St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-24
LAID IN RED RUINS.
Minneapolis Treated to An
other Fierce Assault by
Fire.
The North Star Boot and Shoe
Factory Wiped Out Of
Life.
Nearly Half a Million Dollars
Sail Upward in
Smoke.
Graphic Description Of the
Scenes and Incidents Of
tho PIoz0

Boot and Shoe company. the biggest in
stitution in Minneapolis. is mass of
ruins. There is nothing saved. Some
of the walls are standing. but that is all.
Those portions that are still upright are
so weakened by the action of the flames
and strained and warped they will never
do service as walls again.
At $50 last night Officer Novack,
standing ON the corner of Third street
and HenEepin avenue, saw burst of
flame from the windows on the third
floor of the North Star Boot and Shoe
cOmpany's plant, is and % North Third
street. The next instant the whole
building was seethihg cauldrOn of
flame. The building was then past say
ing. There was not one moment from
the time the fire was discovered when
it was possible to save anything from
the flames. The whole block, five
story brick structure, was all OH fire at
once. The fire started on the third
floor in the factory room. Some of the
employees of the company were
at work on the first floor packing
goods. One of them went out OF the
room for something and rushed back in
an instant. telling his fellOw-wOrkmen
that the building was Oh fire. These
half dozen men rushed out of the build
ing with their clothes and that was all.
They could take nothing with them.
There were but two alarms turned in
the first and the general. The water
tower came and was put in operation,
but 1t could do nothing but assist in
keeping down the fierce heat that rose
in waves and swept against the sides OF
surrounding buildings. threatening
them with destruction. 1t was the fast
est, Iercest fire that Minneapolis has
seen in long time. Starting at $3.50, it
had within an hour destroyed S350,00
worth of property and had been sub
dued. At IL O'Clock there was nothing
left but the
Wreck of the Building
and the danger was over. About twenty
minutes after the fire started the fam
ing building looked like some grand
pyrOtechnic spectacle arranged for the
celebration of nations holiday. File
outine-of the big block was hidden be-
hind the clouds of rolling smoke and
writing flames. Showers of sparks
were sent high in the air like eruption
from some monster volcano newly risen
from the sea TO terrify the hearts of
men. The north wind caught those
sparks and whirled them off over
the roofs of the buildings to
the south, threatening the whole bus
mess portion of the city. The sparks
fell in Hennepin avenue, rolling over
the tall buildings. veritable cataract
of fire. At 11:20 the south side of the
wall fell down as far as the fourth floor,
knocking off portion OF the rear wall
of a twO-stOry building standing beside
it. A few minutes later the rear fell,
and in about another ten minutes the
north wall down to the second floor
almost went down. The inside of the
building had all been burned out by
that time. and what had once been stock
was but pile of ashes in the bottom of
the ruins. The machinery was all warped
and twisted out of shape and lying in
she basement.
The testimony of all who where any
where IN that vicinity when the fire
started goes to show that there was an
explosion of some kind. There is no
authentic account of any one having
heard an explosion that could properly
be called such, but tne building famed
up so quickly that there must have been
something besides slow starting and
gradually spreading fire. The whole
block was on fire in ali instant. The
only plausible theory. and that is the
one advanced by an Insurance man, is
that some of the materials used in lay
ing soleS in the manufacturing room
exploded. The insurance policies
of the company have attached a
permit allowing them to use gutta
percha cement, naphtha, benZine and
several compounds of an intlammable
and eX plOsiVe character. 1t is thought
that the re must have been spontaneous
combustion among some of those COM
%l,ot Cof z N fi,nt md
tered the flame all over the floors. The
explosion probably broke the windows
on the third floor, and that caused
draught that spread the fire to all the
uDDsr floors. If this theory be not he
correct one no can tell how it started.
The total loss on the building and the
plant will be not less than $3.50, 000
The building was owned by the estate
of Hugh Harrison 1t was erected four
years ago. that is, it was first occupied
at that time just after completion, at a
cost of $4,000. 1t is thought to be
worth now fully 100000. The building
is a total loss. 1t is supposed to be
| fully covered by insurance. One in
surance man was found who said lie
| knew of $4,000 worth of insurance ON
| the building and others who were &C
| ouainted with the business of the late
| Hugh Harrison said that it would be
found to be fully insured.
| GIaj. fHefRelfinger Talks.
The North Star Boot and Shoe com
! pany is composed of c. ii. Hefelfinger,
| president: William S. King. vice presi-
dent; John A. Lucy, secretary; Pres
! ton King, treasurer. 1t is one of
the biggest manufacturing concerns
in the Northwest. 1t did an ex-
tenSive business in all lines
of boots and shoes. Maj. Heffelfnger,
the president of the company, was
found at the scene of the fire last night.
He could not tell anything about the de-
tails of the insurance on the stock and
machinery, but he made some esti-
| mates.
''Our stock and plant" said he, ''were
| worth. at the least calculation, 100000. We
were carrying a heavy stock all through the
the building on every floor. The stock was
| worth fully $3.50. O00 The plant could not be
| duplicated for less than $4,000. L think tha
| we are well insured. l have not the eXac
figures and will be unable to get at them un
| less our papers are safe, which | very muct
| doubt. We have been carrying fully $500, 00
worth of insurance. Some OF the policies
expired recently, and l cannot tell whether
they Rave boon renewed or not Some Of
them undoubtedly have. / should say tina
We have at this time not less than S275.
600 of insurance on our stock and plant
| The insurance is placed with every company
in the city, think. l could not begin to tel
nov without getting at my papers in the of
! fee. am afraid that they are gone. too
There does not seem to be anything left il