The Portland daily press., 1893-08-14
FIRE TURNED THEM OUT.
Fifteen Hundred People Homeless
in Minneapolis.
OYER TWO HUNDRED HOUSES
WERE SWEPT AWAY.

The Property Loss Figures Up $2.0O0,O00-
The Fire Started ON Island and
Sparks Soon Had Rival Confiagrations
Death in Her Home-Men Almost
surrounded by Flame Took Refuge in
the River.
Minneapolis, August 13.-Two million
dollars worth of property went up in
flames here this afternoon. Over 200
houses were burned and at least 1900
persons were rendered homeless. The
fire gained such headway that no human
agency could quench it and only change
in the wind prevented an awful conflagra-
ton. The fire was discovered in j. B.
Clark & Co.'s box factory on the south
end of Nicollet Island at the head OF st.
Anthony Falls. By the time the depart
ment arrived the flames had gained such
headway that all the firemen could do
! was to turn their attention to
adjoining property. 1t is thought
| the fire originated either in
Lenhart's wagon works, OF in an Ice
| house belonging to the Cedar Lake Ice
company, Immediately adjoining. Near
| lv all the structures in the vicinity were
of wood and as dry as timber. Clark's
box factory was doomed before stream
of water was thrown upon it. Next to it
on the north Lenhart's wagon works and
the Cedar Lake Ice house were wiped
on+ IF ovic+anoa Farther north were
Lintjes & ConnelPs boiler works and
here the heaviest loss on the island took
place. The firm had stock valued at
| over $50, 900 and not cent of insurance.
The other owners were fairly we'll in
| sured.
| While this fire was at it's height,
spark carried high in the air, alighted on
| Boom Island nearly half mile above
the fire on Nicollet Island. This island
| was occupied as wood yard by the lum-
Der firm of Nelson, Tenney Co. No one
noticed the spark fall and the whole
| island was soon ablaze. This caused the
greatest loss. Quickly jumping across
! the small stretch OF water separating the
island from the mainland the flames
| gained footing in Nelson, Tenney d
| Co.. lumber yard where were piled some
| ten million feet of lumber.
The fire fairly walked through this
ward and into that of E. w. Backus q
Co., adjoining. By this time it was I'M
! possible to stop it. Great embers flew
| through the air and started fires many
| blocks beyond the places where the fire.
men were at work. Brick and stone
/ structures fell as readily as the merest
Shells Of two mills belonging to q. w.
Backus q Co., nothing remains except
| smokestacks and mass of twisted ma
chinery and charred timbers. j. B..
| Chatterton's post mill went the way of
the others, as did the sash and door fac
tories of Fulton & Libby and j. F. Will
cox & Co. The brewery of the Mime
| apolis Brewing Company was saved by
the wind changing. 1t is the only struc-
! ture from the river back to Marshall
street, three blocks, that escaped the
fire. 1t protected the property to the
north. The lumber yards and mills on
the west side of the river were in dan
ger. but were saved by employees with
hose. Two bridges across the river
were burned, preventing the fire depart.
| ment getting to the west side without
making detour of three miles. Many
stores and and residences were also de-
stroyed. Most of them wee frame
buildings. occupied by employees of the
mills and laboring men. Few owned the
dwellings, and their losses will be in
personal effects. Large numbers saved
| their household goods. st. Paul sent
| twu engine companies in response to
] calls for assistance.
Itis rumored that two or threeEmen
| were penned in by the flames while try
! ing to rescue property. Nelson, Tenney
& Co., lose about 100000 feet of lum-
Der and some wood; BaclSus & Co., two
saw mills and probably like amount of
| lumber. Their loss at least will proba-
! bly, be S25O,OO0. J. F. Wilcox g. Co. s
loss is about $4,000 and Fulton & Lib
by's about the same. The bottling
works and stables of the Minneapolis
Brewing Company burned, and the loss
| is at least 100000. They were well in
| sured. Several firemen were slightly
hurt.
Hundreds of people are the recipients
of charity, or are sleeping in the open
air tonight. Many saved only the
clothes on their backs. Some hundred
people, principally laborers and saw mill
| hands, resided upon q point OF land jllt-
ting into the river. The flames cut off
their escape by land and no boats were
at hand The residents were forced to
rush into the river. A big fiat boat made
slow headway to rescue them. The heat
was intense, and many of the men were
compelled to duck their heads under
the water to prevent the flames from
scorching their faces and heads. One
man, unaided, brought number of his
neighbors across the river before the flat
boat arrived, when all were rescued.
Mrs. Thomas Salone was burned to
death in her home. The eharred re-
mains of boy we're found in the de.
bris.
Barns Burned by Lightning.