Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-09-30

A Dangerous Fire at Minneapolis-Fire-
men Hurt.

men
A brisk and clustering breeze was
blowing in Minneapolis on the after
noon of the 24th, and when at 2:30
o'clock the alarm bell called the depart
ment to the corner of Ninth Avenue
South and Third Street, it was evident
there was work ahead, and work Of the
hardest kind. The fire was in the five
story brick building of the Moore Wood
Carving Machine Company, and the in
fiammable nature of the stock caused a
rapid spread of the flames, which quick
ly burst through the windo ws and rolled
rapidly up through the building. With
in five minutes the fire burst through
the roof and the building was doomed.
The fremen had to turn their attention
| to adjoining property to prevent the
spread of the flames.
Elevator C stood close behind the
blazing building, and the flames seized
hold of it in spite of the many streams
of water. Soon the roof of the elevator
was on fire, and although but fifteen
minutes from the start of the fire, the
Moore building was Quilted and the fire.
men had barely escaped from it when
the walls collapsed. To better fight the
fire on Elevator G, a score Of firemen
were on the roof of the annex, uncon-
scious of danger beneath them.
There was a sudden explosion, ano a
great stream of fire burst from the end,
quickly followed by one to the left of
the men, and through the roof, and
then on the right. The great crowd
was appalled, as the hremen we're
shut from view by the columns
up. A momentary break showed
hot hn irrhf
for life in desperate attempt to get on
the three ladders which stood near
together. The break assisted them,
but groan escaped from the multitude
as four fell Or jumped from their mar
row footing. Again the smoke arose
and cleared, and there, on the very
ledge, stood fireman, apparently dazed
and not knowing what to do. "Slide on
the hose" yelled the crowd. The man
heard, and grabbing the big hose at his
feet, he slid down through the shooting
flames and reached the ground without
dropping. The work Of rescuing the
tiremen was prompt from necessity.
For time it was thought the men had
dropped into the flames, but all have
since been accounted for.
| Elevator G. was owned and operated
by Pratt q Porter, under the name OF
the Empire Elevator Company. The
capacity of the elevator was 100, 900
bushels, and the stock of wheat on hand
when the fire broke out was about 49,
600 bushels. There are two large an
nexes to the elevator, whose combined
capacity is 100000 bushels. These were
leased by the Milwaukee road, Of
Pratt & Porter. The loss on the elevat-
or and contents aggregate 100000, on
which there was SIS, 900 insurance. The
Moore Wood Carving Machine Compa-
ny lost much valuable machinery, the
loss reaching $50, 900, with an insurance
of only S., 600 The Kansas City Grain
q Feed Company's store was consumed.
Loss, 81 800; insurance, 81 900.
The block of frame and brick stores
on Washington Avenue, the yards of
the Wildwood Company and few small
| er structures were destroyed or badly
damaged before the flames were under
control. The loss on these will foot up
about So, 200, with $4,000 insurance.
The total loss is placed at S197 800, and
the total insurance $107. 900.