The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-19
A BIG FIRE AT ST. PAUL.
TWO FIRMS BURNED OCT AT a
LOSS OF Se5o,oOo

The Origin OF the rlaInes IL q ~
ing Room on the Fourth Floor-Two
Men Flee Just in Time to Escape
Being Crushed to Dssth-rhe Mer-
curry at Zero All Night.
ST. PAUL, Nov. IS-St Paul last night
suffered one Of the most disastrous fires In
its history. the buildings damaged being
these of Griggs, Cooper & Co., wholesale
grocers, and Farwell, Ormun, Kirk q Co.,
wholesale hardware. The total loss Is esti-
mated at from $500. 900 TO 100000. The
losses are covered by insurance. The build
ing occupied by the two firms was a bricx
and stone structure, five stories high, anu
had frontage on Third street OF oUO Ieet
and on Broadway Of 200 feet. Urges
Cooper & Co. occupied two-thirds OF the
building. The flames first made their ap-
pearance at 11:44 o'clock in the fourth
floor of Griggs, Cooper & Co.'s build
ing. Within less than five minutes
The fire denartment was on hand in force,
but a general alarm had TO be turned IN
soon afterw ard The fire was In the upper
stories. Griggs. Cooper & Co. s store was
divided In halves by a fire wall running
from Third street to the rear, and from
Farwen, Ormun, Kirk & Co.'s by party
wall. Inc ur6iQeu COulus bucicAbASs ACoOA
the flames from only three sides, being cut
of on the east by the fire wall.
WORK OF THE FIREMEN.
However, they mounted ladders, bravely
faced the flames, which were almost licking
their faces, and threw Streams horizontally
through the windows TO reach the center
and east side floors. The fire rapidly Quilted
the top floor and in half an hour from the
time the alarm was sent in, flames were
leaping heavenward through the
roof. The efforts of the firemen
were directed toward keeping the flames
confined TO the top floors. They were only
partially successful. however, for at few
minutes before o'clock the flames worked
down TO the rear elevator shaft and set fire
TO a stock of 1900 barrels of sugar stored
on the second boor. 100 barrels of which
were put in last Monday. The sugar burned
fercely and six streams were soon directed
on this, succeeding after an hours hard
work in drowning out the flames. Through
the roof the flames werec communicated to
the adjoining building, where they made
rapid progress, the upper floor being all
efame.
COSTLY GOODS ABLAzE.
The firemen turned their attention to saw
ing the floors below and by dint of hard
work. for time, succeed in combining most
of the damage to this floor, though the loss
in this department alone would reach fully
$500, 600, az the more costly and lighter
grades Of hardware were stored on this
floor. But the fire had too firm a hold to
be thus easily vauquished The flames
crept downward in the hardware building
by the elevator shaft and one by one the
third, second and first floors succumbed
to them.
The fire in Griggs, Cooper & Co.'s
building at this time took fresh start and
burned downward to the ground floor. The
fire department fought vahantly, but
against terrible odds, and at $3.50 O'Clock the
building was in such shaky condition that
1t was dangerous to approach it closely.
TWO MEN HAVE NARROW ESCAPES.
The flames set fire TO the rear of frame
building used by the Northern Pacific News
Company, and two employees, named Curry
and Bauen, attempted to extinguish this.
While they were at work the walls tottered
and the crowd shouted in terror to the
women. They made rush for safety
and were none too soon, for just as they es-
capped the wall of Farwell. Ormun, Kirk q
Co.'S building fell outward and the place
where they had stood but moment before
was covered by pile of brick and stone.
Several attempts were made to save the
stock in the less exposed parts of the build
ing but without avail, an complete destruc-
ton of both stock and buildings seemed in
evitable.
The burned block extended on the south
side Of Third street from the corner of Wa
conta to within fifty feet of Rosabel, was
five stories high and belonged to d. C.
Shepard. 1t was estimated to be worth
100000.
OTHER LOSSES.
The losses are estimated as follows:
Losses. Insurance
Farwel Orman & Kirk. e. S400,e0 $l50.00O
Grtggs, Cooper & Co 600, 600 $4,000
Griggs, Cooper Co., loss on
Dunulng. .........,..-- 2OO,OOO 2OO,OOO
Total loss ................. S950,000 100000
The flames were under control at 4:3O
O'Clock this morning, but were fast consum~
ing what remained of the stock.
No definite information is obtainable as to
sthe cause of the fire. but it is thought to
have originated in some unknown manner
an the packing room on the fourth floor.
The fire department was considerably
Handicapped by the weather, the mercury
ranging around zero all night. Help was
called for from Minneapolis while the fire
was at its hight and two engines from that
city rendered effective service.
Griggs. Cooper & Co. have secured other
quarters, and are ready for business this
morning as though no fire had occurred.
Both firms saved all their books and ac-
counts.
q Farwell, Ormun & Kirk will also continue
business without interruption