St. Paul daily globe., 1886-05-04
EXPLOSION AND FIRE.
Losses on the Several Buildings
Narrow ESCAPES.

Losses on the Several Buildings.
Narrow Escapes.
A few moments before 9 o'clock last
evening the people who happened to be in
the central part of the city were suddenly
startled by the loud report of an explosion.
After a lapse of a few seconds fire alarm
came in from the box on the corner of Mic
ollet avenue and Fifth street, and in few
more seconds the chemical dashed from the
Third street engine house and up the ave-
hue to Fifth street, where the twO-StOry
frame rookerY owned by L. d. Skiles, the
broker. was on fire. A vast throng of peo-
pie was soon on the spot.
what was the eXploSion?' was in every
body's mouth. Officers Allen and Gustofson,
who were near by when it occurred, ex-
planned:
''Why, the tailor in the rear of the building,
and fronting on Fifth street, has gasoline
stove on which he heats his goose and that
is what exploded" said Officer Allen. II
was standing directly in front of the building
and GuStofSon stood over there by the fire
alarm box. He pulled the box in an instant.
1t was the quickest time ever made by the
fire department. but it was no use. The fire
ran through the building as if it was made Of
paper. The explosion blew people Off the
sidewalk into the street, but no one was
hurt
Nh. Best of Best & Co., who owned the
gun store on the corner, said:
81 was standing near the back partition of
my store cleaning gun, and the explosion
blew in the partition, sending NE clear across
tho store. Fire followed up in an instant. l
was slightly stunned, but rushed for the
powder cans and, with the assistance of the
clerk, succeeded in getting the powder all
out, else the whole building would have been
blown into atoms"
+bay taI tho famoc oop+ipuad 70
spread, and the reports of the stock of cart
ridges that exploded contributed to the eX-
citing and dire effect of the scene. The
crowd surged to and fro, and the police had
to exercise force to keep the people out of
dangers reach.
In remarkably short time the fremen
had the flames under control, but the eX-
ploSion had torn out nearly all partitions
on the ground floor so that the fire had no
barrier to prevent its spread into the gun
store and the double store occupied by E.
P. Thompson, the jeweler, and r. W.
WO llet'S trunk store. Fortunately it oc-
Cured at an hour when the stores were
open, and consequently statesmen were able
to save most of the jewelry and many
trunks. but nothing could be rescued from
the gun store. Mr., Thompson had mar
row escape. The flames came upon him so
suddenly that had the firemen not come to
his rescue with two streams of water and
fought back the destroying element, he
would, perhaps, have perished.
A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
NJ. Weeks escape was miraculous. He
was working in the shop when the stove
exploded, and was blown across the room.
The flames leaped wildly about him, but,
fortunately, the entire front had been blown
out and he succeeded in dashing to the
street in his shirt sleeves. But not without
a scorching, however. His clothes caught
fire and when he came into the open air he
was wrapped in flames. However, it was
only the work of few seconds to smother
the fire and he escaped with few burns
and a number of bruises. Besides his
goods he lost $500 in money.
In the second story was Luther's photo
graph gallery and Miss E. FL. Longs dress
making rooms. Nothing was saved in
these. The building is pretty badly burned
and cannot be repaired.
THE LOSSES.
The losses summed up approximately are
as follows:
T. D. Skiles, loss on building. 81 OCO
Luther, loss on photograph gallery. ..... 800
Best 81 Co., loss on gun store. ......... 5000
Nj. Weeks, goods and money............ 600
=. 2. Thompson, stock. 500
Il. n. Woollett, stock. 500
4Oloal- So.5UU
The above loss was fully covered by in
surance, except in the cases of Miss Long
and Mr.. Luther. and it is not known
whether or not they held any insurance.