The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-09-25
FIREMEN In PERIL.
The Flour Oity's Narrow Escape
from Destruction.
a DOZEN FIRES AT ONE TINE

Etrc flSnters SonL lnNO burning
Elevator Narrowly Escape Croma.
ti0n-EIeven Badly Injured, Four
of Whom May Not Issoovsr.-P ~.
aces of Sin Wiped Out
MINNEAPoLIs, Sept ~. Tho aJup
City had narrow sscspa ye ,sscAy
from a terrible calamity, Uosk 20 ass
brave fremen and to ier hour Oh IL. =
fierce fire and strong wind we're the
two elements Of danger Ths flames
started in the More Carving company's
five story brick structure This was
filled with infammabls material, and
IN trice it was mass Of nauies The
workmen had barely time to scramble
down the stairways, without coats,
hats OF pals Next to the factory
stood the huge elevator Of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. PAM railway, with
its large annex, in which were stored
10000 bushels OF wheat The fire soon
attacked the elevator, though by this
time the entire fire department. was on
the ground. Chief Runge, serceiving
that the flames were in the high tower
OF the elevator, sent nearly score of
uiS lutH up III lnt IOOl Vi tHo dIlntA
with lines of hose to fight the fire. Ap-
parently there was no fire under them,
md as it was the only way to reach the
fire Chief Runge took the risk. 1t was
n dreadful risk. OF sudden there came
y loud explosion, and great stream Of
hre burst from one end. Another stream
broke forth to the left Of the men.
A Moment of Peril.
An ipypIuntarxy frroan aononad frnr,
the watching throng as the smoke and
flames shut the little band of fremen
from view. They've fallen through"
was the cry on many lips, but break
IN the cloud Of smoke soon revealed them
to view making wild rush for the
three ladders. Many reached them, but
q groan went up as five Of the men fell
or jumped from their narrow footing.
Again the smoke lifted and there, on
the very ledge stood fireman, appar-
emily dazed and not knowing what to do.
aSlide down the hose" yelled the crowd.
The man heard, and grabbing the big
hose at his feet he shot down through
the flames and reached the ground with
out dropping. The work of rescuing
the firemen was prompt from necessity.
They were taken in the patrol wagon to
q hospital. The list is as follows; AS
.
badly burned and internally injured;
Captain Lent, badly burned; Charles
Mitchell, probably fatally injured; John
Guise, badly burned; William Cole,
badly burned; Captain Foster, badly
burned, insensible; Captain William
Malone, badly burned; Captain Pierce,
bones broken; Nicholas Love, badly
hurt; Captain Hanley, leg broken; =
Kelly, fireman, fatal injuries. OF these
Mitchell, Foster, Canterbury and Kelly
xre in the worst.shape.
A Dozen Fires at Once.
The wind carried elnbers in every di.
rection and flames burst out in dozen
places at once. A number of small
stores were entirely destroyed and q
number of others scorched, but no fur.
ther large damage resulted, the depart
ment having at length, after two hours
of work, got the fire under control.
On Eleventh avenue, between Wash
ington and Third streets, the homes oi
the leading members Of the demi-mondt
were burned to the ground, with all
their contents. Ida Dorsey's new palace
1t cost $4,000 to furnish it. AS thu
bills have not been paid the furnitur,
men were on hand with express wagon
and hauled away the more valuable
goods. Two young men were discov
cred in the rear of this house kindling ,
pile of,shavings. Had they been undis
covered five minutes later nothing
could have saved the entire block from
destruction. There was great objection
several months ago from the people liv
ing in this vicinity to the location o
these houses in their midst and the In
oendiary efforts of the young men hay'
its origin in this. The street in front o
the block presented wild scene for
time. Women half dressed, withou
shoes or stockings, some but a chemise
others in Mother Hubbards, were run
ming wildly TO and fro, trying to saw
their personal effects, and screaming a
they ran.
The total loss is in the neighborhoo
Of 5000, 900. The loss on the elevate
and contents is 100000 and on tn
machine works $4,000. No figures O
insurance are yet obtainable.