St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-17
A Big MILL IN ASHES.
The Blodgett-0sgood Planning
Mill Laid Low by
Flames,
Entailing a Loss OF $4,000,
and, 1t Is Feared, One
Life.
Narrow Escape Of a Phalanx
of Firemen From a
Weak Wall.
Philadelphia Suffers the Loss
of Several Carpet Mills
by Fire.

The Blodgett and Osgood planning
mill and box factory at the corner OF
Fourth and Locust streets, burned to
the ground last night. Nothing save
huge pile of charred timbers in chaotic
confusion remains to mark the site OF
one of the largest manufacturing con-
Germs in the city. At Ills the mer-
curial alarm Oh the premises rung in at
fire headquarters, and few
moments later general alarm
called out the entire available
apparatus of the department.
The mill covered one-quarter OF the
block and was surrounded on all sides
by piles of lumber. The mill proper
was frame building, erected after the
previous fire in 1885. when the entire
premises were destroyed, as in this in
stance. In the rear, looking from
Fourth street, was the boiler house and
drying department, comprised i'll
two-story building of brick.
The walls of this latter structure
alone are saved The flames had evil
IDENTIFY broken out in the painting room
on the first floor of the frame part OF the
mill, and before the fire department had
arrived the fire had gained a firm hold.
In very few moments streams were
plaving from all directions, but the in
tlamaDle material of the stock played
the more tiercely. in fifteen minutes
from the sound of the first alarm, the
roof fell in with crash. The first and
second floors in which were situated the
box factory and cabinet department.
burned like paper, and the whole
formed blazing pile that resisted
for upwards of an hour the
efforts of the fremen. The
labors of the brigade were first directed
to saving, if possible, the contents of
the drying house and the engine room
machinery. Even this proved task
beyond human power, for the fire had
spread to the interior OF the brick, and
shortly shot through the roof in fiery
column leaping fifty feet into the night.
At II AS it was apparent that nothing
could be done other than for the protec-
ton of the lumber piled about the prem
ises, and the surrounding frame build
Tags. At one time it seemed that the
freight depot of the st. Paul, Minneap-
oils u Sault Ste. Marie Railway compa-
nv, must 60 with the mill, but
prompt work by the department
Worth mentioning. Samuel Allen, the
watchman employed i'll the building at
night, could not be found anywhere in
the vicinity, and it was at first believed
that he had been burned to derth. This
theory. however, is discredited by Mr..
Blodgett, who inclined to the
belief that the man was some
where in the crowd. Shortly
before IL O'Clock, half dozen pipeman
working stream in the front part OF
the building were as nearly killed as
they will ever be without actually real
izing the sensation. A section of the
front, three stories in height, tOttered
for an instant and then fell outward
With a Crash.
The crowd saw it coming and yell
went up that sounded above the roar of
the flames.
'Iook out, there; stand from UNDER y
They did stand from under, but only
lust in time. The mass fell within six
inches of the last man, and in the cloud
of smoke and sparks that followed the
crash,i was impossible for a moment to
tell whether or not they lad escaped.
Scarcely had the noise of the first fall
died away before another section of the
wall fell out, and again the men were
within an ace of destruction. AT
1915 the fire was under control.
The only portions of the mill
that remained standing were a
part of the east and south walls. The
rest was smouldering heap of ruins.
Chief Jackson was seen after the out
break. He could say nothing as to the
origin of the fire. At that time he be-
lieved it possible to save the brick
building. AT o'clock this morning
three engine companies were still throw
ing water on the debris.
The entire first floor of the building
was used for planning; the second floor
was devoted to the box manufacturing
department, and the cabinetmakers oc-
cupied the third story. Between
seventy and eighty men were steadily
employed in the mill, and they
will all be thrown out of en-
ployment until Messrs. Blodgett
& OSgood open their temporary
factory, which will be month at least
The loss is particularly hard on the
firm, because only yesterday they be-
bun work upon number of big con
tracts, which will now have to be trans
ferred to some other mill. The firm
will resume business, in temporary
quarters. as soon as new machinery anC
d SulldDlO Cdll SCCulCu.
Mr.. Blodgett, the senior member o1
the unfortunate firm. appeared upor
the scene after o'clock, and after hi!
big mill had been completely reduced
to ashes. He was not sure of the date
but stated that the mill would certaill
be rebuilt. Pending the construc
ton of the new building hi
proposed to secure temporary
quarters where the work could bt
resumed and the contracts now on han(
filled. Mr.. Blodgett placess the tota
loss at $55,000 of which $4,000 is oil
machinery, $4,000 on the building. ant
$4,000 on the stock. The insurance
amounts to $4,000, placed with the fol
lowing agencies: Weldon Lawrence
j. Quincy Haas, q. l.. Guild, Johl
Rogers and w. G. Strickland.
AS late as 2 o'clock a. m. Watchmal
Allen had not been found. The belle
still exists that he has lost his life.
Herbert M. Wares, pipeman of No.
Engine company, was quite seriousl.
injured by a falling wall. He was quit
seriously, though not fatally, injuret
internally. He was taken to No.
Engine house for treatment.