The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-14
MINNEAPOLIS Big FIRE
Over Two Million Dollars Worth
q of Property Destroyed.
OVER FIFTEEN HUNDRED HOMELESS

Two Hundred Houses Wiped Out by the
Fiery Element-PeopIo Forced to Wade
Into tho River to Save Themselves
from Cremation.
MrNsRAPoLIs. Aug 14-Two million
hollars worth Of property won't up in
hames yesterday afternoon. Over 200
houses are burned and at least l, 500 per-
sons rendered homeless. This Is the record
mado by the destroying element in the
short space OF two hours. A kind provi-
aepce, and not the fire department or the
Feeble efforts of the owners of threatened
property, saved the greater portion of the
manufacturing and residence portions Of
the East side. The fire had gained such
Roadway that no human agency could
puench IL, and only a change in the direc-
hon OF thewind prevented an awful con-
nhgration.
II was little after 1880 o'clock when a
wntohman saw a small blaze on the river
uide OF j. B. Clark g. Co.'s factory, on the
south end of Nioollst Island, at the head
of st. Anthony falls. An alarm, quickly
followed by q second and third, was turned
In, but by the time the department had ar
rived tho flames, famed by furious
south wind, had gained such headway
that all the firemen could do was to turn
kheir attention to adjoining property
Where the fire first started Is a mystery,
but 1t is thought 1t originated either in
Lenhart's wagon works or in an ice house
belonging to the Cedar Lake Ice company
Immediately adjoining. Nearly all the
ttructures in this vicinity were of wood,
dry es finder, and made splendid fuel for
the flames. Clarke's box factory was
doomed before even a stream of water was
thrown upon IT,
While this fire was at its height a sparl;
carried high In the air alighted on Boom
Island, nearly half q mile above the fro on
Ricollet Isl and. This isinnd is occupied
as o wood yard by the lumber firm of Mel
ION. Tenney q Co. No one noticed the
tpafk fall, bnt the whole island was soon
ablaze. II wan this spark'that caused the
greatest loss Quickly jumping across the
kmall stretch of water separating the isl
and from the main land the flames gained
; footing In Nelson, Tcnney G. Co.'S lum.
ber yard, where there were piled some 10 :.
poo. 900 feet of lumber. The fire fairly
walked through the yard and into that OF
q W. Backus & Co., adjoining. Great
smbers flew through the air and started
hres many blocks beyond the places where
The fremen were ut work The flames
were simply irresistible. Brick and stone
Structures fell rs easily victims as the
tnbrest shells.
At tho corner Of Marshall street and
Thirteenth avenue stood the mammoth
brewery OF the Minneapolis Brewing com.
fsny. This IL seemed must surely go, but
Et this time the wind changed, and al
Enough the brewery was surrounded by
wooden buildings it was saved, and it l.
bhe only structure between the river bnck
10 Marshall street, n distance of three
blocks, that escaped tho fire. The big
AseYory acted rs q sort Of shield, and in q
measure protected the property to the
horth. Had 1t burned. nothing could have
Prevented the fire fro m running north n.
far as IL could find anything to burn
Thomas Salone, an old man, fell dead
From heart diseaae CAUSED by excitement
beveral hremen wero injured. 1t is be
heyed that sil the occupants Of the houses
Escaped with their lives. They were al
Warned In time, and none need have beer
s9kk II Is curaored that two or three NOR
We penned in by the flames while trylnf
10 rcscne some OF their propert y.
| About o'clock last evening tho fir,
Pumped the river, and for some time tht
wpstg side sawmill district was in great
hanger. Fortunately tho flames were ex
Hngnished before much damage was done
NJ 10 o'clock last night the east side ruins
were still ablaZe, but the fire was updeI
hontrol
Hundreds Of people were eithert t1,e rccip
lents Of charity or slept in the open air last
night. Many saved only the clothes OF
their backs.
Between the Plymouth and Twentieth
avenue bridges, on the east side of the
kiver. there juts out into the river point
vt land upon which some 100 people, prin,
Sipally laborers and sawmll hands, reside
The fire soon cut off their escape by land
and they were in imminent danger of be-
ing burned to death. No boats were at
band, and the residents were forced into
The river In order TO save their lives.
Previous to this they attempted to save
kheir personal effects Bedding, too
bhests, furniture and even clothing wer.
Thrown into the river. the owners hoping
that they might be able TO recover then
some time. All this time great crowd.
lined the bridges and watched big fat
poet making slow headway toward the un
fortunate people In the river. The heat
was most intense, and many of the men
b the water were compelled to duck theiI
heads under 1t to prevent the flames from
pcorchfng their faces and heads. Ont
brave fellow stripped himself and brought
p number OF his neighbors across the river
before the Ratboat arrived, when all wer,
rescued.
It is reported that Mrs. Thomas Salone
IN old lady who was bedridden, was burnet
ln her home. The charred remains of
boy were found in the debris.
The swinburne Island Cholera Gases.
QUARANTINE, S. l., Aug. 14.-The bac