St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-02
Fire of Unknown Origin Destroys the
Hotel at Minnehaha with a Loss
Of $4,000.
The Police Commission Getting Ready to
Consider the Claims of Numerous APP
plicants for Offices.
The Grand Jury and Other Court
NeWs--The Boston Ideals Make a
Hit in '.Victor.o
The Irish National League Enthuses
Over Parnell- The Head Mi1lers'
Meeting--NoteS.
FIRE AT THE FALLS.
The Hotel and surroundings
WinuehaEAa Laid in Ashes.

The Hotel and surroundings at
NEinuehaEAa Laid in Ashes.
At o'clock last night a bright. rudy
glow painted tie sky to the south OF the
city and told OF fierce confagration IN
progress. Shortly afterward the last motor
rain reached the city and brought the III
formation that the Falls hotel, tne ldlge
wooden structure familiar to all visitors at
hat noted resort. was in a general blaze.
The fire was first observed in an upper room
in the south end of the building and gained
rapid headway. The building was unten-
snted and with no appliances to fight the
fire. and witt a stiff breeze blowing, the de-
str1IctiOn of the hotel was inevitable. When
HE roof blaZed out the fire made rush and
swept rapidly northward, consuming every
thing in its progress. In an hour the build
ing was mass Of ruins, the outhouSeS,
small fancy goods store and the fencing
being consumed with it. The inclined rail
wav sort of roller-coaster, which stood
between it and the falls, was considerably
burned, the only thing being left untouched
being the platform at the falls.
The hotel was a large tw0-story frame
building, square in structure, with an l. at
the north end. 1t was built about fifteen
years ago by Franklin Steele, and is now
the property of his heirs. Its cost was
probably IS, 900, which would be fair val
uation now. l.. j. Clark had q lease on
the property running several years, and had
Just completed an arrangement to go to
Sioux Falls and take charge of hotel
there. He had some $4,000 worth of
furniture in the building, most OF
which is lost. 1t is believed
at this time the building was without insur-
ance, having been an Improbable risk,
while the furniture and general contents
we're insured. The portion in which the
first symptoms Of fire appeared was unoccu-
pied, and there is no clue to the origin OF
the confiagratiOn.
Insurance men were last night inclined to
smile mysteriouSly over this fire, just as
they did when the Lyndale hotel at Cal
houn burned last spring, though the latter
burned at the beginning of a season and the
former at the close. The Falls hotel will
be quite a loss, unless replaced. to the
throngS of Minneapolitans as well as strang-
ers who thrOng there in the summer season.
L. Y. Clark was found at the Pauly
house at midnight by GLOBE reporter.
He had retired early in the evening, in
tending to leave this morning on the 7:40
train for Sioux Falls, where he had pur-
chased hotel, and consequently knew
nothing about the fire until apprised of it
by the reporter. He said he considered the
furniture and fixtures in the house belonging
to him to be worth at least 5000. He has
not one cent of insurance, and thinks the
building was also uninsured. He had just
yesterday sent some furniture and private
effects to the hotel to be stored during the
winter and supposes that this also was de-
stroyed by the fire. He has had possession
OF the house for two years and a half, and
his lease had half expired.