St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-04
THEY WANT TO KNOW.

me- "ccoiuilig 70 plakeS story'
THEY WANT TO KNOW.
Investigation of the Fire by the
Underwriters Committee.
The committee appointed by the un--
derwriters' union yesterday began in
vestigati0n of the manner in which the
Lumber Exchange fire was handled.
The committee met in Room 542, Bos-
ton block, the headquarters of the court
house commission. The scene resem-
bled the session OF the grand jury. No
body but the committee and Chiefs
Runge and kenney, of the fire depart
ment, were allowed in the investigating
chamber Other members of the fire
, department and men VINO were inter-
ested ill the fire sat around in the outer
room until. one by one, they were sum-
moned to the awful presence of the in
quisitorS by a nod and beckOn from
Secretary G. p. Preston. There was
one other occupant of the star
chamber, the StenOgrapher who care
fully took all the evidence. J. L. Man
nix, prominent citizen. Strolled in dur
ing the afternoon and gave the waiting
witnesses the advice of an expert in the
matter of fires. He was not summoned
as witness, but he assisted Secretary
Preston by outlining for the latter the
manner in which the investigation
should be conducted and the lines
which should DE pursued. The COM
mlttee, of course, had no authority to
call witnesses or administer oathS. All
testimony secured must be voluntary.
Chief Runge says he is ready to meet
the investigation. which will be con-
tinued for several days yet. The city
will probably take up the investigation
at the next meeting of the council and
refer the matter to the fire committee.
What is done before that time will be
preliminary: hence the meeting OF yes
terday afternoon will not have great
weight. The city is prepared to de-
fend the tiremen, and will not allow
them to be condemned unless there
should be good cause.
The first witness yesterday was First
Assistant Chief Kenney. He was CUES
toned regarding the handling of the
fire, and then remained with the COM
mittee. Second Assistant Canterbury
and couple of captains. whose names
could not be learned, came next. 9th
erS VINO were called before the commit
tee We're: 5. G. Cook. c. ii. MaXey, Arch
isect LOn2. the enginaer of the Edison
building and several others who were
interested in the fire. The members of
the committee we're extremely reticent
concerning the testimony which they
had heard, further than that they had
heard several different stories concern
ing the management of the fire. The
firemen. Of course, defended their own
actions at the fire and seemed nettled
that their word should be questioned.
The civilians gave testimony regarding
what was done by the firemen, and the
time which elapsed between the start
Of the fire. the beginning of the
burning of the Exchange and the inSti
tuition of efforts to safe it. Several of
the men who were up through the burn
ing building after the fire started. 1t
seems that the firemen threw barrels of
water down the light we'll and against
a solid wall, working from the new part
of the Exchange and the Edison build
ing. when there was not spark of fire
In sight. 1t was suggested to them that
they direct their stream TO some other
part Of the building, where the water
would do some good. Their reply was
that they had been ordered to do as they
were doing. That settled it. Archi-
tect Long gave evidence OH the con-
StructiOn of the building as regards fire
PROBING, etc. The engineer of the Edi-
son building told what he knew about
it. He had steam up and was ready to
flood the Exchange with water, but his
engine room was flooded first, and his
steam pressure Immediately dropped.
More witnesses will be called to-day.
Aid. Woodward, chairman of the coun-
ell committee on fire department, called
around in the afternoon to take look at
the investigating committee. He was
not invited to more than one of them
and departed in hu&
Iii ron. at.Ai In I ,lNnr.
change fire, j. NJ. HaZen, building in
SpectOr, said yesterday: at is true that
after the Tribune building fire | did
notify scores of people to put fire es-
capeS AID iron shutters on their bust
ness blocks. This notice covered every
downtown business place of any i'm
portance and very few of them were
found to be within the pale of the law.
at once there were objections. | re-
member now that one of the strongest
of them was from the man who had
charge of the Boston block. He said he
would not do as had ordered. He was
seconded by others, until the opposition
resolved itself into committee from the
builders and architects, which met with
a special council committee last spring.
After several conferences compromise
was reached as result of which the
council repealed the iron shutter and
tire-eScape clauses of the ordinance.
This left me powerless, and since then
| have no power to act III these direc-
tons. Before people criticise ME tn ey
should know what they are talking
about. l raised the disturbance last
spring by seeking to enforce the ordi-
nance, and | would have enforced it if
it hadn't been repealed"
c. ii. MaXey said yesterday that it
was surprising the number of rooms in
the building which have escaped. From
nearly Il third of the Offices books. pa
pers, furniture. and even carpets have
been removed in almost as good condi-
ton as # the building never saw fire.
The falling III of the rear of the upper
floors of the building renders the work
of clearing away extremely tedious.
Had they burned instead of falling
through. the debris would be much
easier handled.
On the morning of the fire the hottest
blaze was OIL the tenth floor. That was
because of the quantity of timer, such
as staging and the line, on that floor
The staging had to be put in there
while the two upper stories were being
added.