St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-04-04

and everything was thoroughly wet.
This probably saved numb er of con-
hagrations, as
Sparks Were Falling
in all direct ons. The walls of the diff
ferent burned presses fell within a
short time of each other. In each case
there was sudden trembling, which
caused those walls to fall precipftately.
a heavy surging and then deafening
crash that could be heard squares away,
and the streets were strewn with bricks
and other material. The district burned
over i +; bounded by Peters, Front, Tnalia
and Robin streets, and the presses de-
stroyed are as follows: Fire-proof,
Penzoze Bros, managers, South
Front street, southwest corner
of Robin; Shippers, Boyd and
Herrick proprietors, South Peters
street, between Henderson and Robin;
Independence cotton yard, South Pc
tiers street; Orleans cotton press, South
Peters. between Thalia and Terpsich-
ore. The total amount of cotton
burned, as near az can now be ascer-
tanned, is estimated at $1,000 bales, held
by factors and commission merchants
and covered by their open police S.
Much of this cotton will be sent to the
pickeries and saved, so that the total
loss will probably not exceed $50 per
bale, making the total on cotton of be-
tween two and two and quarter mill
ions of dollars. The loss on presses
and sheds is estimated at $4,000. 1t is
thought the fire started
From a Cigarette
which some person threw among the
cotton. For three blocks around the
burning presses the residents moved
out their furniture for fear that the fire
would spread to their homes. Men,
women and children were running
about with furniture or other property
which they wished to save. In their
flight they would often abandon their
parcels in the street. where number
of fire thieves, who are generally in at
tendance on these occasions, got in
their work. While the firemen were
working on the Fire-proof press at the
corner of Terpsichore and Peters streets,
the walls suddenly shook, and in an in
slant came tumbllng down, and to the
horror of the already excited crowd
three men were seen falling under the
mass. Willing hands were soon work
ing on the ruins, and shortly the IN
fortunate firemen were taken out moan
ing and crying with pain. They were
taken in an ambulance to the hospital,
where their injuries were dressed.
They all belonged to No. Is. They are
Capt. Alfred Dupree, Lieut.. Shaw and
Pipeman Bordeaux. Dupree was only
slightly injured, but the other two men
were badly hurt.
Another COnliagration
While the cotton press fire was rag
ing an alarm was sent in for fire in
the residence portion of the city. 1t
was bounded by Laurel, Annunciation,
Second and Third streets. At the time
the fire department, police and ma
Jority of residents of the burning dis
trlcts we're at the cotton press fire. A
gale was blowing and the flames were
famed in all directions. Chief O'Con-
nor sent several engines to the scene,
but before they could get down to
active work dozen houses were in
flames. Alarms we're sent in and every
engine OH both sides Of the river was
summoned to the scene. The heat was
intense, and for this reason it was al
most Impossible to get near the burning
buildings, the wind in many instances
blowing the flame across the street. The
people living in the square bounded by
Laurel, Magazine, Second and Third be-
came alarmed at the encroaching flames.
AT first they packed up valuables, but
as the fire spread they took fright and
wild scene ensued. Houses were dis
mantled of their contents and carried
away. House after house went down,
and the efforts of the fremen seemed in
vain in the face of the overwhelming
odds. Crowds gathered from far and
near. Men and boys pitched in and
assisted in removing furniture. The
flames spread in every direction owing
to the varying winds. Sweeping across
Laurel street with frightful rapidity,
the fire attacked the section bounded by
First. Third, Laurel and Magazine
streets. Four squares were ablaze, and
the wooden buildings were devoured as
if they were so much chaff. Mag
azine street stayed the march
of the destructive element westward
and acted as barrier on the south. Every
building in the four squares mentioned
except four was destroyed. Most of
the houses were small, but some very
handsome houses on Magazine street
were destroyed. Hundreds of people
have been left homeless by the fire,
and in many cases nothing was saved
from the burning buildings. The scene
presented was one Of desolation. Moth
ing remains of the many handsome
buildings embraced in the four squares
but tall, gaunt-looking chimneys, like
huge spectral forms standing guard
over the blackened ruins. The losses
by the fire are estimated at S250.OO 1t
is believed that the buildings were
TOOCtIv incurpd