were able to take il
down. As soon as the five streams of water
were got on the fire was soon under con-
! troll.
THE PROPERTY DESTROYED.
The fire DESTROYED the building in which
it started, about $50 feet of the bridge, the
! front of the building the granary, in which
| 1000 bushels Of oats were stored, besides a
large number of shingles, and the house oc-
cupied by Wolf and McDermott Mr.. Ander-
son places his loss at 81, 200. In the build
ing In which the fire began were a numter
OF sets of double harness, the rope used in
the shanties, aud other articles, besides the
sleeping outfits of the men. The mill books
were saved by William, the stable boss. The
loss to the city by the fire is about 81, 900,
covered by insurance. Mr.. Anderson had
no In surauce. Wolf and McDermutt's loss
| is fully 81, 1000. on which we understand
there is small insurance. Had the wind
] not changed the loss would
have been over S150,00O, as the
mill and lumber would have been
all consumed, and the boarding and other
houses in the ravinc would have been with
difficulty saved.
TIE fire is supposed to have occurred
through boys being in the rope storeroom.
and using matches, as one of the Young
Swedes who was out after water saw the fire
first in that part and gave the alarm, and
the men in the house tried to put the fire cut
but it ran to the upper part, there being
plenty of draft, many of the panes of glas.
being out OF the windows.
INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE.
There were many incidents worthy of notc
at this FIRE. A man named Sharon, cook fol
the mill boarding house, appeared to set hea
at defiance. and held the nozzle for over ar
hour, having only small cap on his head
and no protection to his face, only as ht
threw water on himself, The others who as
sisted him had shades OF their faces. Mrs
| Hall, daughter of Mr. Anderson, showed {
courage and endurance shared by few of the
men. She got early across the lake, orga
nized bucket brigade, and when men could
not or would moi stand tine heat and worl
she stepped into the breach and for over az
hour passed buckets of water to the men, ant
by her courage shamed the men into mort
activity. After the fire was under contro
she was still cool and collected. Fire Chic
Joy made some perilous descents On the hos,
to the logs floating on the river, and afte
getting his men at work did good service
The men who were in the building when ID,
fire occurred ali got out, but saved little o
their clothing. The inmates OF Wolf Sc Nc
Dermott's house we're, with one exception, a
church. sud the heat was SO intense that n,
one could get near 10 save property
The fire department is much censured TO
the long time they took in getting to the fire
and at work, and thousands of dollars wortl
Of property would have been destroyed If I
had not been for the bucket brigade. Th,
steamer G. B. Knapp did excellent service in
bringing workers to the FIRE, as well as full
supply of pals The bridge will be repaired
Immediately, and men we're put at work yes
terday afternoon, under the superintendent