St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-31
ONE SAD SABBATH.
Thousands of the Residents
Of Milwaukee Are With
out Homes.
Nearly Seventy Thousand
Dollars Already Raised
for Relief.
Over Three Thousand Meal
Tickets Issued to the
Homeless.
An Oil Fire at Point Breeze,
Pa, Sweeps Away Valu-
able Property.

MILWAUKEE, Wis.,, Oct. 80. - The
scene of Milwaukee's great fire was Wis
tied by fully 10000 people. Not only
was more than half the population OF
the city there during the day, but thou.
sands came from neighbOrlng towns. 1t
is one of the cleanest-swept fire districts
ever seen, and is now practically cold,
only the ruins of some of the great
wholesale houses needing the services
of the fire department. All of the i'm
portant firms burned out will resume
business at once, and many are already
preparing to rebuild. The Hansen
Malt company, whose loss was $780,
600, have architects at work on
plans tor two eight-stOry buildings.
The Northwestern railway company has
rebuilt portion of its freight house
switches, and already has a new roof on
one of the great freight houses. One
end of the building was under roof
while the ruins of the freight which had
been stored in the other end was still
blazing. The company is ready for
freight business. Insurance men are
confident that the insurance will reach
S3,OOO,OOO. The aggregate loss will be
double that sum.
Subscriptions to the relief fund have
reached s6S.000. Among the large addi-
tions to 1t today was $1,000 from Clara
Barton. of the Red Cross society. The
citizens relief committee is thoroughly
organized, and the homeless hun
dreds are all being provided
with the necessaries of life. Tie dis
tribution of clothing to the needy will
begin at once. Over 5000 meal tickets
were issued today, and the eating houses
were crowded all day. Many of the
homeless are being cared for by friends,
and about 600 are located in the Third
ward school house, where beds and cots
are provided. Several large passenger
steamers are being used as temporary
quarters. At the meeting of the COM
mon council tomorrow it is probable
that arrangements will be made for
building extensive barracks for the ac-
commodatiOn of the homeless. Presi-
dent Hase and many members of the
council favor that course.
A Bright Foreman.
1t was almost ilacle that the plant
Of the Milwaukee Gas Light company
was not entirely destroyed by the
names. AS soon as IL was seen that the
fire would reach the works Foreman
Powers put OH extra pressure, forcing
all the gas from the receivers through
the city in comparatively short time.
riad not this precaution been taken the
receivers would undoubtedly have been
warped by the heat. allowing the gas to
escape. Explosions would have been
the result. The receiver containing
hydrogen gas was about half
filled and there was no way
to let it escape. 1t stands
just west of the old engine house of the
company, which was burned to the
ground. Had the fire been on the
opposite side it is very likely the whole
concern would have suddenly gone into
the air. AS it was, the plates were
badly warped. and it is surprise that
it stood through it. Mr.. Powers, know
ing the danger of this,
Z Stood at His Post
with few other brave men. No fire.
men were in this quarter at the time,
and he, together with his few assist
ants. kept the flames from spreading
further into the plant, knowing
that remaining there they risked
their lives. Foreman Powers deserves
very much praise for his heroic work,
for while saving the property of his en-
ployers he had a plain view of his own