New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-03-25
The Merchants Hotel and
Mrs. Bergman's Building
Adjoining in Ruins.
A. HELD'S CARPENTER SHOP DITTO.
Crooks and Laudenschlaxer's
Buildings Escape With a
Scorchfng.
Senator Peterson a Heavy Loser Oh
Machinery.

''Firer' The alarm was also promptly
given through the mediums of church
bells and steam whistles;of the of the sew
eral mills. The dense volume of smoke
issuing through the roof of the one and
half story frame building adjoining
the Merchants Hotel directed the peo-
pie to the scene of the confagration,
and in very few minutes after the first
alarm was sounded large crowd had
gathered. The fire department was
also promptly on the ground, but as
the flames had gained a good Roadway,
and as strong east wind was prevail
ing at the time, all efforts to save the
Merchants Hotel proved unavailing.
Agoodly portion of the people directed
their efforts towards saving the per-
sonal effects of Mr.. Brust, and nearly
everything in: the first and second sto-
ries of the doomed building was carried
out in good shape. Even red hot stoves
were carried down from the second
story without breakage. The bedding
in the third story was also saved but
nearly all the furniture on this floor was
consumed by the flames. 1t soon be.
came evident that Mrs. Bergman's
building. occupied by Peter Rotering
as q saloon, must also go, and the peo-
pie next began saving property in this
building. By the time Mr., Rotering's
furniture was all out in the street the
Merchants Hotel was completely en-
veloped in flames. which at times shot
high into the air and occasionally lap
ped the roof of Mrs. Bergman's build
ing. Although Minnesota street is
eighty feet wide, and the wind was
blowing in an opposite direction, the
heat was so intense that all the glass
in the front of Mrs. Laudenschlager's
building were cracked. the paint on
the frame work blistered, and the
building was only saved by hanging
wet blankets in front of the building
from the roof. Mr.. Crooks building
Jared but little better. TIE engine
worked as we'll as could be expected of
a machine of such inferior make; the
firemen were here, there and every
where, but they were battling against
too many odds. The Bergman build
ing was soon enveloped in flames, and
about the same time the Merchants
Hotel stables were ignited. On the lot
north of the Bergman building were To-
Gated some extensive sheds. in which
Mr.. S. D. Peterson had large quantity
of farming machinery stored. 10 tear
the sheds down and save the machinery
was next suggested, and ere long the
boys had leveled the former and carried
the latter to safe distance. A large
lime house was hitched onto and the
crowd dragged it bodily out in to the
middle of street. In the mean time the
flames had communicated to the stable
on the Bergman lot, and Mr.. Albert
Held's carpenter shop across the alley.
Both were consumed. The next and
last thing that fell prey to the flames
was MIR. A. Held's stable. This might
have been saved by the judicious use
of little water, but the boys were bent
on tearing it down, and down it came,
amid flames and smoke.
For time it was feared that the
whole block must 90, and the occupants
had nearly all their personal effects
moved out in to the streets. but when
the flames were feeding on the Berg.
man building the wind shifted slightly
to the east, and this alone saved the
remaining buildings in the block 'front.'
ing on Minnesota street. The fire was
well under way when discovered, but
just how or where it originated is not
exactly known. 1t is generally suppos-
ed that the fire caught in the roof or in
a partition throught defective Chin
ney.
The Merchants Hotel was large two
story frame structure, with mansard
roof. and had, until within year past,
ranked with the leading hotels in this
city. About year ago Mr.. Chas.
Brust abandoned the hotel business, bu,
the rooms were kept furnished and for,
mer friends of the hotel were occasion.
ally entertained. Half of the ground
floor was occupied by Mr.. Brust for 8
saloon while portions of the secone
story were occupied by Mr.. Brust'l
family for living purposes. The from
room of the one story addition had OF
the Monday previous been rented by
Mr.. Spring and was by him occupied
as tailor shop when the fire broke out
Mr.. Spring saved his stock of cloth anG
furniture ~ slightly damaged condi
ton. The Bergman building was /:
two story frame structure and has, fol
two years past, been occupied by Petel
Rotering as saloon and residence
I Mr.. Peterson had no machinery burned
but his extensive sheds were torn dowr
and much machinery was broken ant
lost. Besides the carpenter shop anl
stable, Mr.. Held lost considerable lum.
Der and numerous valuable tools. The
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