St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-25
FIREMEN FELL.
Minneapolis Visited by a
Great Conflagration Yes
terday Afternoon.
a Large Number Of Firemen
Receive Very Serious
Injuries.
One or Two So Badly Hurt
That They May Not
Survive.
The Fire Sweeps Away a Big
Elevator and Several
Other Buildings.
Total Loss to Property Fig
ured Up at Over Two
Hundred Thousand.
The Fire Department Of st.
Paul Is Called on for
Assistance.

Minneapolis has again been visited by
= terrible confagration and as result
nineteen of her fremen lie writing on
sick beds from injuries received in the
discharge of their duty and property to
the value of over 5000, 900 lies in piles of
blackened, smoldering ashes. The fire
started in the warehouse of the Moore
Carving Machine Manufacturing COM
pany, but with the high wind which
prevailed the entire fire department
was powerless to confne it to that
building and large fragments of blazing
material were blown about in all direc-
lions causing destruction wherever they
went. For time it appeared that all
South Minneapolis was doomed to
destruction, fires were raging in all
directions for a radius Of four or five
blocks and although the entire depart
ment was hard at work it appeared that
nothing could be done to stem the tide
of destruction. A telephone message
was
Sent 10 st. Paul
for aid and Engine Companies No. l and
9. accompanied by Chief Jackson, re-
sponded promptly, arriving in the city
at O'clock. 1t was found unnecessary,
however, to use the st. Paul apparatus
and it was not unloaded from the cars.
The fire broke out about o'clock in
the five-story brick warehouse building
corner Ninth avenue south and Second
street, occupied for storage purposes by
the Moore Carving and Manufacturing
company, presumably from quantity
of oils which were in the basement.
The building was stored with inflame-
able material, and within a few mo-
ments after the discovery of the first
blaze was an ungovernable furnace, the
high wind tanning the flames into fury,
and carrying sparks and fragments of
burning material in threatening man.
ner toward the neighboring buildings.
From the first it was apparent that the
fire was
A Formidable One.
and before 2:30 a general alarm was
sent in summoning every piece of ap-
paratus in the city. The augmented
forces went to work manfully, realizing
the danger and using every means in
their power to prevent spread of the
UdlllGS, Oub DllC IIltII licIOlc
it shortly became apparent that Elevator
G, which stood in the rear of the ware
house, was doomed to destruction.
Small tongues of flames began to
shoot from the exposed side of the
building, and few moments
later it began to blaze. About
his time the walls of the warehouse
collapsed in heap, leaving nothing but
pile of smoking ruins. Once started
the elevator blaZed furiously, and all
hopes OF saving it were given up, atten-
ton being directed to the neighborlng
buildings. Adjoining the elevator was
the large storage shed of the Milwaukee
road with a capacity of 100000 bushels
of grain. The geyser water tower. fed
by four engines was put to work on this
building, but owing to the difficulty of
access the stream accomplished but
little, and ominous putfS of smoke soon
began to issue from the windows and
crevices in the walls, growing
Thicker and Thicker
every minute until $3.50, when the en-
tire structure burst forth into one sheet
of flame at once. At this time the roof
was covered with firemen engaged in
pouring water on the adjoining cleVa-
tor, unconscious of the impending dan
ger. When the roaring flames burst
lOIAll llCy Will OllO dCCOlu SldIltu lOl
the ladders which were at the southeast
corner of the building, but the flames
drove them back, and almost frantic
from the intense heat and the dense
smoke which surrounded them on all
sides, they were ready to seize any
means of escape, however hazardous.
Some jumped to the ground, Others over
come by the smoke, fell from the
roof, and one man, Billy Cole,
fastened his hose in some manner
TO the roof and slid upon it to the
ground. At the time of this sudden
Outburst of flames and smoke from the
shed there were seventeen men upon
the roof, and yell of terror burst forth
from the horrOr-stricken crowd who had
seen them there but a moment before
and were unable to catch another
glimpse of them through the thick
smoke. Finally Cole was seen to slide
down the hose, and cheer arose which
could be heard for blocks around. Then
those who had fallen and Jumped were
discovered lying bruised and mangled
on the ground, and willing hands as
sisted them to places of greater safety,
while doctors were summoned from ali
directions. Some of the wounded were
carried to neighborng houses 10 be
cared for, and others were driven al
once to their own homes. Of the entire
twenty-four on the roof at the time OF
the accident only five escaped without
injury.
The Injured Ones.
The list of injured is as follows:
CAPT. CHARLES A.FOSTER, Truck MOL
hip disocated and injured about the head
Not serious.
LIEUT.. JOHN GEESE No. 6 Hose; badly
burned about the face and lett leg broken
also believed to be internally injured.
CHARLES L. MITCHELL, pipeman, Hose
No. s; head and face badly cut; fell seventy
feet; conclusion of brain. Not serious.
MIKE COLEMAN, Truck No. 4, bruised
about the body and face.
ASSISTANT CHIEF CANTERBURY, bad
ly bruised, one leg broken and face burned.
ROBERT VANCE, painter in shops, badl!
But about the head.
c. H. MINER, injured about the head anc
left arm broken,
FRED MALONE, hip and knee injured
from being run over by the water tower; no
Ierously hurt; also fell IS feet.
4BILL COLE, Hose No. II, taken to hi