St. Paul daily globe., 1893-02-27
The Factory OF the Minnesota
Shoe Company Badly
Demoralized.
Four Firemen Seriously Hurt
by an Outbupst Of
Flame.
Total Loss Not Far From
100000, Fully Covered
by Policies.

One of the hottest fires ever seen in
the city of st. Paul occurred yesterday
morning, when the greater number Of
the people were in church. The four
story building occupied by the Min
nesota Shoe company and William
Roger & Co. was completely Quilted, and
a loss of 100000 was the result.
Four men were injured during the
fire. Lieut.. Edward Helm, of Engine
Company No. 8; Lieut.. Felix j. O'Neill.
of Engine Company No. 2; PIpeman
Gilbert Gillian, of No. 8, and Truck
man John w. Cowan. of No. 2 Hook
and Ladder, were severely hurt. 1t is
not thought that any Of them will die
from the injuries which they received,
but they will be laid up for some time.
Lieut.. O'Neill has sprained ankle,
and is internally injured; Lieut.. Helm
has sprained ankle and other injuries,
while Gillian has broken wrist and is
severely burned. Cowan is injured
about the spine.
The fire broke out at about 0 O'Clock
a. m. 1t started on the second floor of
the building in the cutting department
of the Minnesota Shoe company's store.
1t is supposed that the fire was caused
by matches being gnaWed by the rats in
the store. Mr.. Drake, the foreman in
the Roger & Co. establishment, was the
one who made the discovery of the fire.
He entered the building at about 1918
o'clock in the morning, and as he opened
the door the draught from the fire
would not permit him to close it again.
The building is next to the one Occu-
pied by Engine Company No. II, and he
ran to the door of the engine house for
the purpose of giving the alarm. The
engine was at once run out of doors,
and an alarm Was turned IN to the other
houses. 1t was o'clock in the after
noon before they could return to their
houses, Another hour was consumed in
the pumping out Of the basement. and
then the men were relieved from duty.
The fire started on the second floor
and then worked up to the top floor of
the building. The material in the place
acted as good communication, and the
fire rapidly spread. The heavy ma
chinery fell through the floors. and was
the principal cause OF damage i'll the
factory of Rodger S5 Co. The walls are
still standing, but all of the material in
the place was destroyed by the fire.
The manner in which the tiremen
were injured was peculiar. They were
on the fire escape in the front of the
building. The flames burst through the
windows and drove them from their po-
stions. Lieut.. Helm fell from the first
floor and struck the sidewalk in pros
trate condition. The others fell to the
sidewalk in the same manner. Gillian
was severely burned about the head and
face. He placed his hand up to his face,
and the marks of his fingers remain.
He saved his eyes in this manner.
The building which was the scene of
the fire is the newest portion of the
plant of the shoe company. 1t faces on
Rosabel street and is so feet wide. 1t
extends back distance of $50 feet to
the store OF KuhleS & Stock, cigar man
ufacturers. The mandatory of the
last-named firm was not touched by the
fire.
1t is understood that the building was
insured in full, so that the loss will be
entirely covered IN this manner. The
larger factory Of the shoe company,
next door,, was not damaged by the fire.
Repairs Will be made at once, and the
work of the shoe company will not be
retarded to any considerable extent.