The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-11-15
A DISASTROUS FIRE.
TWO MILLS AND 10000 FEET OF
LUMBER. HOUES, ETC. BURNED.
TOTAL LOSS $3.50. 900. TOTAL lNsUR-
ANCE $4,000.
From Duluth Tribune Tuesday morning.

eyer visited Duluth and at the same
time one Of tie most disastrous that
Minnesota has known this year, swept
the entire plants, mills, lumber yards
and buildings OF the Oneota Lumber
Company and the Osterhout Il Hug
hart Lumber Company from existence
early Yesterday morning, when fully
s25O,OJ0 worth Of property was con
sumed.
1t was not many minuter before 2
o'clock when a vigorous alarm was
given by the wild shrieking OF switch
engines and boats IN the harbor fol-
lowed by the engine house bell \
Tribune reporter hurried to the scene
of confagration, which proved to be in
the yards of the Oneota Lumber Com
panv, and he was the first to reach it
from Duluth, about 2:3O o'clock at
which time the fire was burning fierce
~ in about the center Of the Oneota
yard, and being blown rapidly toward
the mill, store, Office, and other build
ings Of the OnCo.a company. At this
time very few men were at work,
though many Of the company's en-
ployes were around, and no water had
been used except some that was taken
from a well near the boarding house,
and some that was hauled with team
from the creek behind the houses
The efforts of Il few men with buckets
could not prevent the burning Of the
store, which was the first building to
ignite a number of men were found
in the companY's boarding house max
ing and eating hugh ham sandwiches
and few showed any disposition to
fight the flames. The fire swept rapid
" toward the mill, and the appear
ance of things at this time was that ne
power could save much Of the property
of either company or of those who had
lumber in the yards. The row OF
buildings adjoining the store were
quickly consumed. First went the
company's store, in the rear of which
was their Office, AMI from each oi
which Il considerable quantity Of goods
and effects were save. Adjoining the
store on the south, the residence OF
Capt. John NJ Campbell, Of the tug
Alice NJ. Campbell, was burned, and
then on the north the residence of f
5. Farr, president and general mana
ger Of the company, and the little
building formerly occupied as the Of
went up in the order named. South
Of the store, and toward the Oneota
mill, the long one-story building con.
tanning the sleeping rooms Of the com
pany's employees was the first TO 60
being quickly followed by the barn
from which twenty horses were safely
removed, the blacksmith shop, and
saw mill, the destruction of the latter
being remarkably sudden before the
heat swept upon it from acres OF burn
ING lumber piles The boarding house
near the sleeping rooms, was the last
building to go being protected by fire
proof paint In the meantime the fire
steamer and force from Duluth fire
department arrived on fat car, bu
not till after the mill and nearly al
the other buildings were down. /
was with great difficulty that the en-
CINE could be placed in Il good work
ing position, and it was not till Z
o'clock that it was located at th'
creek in the rear Of the buildings, anC
soon after the boarding house began
to burn briskly. The attention of thu
firemen was first turned to this build
ing, but presently transferred to tn
100000 or more feet OF lumber OF
the flat near the mill, ownel by tn
Oneota company Cor the Duluth Ma
tional Bank and by Cutler 4 Gil
bert. Here good work was done il
placing this lumber out of danger
when a stream was taken to il distan
part of the yard to play on the lum
Der Of Bradley, Hanford 4 Co., abou
100000 feet Of which was also say
ed after hard fight that was nc
discontinued til late in the forenoon
The Osterhout 4 Hughart Lumbc
Company's saw mill, boarding hous
and barn were swept away soon atte
the Oneota mill went down; and by
o'clock in the morning all that W.
left Of the plants and surroundings ,
the two companies, where lately hun
dreds Of men found employment, W;
100000 of Bradley, Hanford & Co.
lumber in the north end Of the VAR
about 8 100000 feet in the south en'
belonging to the Oneeta company c
= the National bank and Cutler q Gil
= bert, and two small honses owned |
! the Oneota company. The twenr
acres or more Of the yards was a col
plcte waste-swePt clean of perha'
100000 Of lumber, besides the tv
mills and all the other buildings abo
enumerated.
Computing the lumber that was dc
troyed in the two yards to have BET
worth the low average Of 50 per thou
and, and the mills at figures given
: the proprietors, or at best eShmat