Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1892-12-16
The Handsome Wileox-Cardinal Block
Completely Quilted by, Fire
Friday Morning at an
Early Hour.
CAUGHT FROM THE FURNACE
A. J. Wilcox's Loss Complete But Part
of Cardinals Saved.--$5,275
Insurance--Oth Occu.
pants Loss Total.

ing. The handsome block wned by
Felix Cardinal and A. j. Wilcox.
situated at the corner of Broadway
and Kidder streets was completely
Quilted,
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 ii 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, OF even loss of life. That
no fatally happened is due to a
great extent to the prompt action
of ". 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..
Tremblay was on the early morning
watch in the saloon and arrived
there few minutes before six O'Clock.
HIS statement is as follows:
81 arrived at the saloon a few
minutes before six. The janitor was
there before me. AS l came in he
said that l had almost caught him
as he was later than usual. l had
just taken of my coat and common
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 the basement, but
returned almost Immediately and
said that there was Il fire. | told
him to get some water and try to
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.
u went n<dOWn and got as near as
1 could to the fire and threw several
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 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 1 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 a WILL
The smoke was SO dense, however
that it was impossible for them to
get at the flames. They did what
they could, and must say they
worked with q will.
eve moved all the stock out that
was possible, bnt did not get one
half of it out. There was a large
amount in the basement, and it was
impossible to save any of it.
"From that time on the fire work
ed it's way gradually through the
building. Every thing that was posi-
BILE WIS done but it was of no use. "
Continuing Mr.. Trembiay said that
he felt very thankful that he was
down as early as he was, as other.
wise there might have been loss OF
life. A number Of persons slept in
the building, but they were all wax
ened in time, and most Of them were
able to save a large amount of theil
possessions.
The theory Of the origin. OF the fire
is that the man PauIson, whose duty
it was to, get down early and built
the fire, and. sweep out. was in /
hurry on account ;. of being late
He built a big fire in the-furnace ant
then went up stairs to attend to hi
other duties. The door was lei
open carelessly Or else sprung opel
from the unusual heat, and sparl
soon started the disastrous fire.
The total loss will not he far from
$50, 200. There is very little insur
ance. The largest amount was car
,.ied by Felix Cardinal, and all tina
he had was but $1,000. In this con
nectiOn. he was very fortunate as al
: Of it-had expired since the first Of til
! present month, and part OF it wa
renewed but yesterday.
Mr.. Cardinais-loss is put at $1,000
: with the above amount OF insurance
This amount may be reduced some
g. what however, by the liquors whic
were saved by the timely action {
those. who first, appeared on tn
. scene. .". =~..+@..-:
r A, j. WilcOx's loss is total. u
fortunately he did not have a cent {
!. insurance. "A great deal OF sympath
. is felt for him, particularly as the los
was through no fault OF his owl
, The value OF his stock and buildin
!. was not less than $1,000 "A lit
stock was saved. a few Of the shsJ
:. cases, but it will amount to but
i drop in the bucket when compare
4 with bis loss. . s - {.
q DR.. Lewis james Wright is anOth
81 lf,f,.n. If&. f11a firf, Hn II .l1 l,ia f1ft, +