The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-14
Minneapolis Has a Great
Fire.
FORESTS OF LUMBER BURNED
Planning Mills and Residences Swept
Out of Existence by the
Score.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

MINNEAPoLIs, Minn., Aug. 13.-Two
fires. presumably the work of incendiaries,
destroyed S1,O00.00O worth Of property this
afternoon. The fires broke out within a
short time of each other. The first was
discovered in stable in the rear of the
Cedar Lake Ice Company's house and soon
spread to the icehOuse proper. From
there, famed by quick breeze, it spread
to Clark's box factory. and then destroyed
the boiler works of Lintzes, Connel & Co..
including $4,000 rIveting machine. The
Lenhardt Union Wagon Works were
totally consumed. and also quantity of
!um ber belonging to various firms.
The Cedar Lake Ice Company lose $4,000;
the Clark Box Company, $4,000; Lin,zes.
Connell g. Co., $50. the Union Wagon
Works, $4,000 or this the total insurance
is about half.
While this fire was at its height an alarm
was turned in from the lumber district at
the other end OF the island. Boom Island,
as the place is called, was mass of wood
and lumber piles belonging to Nelson,
Tenny & Co. and Backus & Co. These
were blazing frrcely. and famed by a
brisk wind the flames soon spanned the
narrow stretch of water and began eating
their way among the sawmills and resi-
dences in the vicinity of the river bank
One after another the pIaning-mills Of the
Wilcox Company. the Cha.terton mill, the
Backus mill. the Hove mill and the works
of Smith & Corrigan and Nelson. Tenny
& Co. felt the blast Of the fire and were
either totally destroyed or badly damaged.
The flames left path of blackness
through Mar shall street, and were practi-
cally stopped by the big brick structure Of
the Minneapolis Brewing Company, al
though their loss is put at $4,000. All
along Marshall street and through that
entire section are small frame houses occu-
pied by labOring men and sawmill hands.
They, went like finder when the flames
first str uck them. but the residents mad
ample time to remove their belongings.
In all 112 houses were destroyed.
Although general alarm was turned in,
the entire city department proved made
Quate for the occasion, and aid was asked
for from st. Paul. and that city promptly
responded and sent over two steamers and
q hnsecart which did excellent service.
The fire on Boon Island was burning
fiercely at late hour tonight. and the
on'v hope SCENE 80 lie in letting Il burn
itself out. For time it looked as though
the entire northwest part of Minneapolis
would be destroyed, but by concentrating
the efforts OF the department the further
progress OF the flames was checked.
There were several minor accidents
Two boys were reported drowned, but the
rnmor cannot be verified. Bertha Street,
residing on Washington avenue, between
Tenth and Eleventh. fell out OF a third
story window while looking at the fire aud
was instantly killed.
Following is a list Of the losses, so far
as can be ascertained tonight. 1t is i'm
possible to give detailed account of the
insurance tonight:
Wilcox planng-mill, S25 600; Fulton &
Libby. warehouse, $4,000; Chattrrton
mill, S25 600; Backus mill. $4,000; Hove
mil. 100000; Smith & Corrigan's mill,
$4,000; Nelson. Tenney & Co.'S mill,
$4,000; 100000 900 feet Of lumber at So per
thousand. S4So.OO0; 100000 shingles at
So per thousand. $4,000: 1O,OOO,O0o laths
at So per thousand, 100000 cedar posts
etc, S1l0.000; Minneapolis Brewing Com
pany, $4,000; 112 houses at an average of
$500 each. $4,000; Nicollet Island fire.
$l25,0O0; bridges, $4,000; total. ST. .057. O00
The Northern Pacific bridge and the
Plymouth bridge we're rendered
useless by the fire.