Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1892-12-16
A LOSS OF OVER $4,000
The Handsome WileOx-Card;nal Block
Completely Gutted by, Fire
Friday Morning at an
Early Hour.
CAUGHT FROM THE FURNACE
A. J. WiIcox's Loss Complete But Part
Of Cardinals Sayed---$5,275
Insurance..O Other Occu-
pants Loss Total.

One OF the most disastrous fires in
history OF Little Falls broke out
shortly after O'Clock Friday morn
ing. The handsome block wned by
Felix Cardinal and a. j. Wilcox.
situated at the corner of broadway
and Kidder streets was completely
gntted,
Just how the fire started is not
positively known, but it is thought
that it was from the furnace situated
in the Cardinal part of the building.
The loss is almost total. With the
exception of Cardinal there was very
little if any insurance.
1t was only by the most fortunate
thing in the world that the fire
occurring at such an early hour was
not accompanied by some serious
accident, or even loss of life. That
no fatally happened is due to a
great extent to the prompt action
of W. A. Trembly, who was employed
by Mr.. Cardinal.
His statement OF the origin gives
the most lucid and authentic
account OF how the fire started. Mr..
TremblaT was on the early morning
watch in the saloon and arrived
there a tew minutes before six O'Clock.
HIS statement is as follows:
II arrived at the saloon a few
minutes before six. The janitor was
there before me. AS l came in he
said that had almost caught him
as he was later than usual. l had
just taken of my coat and commen-
ced to clean the glass and silverWare
on the bar, when noticed some smoke
and sent the boy, Paulson, by name
to see what it meant. He went
down into tie basement, but
returned almost Immediately and
said that there was u fire. l told
put it out. At the same time l
grabbed up a pail and filling it at
the bar started to the basement. l
met him coming back, and he told
me that the smoke w as SO dense that
he could not get to the flames.
cJuH Ten5 IS 3n he ny na fAtWs aAt
pals of water ON it. In the mean
time Paulson had been sent to turn
in the alarm, which he did as
promptly as possible. The smoke
was as thick as it could be, and it
was impossible to do much with
what l had at hand. / then returned
to the bar and moved out what
movable valuables there were
around the building. After that |
went upstairs and Weakened up the
people who were in the building, and
then went out on the street and
tried to find some one to help me.
There was no one in sight. Return
ing to the building I again went
upstairs, and urged everyone to get
out as soon as possible.
AT that time l had no idea that
the fire would amount to anything,
as it was confined to a space not
over twenty feet square. About this
time the fire department arrived and
they went to work with will
The smoke was SO dense, however
that it was impossible for them tc
get at the flames. They did what
they could, and | must say they
worked with a will.
eve moved all the stock out tha1
was possible, but did not get on'
half of it out. There was a larg'
amount in the basement, and it wa!
impossible to save any of it.
From that time on the fire work
ed it's way gradually through th
building Every thing that was posi-
BILE wcs done but it was of no use.
Continuing Mr.. Trembiay said tha
he felt very thankful that he wa
down as early as he was, as othe,
|. wise there might have been a loss G
life. A number Of persons slept i
the building, but they were all wax
ened in time, and most Of them wer
: able to save Il large amount of thei
' possessions. ~...
The theory Of the origin. Of the fir
is that the man Paulson, whose dut
it was &c, get down early and bull
tie fire, and sweep out, was in
hurry on account =. OF being lat
He built a big fire III the.furnace an
then went up stairs to attend to h
= other duties. The door was le
: open carelessly or else sprung ope
. from the unusual heat, and a spar
soon started the disastrous fire.
The total loss will not he far fro
$50, 600, There is very little insu
ance The largest amount was Cit
ried by Felix Cardinal, and all til;
lie had was bat $1,000. In this co
nectiOn,h he was very fortunate as 6
of it had expired since the first of tt
! present month, aud part OF it WI
renewed but yesterday.
Mr.. Cardinai's-loss is put at 500
= with the above amount OF insurane
This amount may be reduced som
what however, by the liquors whi
8 were. saved by the timely action
%~ those who first. appeared on t
II scene. ~
e "A, j, Wilcox's loss is total. Z
fortunately he did not have a cent
:. insurance. "A great deal of sympat
is felt for him, particularly us the IL
!, was through no fault Of his oW
y The value OF his stock and buildi
was not less. than SIC, 600. A lit
=EF stock was sayed: a few Of the she
cases, but it will amount to bn1
. drop in the bucket when compal
Ia with his loss. ~ u
t W, ,..;f, T !, ,,,.,l. ~. ,1T Ist