St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-07


from their houses as far as Third street.
The fire kept raging on Ferry street and
was progressing rapidly. COleman's lumber
yard was one sheet of flames from end to
end. The yard near the sheds, filed with
hundreds of cords of firewoOd, owned by
James Vincent, caught et l o'clock and
burned rapidly, the wood making an intense
head. Mitchelrs elevator and ice houses
became i'm great danger and desperate work
was done to save them. The fire depart
ment of Sparta, with steamer, arrived at
o'clock. The fire at this time reached to
Market street Dwellings were falling on
all sides. Sparta tapped the hydrant at
Division and Third and Division and Mar
ket streets and went TO work. The fire at
2 O'clock had swept over five blocks, from
Jay street TO Terry street, and the flames
showed no signs of stopping till they
reached the river at the southern extremity
OF Second street.
THE wINoNA FIRE DEPARTMENT
arrived on Third street at half-past l and
went to work on Division street Tele-
grams were received from Portage stating a
company was on the way from that city.
AT 2 o'clock all buildings west of Third
street on the west side of the
block up to the alley were threatened
and many of them had already succumbed
To tine flames. On the island 200 men with
buckets and several streams from steam
ers were at work to save lumber. The
fire was completely under control by $3.50
o'clock. Departments from Winona,
Mimi, and Sparta rendered excellent aid.
Engines from st. Paul and Minneapolis
were ready to start by special train, but
were telegraphed to stop. y careful esti-
nation of the loss places the total at be-
tween $500, 900 and $1,000. 900, of which,
as individual heavy losers, G. l.. Coleman
is greatest, his loss being $500, 600, with
no insurance. John Paurs individual loss
is S150.0co. insured for $50, 900. The fire
laid wasted ten blocks, which included two
of the largest lumber yards in Wisconsin
and some eighty small houses. Fully ], 200
men are thrown out of employment and 500
persons rendered homeless. 1t was by far
the most destructive fire that ever visited
La Crosse. and but for favorable wind
the entire southern part of the city would
have been swept away.
ST. PAUL CALLED.
At 10 o'clock yesterday Mayor Rice re-
ceived a dispatch from La Crosse calling
for assistance. as an uncomfortable fire was
in progress. The Milwaukee road was
asked to provide ears and 'phOned back that
a train would be ready as soon as the ap-
The chief of the department quickly Or
dered No. 6 and No. 4 engines and two
hose carts, with detail of men under As
Sistant Chief jackson, to go to the burning
town. On reaching the yards a long wait
was neceSsitated, as all engines were
dead in the roundhOuse. Finally two
flats and cabOoSe were placed, the fire
engines and reels loaded, and everything
announced in readiness for start. At
1:50 an order came to move, and the train
moved down two blocks to another side
track. Here another wait occurred until
the links and pins could be blocked tightly
together so as to allow no slack. BY the
! time this was completed the necessary red
tape had been gone through with and an
other move taken. 1t was decided to
leave the cabOOSe, whereup0n the firemen
gathered up their gum coats and leather
hats, filed out upon the flats and took posi-
] tsonS for a mad race across the country.
1t was now ? o'clock, and some one sug-
gested the possibility of the town being
wholly consumed. This called for another
conference. While the question of proceed
ing was under debate, message was re-
| ceived that the fire was under control. In
running to the station one of the horses on
| No. 6 engine was badly cut about the breast
and legs by running into several vehicles
and posts ON the way down Third street
hill. The reins became crossed in some
manner, and the driver could not guide
the team properly. That an accident of
serious nature did not occur is due to good
| fortune.
THE CTTY's IMPORTANCE.
| La Crosse is the county seat of the county
| of the same name, and is one of the most inn
portant, in a commercial point of view, of
/ the cities of Wisconsin. Located at the con-
/ fiuence of the Black and La Crosse rivers, 1t
/ early assumed importance as lumber-manu-
featuring city, and at the present time its
/ mills could turn out 100000 feet of lumber
! daily. Lumber manufacturing has been its
| chief industry, though within a few years
| the city has extended its manufacturing un-
| til there are At present large concerns that
! turn out agricultural implements, ETC., in
| quantities such as to entitle the city 20
| rank as manufacturing center. Its popu-
| lation by the census of 1880 was trife over
| 5000, and this has been increased until last
/ year il was $1,000. Seven railroads have
| their lines running there or are connected by
| branches The city has three large -four mills,
with total daily capacity of from 1,500 70
/ l,s0O barrels. A board OF trade is in exist
/ enbt that ranks rs one of the commercial
| bodies Of the state and entire Northwest.
/ 1t has churches, schools, libraries and kin
dred institutions that give it standing as one
/ of the most intelligent and generally pros
porous OF the Northwestern cities.