St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-31
ST. PAUL MATTERS.
Substantial Recognition of the Work OF
the Fire Department at Friday
Nights Fire.
Swift Horses on the River Driven by
Lovers of Fast Horse
Flesh.
Births and Marriages of a Week.
Amusementso of the Carnival
Week.
Church Services To-Day--Street say
ings--Many Matters Of General
News.
FRIDAY NIGHTS FIRE.
Thanking the DePartment--Valu
of Fire-PrOof Appliances.

Thanking the Departmenr--Valu
of Fire-PrOof Appliances.
Gates A. Johnson. the building inspector,
yesterday visited the ruins OF the Ryan
Drug company's establishment and made a
casual inspection of the walls, but ON ac-
count of the ice that covered them and the
impossibility of giving them thorough eX-
animation. did not complete his inspection.
He will however at the earliest opportunity
make thorough inspection, and. should he
consider them unsafe. will condemn them
and have them torn down before the oper-
alton of rebuilding will be allowed to be
commenced. AS far as he could determine
Yesterday the inspector thought that the
walls were in good condition, but that will
. be fully determined by an early inspection.
Mr.. johnson said in the course of his
conversation with a GLOBE reporter that
the fire clearly demonstrated the value of
iron shutters Oh buildings. Had it not been
for those OF the Northwestern Paint Works,
across the alley in the rear Of the Ryan
Drug company, that building would have
surely been destroyed. and also the estab-
tishments on Fourth street of the Powers 81
Durkee company and other large jObbing
firms. He stated that when the paint COM
pany were notified to put iron shutters on
their building they objected, but the lesson
of Friday night undoubtedly satisfied them
of the wisdom Of the law. The officials Of
the Northwestern Paint compa were
lavish in their praises of
THE IRON SHUTTERS
and state that if it had not been for them
their entire establishment would have I'M
doubtedIy been destroyed. Inspector John
served notice on about sixty firms TO
provide themselves with iron shutters
and automatic hatchdOors for elevators, but
that very few had complied. There was
another ordinance requiring a three-inch
layer of some non-combustible substance
between each floor. The Ryan Drug COM
pany building was not arranged with this
almost fire-proof flooring, as it was built
before the passage of the law. Had the
floor been deadened with some fire-proof
substance and iron doors provided TO the
elevator matches, there is no doubt but that
the fire could have been confined to the floor
on which it originated. The advantage of
fire walls was also conclusiyely demon
strated. as they saved an immense loss that
would have accrued, if Foot SchulZe IL
Co.'s building or the Thompson building
had caught from the fire.
Two firemen who were in the Thompson
building Just west and adjoining the Ryan
lives while OH duty. They were carrying
hose to the top of the building and mar
rowly escaped falling through an open
hatehway on the fourth floor There were
no trap doors nor guard about the open
hatch. The fact was brought to Inspector
Johnson's attention and he Immediately
served notice Oh the agent, Edmund Rice,
Jr., to provide trap doors according to the
ordinance.
TESTIMONIAL TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The wholesale dealers whose interests
were located in the vicinity of the fire, yes
terday sent the following testimonial to
Chief Black. Appended is his reply:
To ]. q. Black, Chief of the st. Paul Fire
Observation-Disclosures Sir: We desire to express
to you and through you, to the efficient fire
department, our sincere thanks for the eff
cient service rendered last night at the fire
which at one time appeared TO threaten the
destruction of our property. We are pleased
TO send this unsolicited communication to you
to express our satisfaction and approval of
The manner in which the fire was handled I'M
der your direction, and we believe too much
praise cannot be given the department for
getting the fire under control so soon and con-
filming il under the trying circumstances 10
the building in which it originated. Powers
Dry Goods company. @. Il. Dickerman. r. l..
Blood a. Co., Foot Schulze & Co., YAM. Grggs
& Howes, Farwell, Ozmun Jackson. Beaupre,
KeOgh Co., III. G, Burbank, p. H. Kelly
Mercantile company, Allen, Moon & Co..
Blabou, Warren & Chipley, Maxfield,
Seabury & Co., Gotzan & Co, j.
l.. Forepaugh, V. Sommers g. Co.,
]. P. Tarbox & Co., p. p. L. Hardenbergh &
Co., Arthur, Warren g. Abbott, p. j. Bowln
& Co., William A. Van Slyke g. Co., II. p.
Rugg g. Co.. Frederick McCauley, benjamin
f. Ferris, Indexes, Warner s. Schumacher.
Nicols g. Dean, Noyes Bros. g. Cutler, Charles
n ip .Qrlrr m
Fl CHI & Van Slcyk, Berkey. Tallmadge & Co.,
st g-Hackett Hardware company, Gordon
& Ferguson, Campbell, Walsh a. Jilson, w. S.
Alexander, A. Navel ID. Schultz, Schultz g.
Heydenstead, Kellogg, Johnson s. Co., Robin
son g. Cary, Rhodes j. Morton.
Headquarters Fire Department, City of st.
Paul. Jan. 80, Iss6.-To the Powers Dry
Goods Company, Foot, Schulze & CO., YAM,
Griggs Howes, @. Il. Dickerman, p. IL.
Kelly Mercantile company, Beaupre, Keogh
d. Co. and Others, Gentlemen: Your appre-
ciated testimonial to the services of the ST.
Paul fire department received, and, on be-
half of the department, L express
our sincere thanks for the same. The de-
partment last night justified in every way
the confidence / have placed in it. 1t proved
what have always claimed that with disci-
plined men, good apparatus and plenty of
water the city of St. Paul can be kept from
devastating fires. We had a hard fight, but
we won. This is due not to our own personal
efforts, but to the cardinal support that the
wholesale district has given the fire depart
ment in the past in its efforts to attain excel
lency. Hoping that the relations between
the department and yourselves may always
be as pleasant as they are now, l am your
obedient servant.
JOHN Y. BLACK Chief Engineer
A SUBSTANTIAL RECOGNITION.
Messrs Foot, Schulze IL Co., the whole
sale boot and shoe dealers, Yesterday sent
Chief Black certified check for 5000 on
the Merchants National bank, and the fol-
lowing correspondence will explain the SEN
tments expressed:
John T. Black, ESQ, Chief St. Paul Fire
Experimentation Sir: As substantial
recognition of our appreciation of your eff
Gent services in saving our property from
the fire of last night, we inclose our check on
Merchants National bank for $500, of which
we beg your acceptance and distribution as
follows: $500 to yourself; $50 to each of your
able assistants, John Jackson and NJ. +.
Keleher; the BALANCE equally among your
force. Trusting you may always be as sue
cesstul as You were last night, we remain
very truly your friends, Foot, SchulZe 81 Co.
CHuF BLACKS REPLY.
Headquarters lire Department. City of St
Paul, Jan. 80. lSo6.-Foote, Schulze s. Co.:
Gentlemen-On behalf of my assistants and
the fire department, return to you our sin
oere thanks for your recognition of our serv-
ices ar the Ryan fire on Friday night. AS sug-
gested by You yonr handsome check will be
distributed The fire department of st. Paul
performed its duty last night, as it always in
tends to do. Thankful that we were able to
save your property from harm and the whole
sale district from great harm, am always
your obedient servant, John T. Black. chief
engineer.
THE RYAN DRUG COMPANY.
Notwithstanding the serious loss that this
firm sustained by the disastrous fire of Fri
day night they are still on deck and have
made arrangements 10 continue business
and are prepared to fiji promptly all orders
from their trade, The firm. with charae-