The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-04-17
Ia CROSSE ~ FL4uES.
Property to the Value OF Nearly a Million
Destroyed.

| Destroyed.
The most ruinous fire La Crosse has
| ever known occurred on the 6th. 1t
started at 10 O'Clock, a spark from
John Paul's planning mill falling on q
pile OF shavings from the planners.
| Suddenly the flames shot up along the
/ side OF the building to the roof, and =,
caught by north wind, were carried
| through the mill from end to end like a
| flash OF lightning. Mr.. Paul's lumber
yard is all north and east
OF the mill, and the flames
| did not make the least prog
ress in that direction, but swept on
toward the splendid mill and immense
yards of c. l.. Coleman, located south
| OF Paups, and only separated there
! from by q narrow street. The tiremen
| put on stream after stream of water,
| until fifteen lines OF hose were playing
on the fire. Citizens congregated by
thousands and aided with buckets in
| every way possible. A splendid fight
/ was made for the mill aud for an hour
| the flames were kept back, but when
| the whole mass OF lumber on the north
was roaring sea OF flames, the wind
rising and carrying the burning boards
| through the air like rockets, and the
| fire sprlnging up in twenty new places
| at once, it was seen that the mill must
90. 4 hard fight was made at the
planning mill across the street on the
east, and the fire was kept back until
the main mill was a mass OF flames,
when that also had to be aban-
doned. The fire then swept rapidly
south through the yards, and more
slowly east through the storage sheds,
until at l O'Clock the entire property
mill, planning mill, dry houses, storage
sheds, offices, and Is, 100000 feet of
| lumber were wrapped IN a roaring
mass OF flames. South OF the yard
| there were a number of small dwelling
houses, and these followed one after
another until the entire river bank was
swept clean. Southwest of the ward
was an island on which Messrs. Cole
man and Paul had p, 100000 feet OF
lumber piled up. Two steamers and
100 men with buckets defended this
island and saved it.
When the fire was found to be get
ting beyond control, the mayor tele-
graphed to Sparta, Winona, Milwau-
kee and st. Paul for assistance. The
first two sent aid, but the requests to
the two latter were countermanded,
although Milwaukee started two
steamers, which got as far as Portage,
and Portage started one that got to
Tomah. The Sparta and Winona men
relieved the home department when
the men were exhausted and rendered
valuable assistance. On the east the
fire crossed Second Street and cleared
off two half blocks on which number
of small buildings were located.
A careful estimate of the loss places
the total at between 100000 and
81, 100000. The heaviest individual
loser Is G. l.. Coleman, his loss being
S4OO, 600, with no insurance. John
Paul's individual loss Is $50, 900; in
sured for 100000. The fire laid waste
ten blocks, which included two OF the
largest lumber yards in Wisconsin,
and some eighty small houses. Fully
/ 1, 600 men are thrown out of employ
ment, and 1000 persons rendered
homeless. It was by far the most de-
structive fire that ever visited La
Crosse, and but for the favorable
wind the entire southern part of the
city would have been swept away.