St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-18

al IA Ou'lQ TX. IL lllt lIlt ildu S.LLVu
up to the pre- sent, from now on tue con-
fiagration fairly outdid Itself. For a
whole block there was nothing but
fire. The fire in the GriggS-C0oper
building was descending; it was
but a question of time when it would
be Quilted. Streams of wafer were
playing around the whole block. but the
flames played still mrrrier, catching
and cracks g up everything combusti-
bic to be graspcd, and raising their
heads i'll utter defiance of the Watery
showers. Awe-inspiring as the scene
had been,it became more aWe-inSpirlng.
To add to the alarm of citizens, shortly
after ? O'Clock the fire alarm once more
sounded. The call. however, was from
Seventh and Jackson, where Karl Sim
mons drug store was quickly Quilted.
With the Griggs Cooper building
| doomed, and every appearance that the
| FarWell- OZnum-Kirk building would
! quickly follow. new danger began TO
threaten. A long line OF express offices
! are ranged behind the block, and nOth-
ing but Skillfnl management could save
them if the FdrWell- OZnum-KIrk build
ing was destroyed. Such condition of
affairs helped the firemen to redouble.
if that were possible, their efforts. If
water could DO it the thing would
| quickly have been accomplished. The
whole vicinity of Third street, from
| Broadway to Sibley, and Wacouta
| street, from Fourth street to Second
! street, was taken up with engines and
| apparatus of one kind and another. The
| Shrieking whistles of the engines. the
rushing of firemen hither and thither,
! and the mad prancing of horse made an
eXhilarating sight, which. but for the
terrible destruction going on a few
]
tertaining. The noise naturally at
tracted considerable number of peO-
| pie. The guests at the Merchants
! turned out in force, dragging them
| selves from their beds to see "a really
! big fire" And they got their desire.
| 1t was big fire. the biggest, perhaps -
at all events the most stuhbOrn-which
the st. Paul department has been called
upon TO tackle. There were also few
gentlemen lust returning from the
charity balP' and few pert misses re-
siding in the npighbOThoOd. The cold
was intense. and. regardless of tiie dis
play furnished. which equaled in
its intensity and horror anything
that can be cOnjurrd by the
| pyrOteehnic genius. the spectators
| could not be prevailed upon TO
stay any great length. At no time.
therefore. was there any great crowd,
and the firemen were in no way ham
| pered in their work.
The blaze continued. 1t is true that
at times there was more smoke than fire.
| giving birth to the BELIEF that the end
was III sight, but the belief was pre-
maturely dashed to pieces. Once
more the flames flashed forth and
the situation was worse than be-
fore. Tie two buildings were doomed;
that was evident. If the department
could keep the fire from spreading be-
yOnd the block they would then accom-
plish meritOriOuS work. The flames
had now entire possession of the two
buildings, from ground upwards, and
nothing but lack of fuel could stOu
their course. The entire block, within
the four black-lOOking towering walls,
was a trough of fire.
The firm of Griggs, Cooper & Co. is
composed of Chauncey w. Griggs, G.
Milton Griggs, David c. Shepard and
Jason W. Cooper. AS already stated
they conducted a general wholesale
grocery business. and their ramitica.
tons extend from st. Paul to the coast
The establishment was at one time
operated under the title of YAM, GrIggs
q Howe.
Co. is Differed 10y tine following gentle
Freeman =. Strong, vice president
Robert A. Kirk, treasurer; W.T.Miller
secretary. The company, up 10 some
months ago. was under the presidency
of George l.. Farwell, who retired from
active participation in the business, bu
still retains capital therein. He is nov
the president of the new St. Paul stove
works.
At 2:4O o'clock. when the blaze wa
| l,gSsr 4l,, Il.
furlOuSly in the east end of tile block.
cry of warning burst from the specta
tors. The entire east wall of Farwell
Ozmun, Kirk u Co.'S. building wa
seen 20 bulge. Instantly the fire
men dropped their hose and retreateC
beyond danger; next instant, with
terrific crash, the entire wall gave wa
and fell laundering into the open 10
adjoining. No one was injured. Afte
that the fire bIaZed away with re
: neWed impetus. and a huge pilla
of fire was projected higher than eve
2 into the sky. producing spectacle tina
J for terror and sublimly was neve
+ equalled in st. Paul. At this time til
great effort was directed to preventin
the spread of the fire to the pas
senger and express buildings i
the rear. The water was concer
D trated to that end, and at TIM
g writing there is positively no furthe
r danger. The only remaining peril
now in the large walls winch are sti
standing, some of them with very littl
support and i'll very threatening att
: tudeS. Every piece of apparatus in tn
! city was still at work at / a. M. and tn
=, fire was practically under control.
= Loss and Insurance.
D In the excitement of the fire and {
L the late hour it was impossible to gt
: any elaborate or exact details of eitht
i loss or insurance. Practically speakin.
l. the building and the stocks of bot
It firms are total losses. The formt
e burned clear through to the cellar. al
II nothing but the black walls remain
OF the several stocks, PRACTICAL
II nothing was saved. This bein
J the height of the jObbing Sc
i son, both firms carried therei
II heaviest stocks, and perhaps $780,
?. each would not be TOO high a figur
II One OF the firm of Griggs. Cooper Il c
a thought that their loss would at lea
"a foot up S35O,0OO, while he believe
u Farwell. OZmun. Kirk d Co. ca
u ried at least S400. GEO. The insurance c
L the former stock is about S2S5. co
'e Insurance carried by the hardware fir
4 will reach higher figure, it is though
n | though nothing definite can be learne
+ TIE building was erected about thrt
-, years ago, and cost in the neighbOrhoC
- of 100000. 1t is total loss, and wi
h' bring the aggregate destruction by fl
re up to rOnnd million dollars.
OF Later it was ascertained that the stoC
lie of FarWell, OZmun, Kirk d Co. was va
d, ued at $4,000 consisting Of hardwa
:: and cutlery. The insurance is S225, OC
Il placed through the several city agenci
- in small amounts. The building isownt
i1 by DC. Shepherd and valued at $3.50, 0C
III The portion on the corner was erected
IT. 1850 and the eastern half added three
I'd four years later. 1t carried about $40
a 0O0. Griggs, Cooper & Co., or the fir
I'd that preceded it.has occupied the bull
III -