St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-31
SENECA FALLS sCoRCHED.
Fire Destroys the Business Por-
ton of the City.


SENECA FALLS, N. Y, July 3O.-The
inevitable has occurred. The Pew
building, against the erection Of which
three or more years ago such earnest
protest was made, fulfilled its mission
as fire trap this morning, and it is
feared that 1t has also proven a death
trap. A few minutes after 3 o'clock
this morning the building, which was
directly opposite Hoag's opera house III
Fill street, was discovered to be burn
ing in Sutherland & Squire's restaurant.
In few minutes the entire structure
was on fire. Had naught but the she'll
suffered there would have been trif1ing
cause for regret, but at o'clock the
fairest commercial portion OF the town
was in ashes or in flames. The Pew
building was approached from but one
side, and the atmosphere quickly be-
came so hot that the firemen could not
endure it. The splendid Phoenix block,
involving the electric light plant, the
press office, the Reveille printing estab-
iishment, the Courier. Sander
sons furniture warerooms and
the Western Union telegraph of
fee, succumbed to the flames, and
within four hours, thirty-three stores
east of it, to the Sheldon block, were
ruined. The flames Sprang across the
street to Hoag's Opera house, before an
hour had passed and that was con-
sumed, with all of Falls street OH that
side east to the Sheldon block, while
on the north side the Cooperative block
was the limit. On State street the
flames extended to and including Kel-
logg's livery stables, but all OF his stock
was saved. The sufferers with
some approximate losses on real
property are given below, there prob
ably being fair average insurance:
The Phoenix block, $4,000; electric
light plant, $4,000 (not wholly de-
stroyed); Sylvester Pew. $1,000; John dan
son block, $4,000; Howe block, $4,000;
Becky block. $4,000: on Sheldon block,
$1,000: Hoag hotel damaged probably
$4,000; Hoag's opera house and block,
$4,000; Daniels block, $4,000: the Mir
FOR block. $4,000; Crowell block, $500;
McCartin's block, $4,000; Miller block,
$4,000.
In State street the fire has already
Tapped up the Hudson house and black
smith shop, Georges barber shop, Far
neses' store, IT, Norcott building, in-
Guiding Comber's liquor store, Halls
cigar factory. Hanna's secondhand
store, Chinese laundry. Demson'S shoe
shop, Kellogg's livery stable and the
two rear houses next thereto. All three
newspapers are burned out and
the telephone service is suspend
ed. The Western Union company
is doing business at the railroad
station. The Gleason & Bailey
works were on fire several times, but
th3 flames were kept down. with but
little injury. The fire was under con-
troll at 8 o'clock this morning, but soon
broke out anew in Tedman 81 Gladke's
dry goods store. which is now burning.
An area of nearly three acres was
burned over, and many OF the best
business buildings in the village were
wiped out. Careful estimates by in
surance men and Others place the loss
at between 100000 and 100000, with
insurance amounting to only 100000.
The heaviest loss is that of the Thorn
son-Houston Electric company, being
100000, with but $4,000 insurance.
During the progress Of the fire mem
Der of Steamer Company No. 3 was
knocked down by refractory hose
pipe and had his leg broken. Early III
the morning President Rumsey issued
an order closing all the saloons in the
village, and they will remain closed
until tomorrow morning. The bank OF
the raceway in the rear of the Howe
block was strewed with safes, all but
one of which are supposed to be I'M
harmed. A safe, supposed to belong to
Mu nnard Bros, WAS left open last
night, and all the books it contained
and Glr0 in cash were burned.