St. Paul daily globe., 1884-11-24
E. f. 0sborne's Steam Fitting
Establishment in Ruins.
By Well Directed LabOrs Of the Fire
men the Manitoba Headquarters
and Adjacent Stores Es-
cape Destruction
Loss on Bnilding and Contents, Total $780,
600: Insurance S35, 600; Origin of the
Fire Conjectured TO 5e Com
ba5tiOn-

by hre in the John Wann four story brick
block, between the Manitoba office bull ling,
on the corner OF Fourth aad wacaota streets
and DeCoster & Clark's block, occupied BY
Strong, Hsckett * Co, wholesale dealers in
hardware, on the west.
The burned building was DC
eupied by Eugene F. Osborne heat
ing and ventilatlng machinery and
mandatory and Herman Winters saloon.
The fire started in the boiler room in
the rear of the basement, and in an almost
incredible space Of time swept up through
the rear stories TO the roof, breaking out
near tall boiler boiler iron smoke stack on
the outside Of the structure.
At ten minutes to eleven O'Clock there
was fearful volume of fame
ascending into the air from the roof
which blown in great sheets by a furious gale
OF wind almost reached across Fourth street.
and IL was the opinion of all present that not
only the whole block between Sibley and
Wsco1ta streets must burn, but also the
Sherman house and blocks on the south side
of Fourth street.
At IL O'clock one Of the most fearful and
threatening scenes lately witnessed in this
city ensued when the fire
which had been well kept down in the
rear by several streams, burst out into Fourth
street in torrent of fame which seemed 10
be famed from behind by thousand furies.
AT this point the extension ladder Of No. ,
was burned of like reed aud the bottom
portion saved by throwing it over upon the
block on tie other side OF the street, it being
curled up by the heat ike II serpent
But a general alarm had been sent in and
just about this time, when great conflagra-
ton for lower town seemed inevitable, and
there was great hopes expressed by bystand-
ers that Minneapolis bad been sent to for
help, the open assertion being made on
every hand that no fire force
in st. Paul could hold down the
fry iend licking everything up
before il by thorough GOODNESS and systematic
work the department poured deluge OF
water in upon the flames from front aud rear
in exactly the right spot, and the monster
began slowly ana sullenly to yield, while
at the same time thoroughly guarded the
Manitoba and DeCoster IL Clark's structure
from being fired on the roof.
The strong fire walls of both the adjoining
structures held out well, and
the late fall of snow upon
the roofs of these buildings, OF course,
materially aided the fremen, " hile the latter,
such was the perfect hurricane of burning
brands and sparks. saved all the property be-
tween Fourth and Third streets.
THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.
1t was the verdict of quite a large
number of prominent citizens
who watched the progress of
the fire that 1t was handled in a vigorous aud
most efficient manner. To begin with the
wind was blowing gale and the drift Of the
snow was almost binding. When the fire
was first discovered an alarm was turned in
from box No. %. About the same time
another alarm was turned in from box No24,
the effect being to tc6t the circuit aud the
gong turned in box No. I3 at Seven corners.
Chief Black drove half way up to the latter
location before the mistake was discovered
On reaching the scene of the fire Chief Black
saw that destructive conhagration was i'm
minent and he at once ordered a general
alarm.
This brought out the entire department-aud
the work Of fighting the flames commenced
in real earnest. The brave and persistent
manner in which the fire was fought and
finally confined to the building where it
started, is deserving OF the high
est encomiums. For the first twenty
minutes or half hour after It had
started the entire block looked as IL It were
a. Al.
houses across the way and nearly a block
distant were heard to crack under the pres
sure.
At this time the pyroteehuic display was
one of great spiendor. Dense volumes of
smoke rose from the building,
and sparks were thrown skyward
as IL from a furnace. Now and then a
column Of smoke and sparks would be caught
in descending eddy and showered on the
housetops and streets below, the effect being
magnificent.
Several members of the fire department
covered themselves with glory by their
bravery. Among these we're Chief Black,
who distinguished himself by his
nerve aud cooiness, Assistant Chief Jackson
and several others whose names were not as
certained. About twenty minutes past II
O'Clock the flames seemed to defy the efforts
Of the department and with the strong gale
blowing, it seemed AS though the entire block
was TO succumb.
At this iuncture a ladder was run up to
the roof and couple Of brave fremer as
cended to the top of the building in safety.
They had scarcely reached the eornice ere
the fire gained renewed energy and for
moment the top of the building was
enveloped in a binding mass OF smoke and
Kissing flames. A cry went up from the
crowd, and loud yells we're made for the fire.
men to come down. To make the situation
more critical the top of the ladder took ire,
and by this time one OF
the men had started to descend.
II was feared that he would be suficated,
but force Of men seized the extension
truck aud ran it across the street The lad
der with the pendant man swung over and
he reached the street just as the top Of the
ladder burned and fell OF.
Loss aud Insurance.
The building was constructed by John
Wann in 1881, at a cost Of about $50, 900.
1t was built of brick and was four stories
high with q basement. It was fully two
thirds insured. Tue loss on the building is
total, with the exception perhaps ol q salvage
on the walls which may be reconstructed.
The insurance on the building is SIS, 900,
Of which $40, 900 is placed BY the ST. Paul
Firs and Marine agency "a follous.