Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-14

Probable Loss OfTwo Lives-People Driven
Into the Water to Escape the Flames
Nelson Morris & Co., at Chicago, Given
a S25O, 900 OScorching-OtherD Disasters
Crew of Vessel Burned and Eaten by
Sharks-Drownings and other Fatal Ac-
cidents.
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 1.-two million
dollars worth Of property have gone up in
flames. Over 200 houses are burned and
at at least 800 persons are rendered home
less. This is the record made by the des-
troying element in the short space of two
hours. Kind Providence 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 headway that no hui
man agency could quench it, and only
change in the direction of the wind pre-
vented more awful conhagration. 1t was
little after 80 when watchman saw
small blaze on the river side of j. y. Clark
and Co.'S box factory on the south end of
Nicollet Island at the head of St Anthony
Falls
Was Immediately Out of Control.
An alarm, quickly followed by second
and third wa- turned in, but by the time
the department had arrived the flames,
famed by furious south wind, had gained
such headway that all the firemen could
do was TO turn their attention to adjoin-
ing property. Where the fire first started
i mystery, but it IS thought it originated
either N Lerhart's wagon works or in an
ice house belonging to the Cedar Lake Ice
company immediately adjoining Nearly
all the structures IL ihis vicinity were of
wood, dry rs tinder and made splendid
fuel for the flames. Clarke's box factory
was doomed before even q stream of water
was thrown upon it, Next to it north
Lenhart's wagon works and ethe Cedar
Lake ice houses were wiped out OF exist
ence. Farther north were Lin; ges & Con
nell's boiler works and here the heaviest
loss on the island took plac=
M A.Sparik Spreads fIIe Devastation.
While this fire was at its height a spark
carried high in the air aIighted on Boom
island, nearly half mile above the fire
OF Nicollet island. This island is occupied
"a a WI cd yard by the firm of Nelson. Ten
ney & Co. No one noticed the spark fall,
bat the whole island was soon ablaze 1t
was this spark that caused the greatest
loss. Quickly jumping across the small
stretch OF water sepa at;ng the island
from tile mainland the flames gained a
footing in Nelson, .enney &. Co.'s lum-
Der yard, where there were piled some
10O00,0OO feet of lumber. The fire fairly
walked through this yard and into that Of
+. W. BachUs {. Co. adjoining By this
time it was impossible 20 stop it, even had
the whole fire department been on hand
Great embers flew THROUGH the air and
started fires many blocks beyond the places
where the tiremeu were at work.
\ Blessed Change of Wind
The flames were simply irresistible
Brick and stone structures fell eS easy vic
TINS Us the meTest shells. Beyond the
lumber yard were The two mills belonging
to E. W Backus & Co. OF these nothing
remains except the sInokestacks and a
mass of twisted machinery and charred
timbers. j. y. Chattenton's cedar post
mill went the way of the Others as did the
sash and door factories OF Fulton and Lib
by and J. W. Wilcox {. Co. At the cor
ner OF Marshall street and Thirteenth av-
enue, northeast stood the mammoth brew
e Y Of the Minneapolis Brewing COMPANY
This, it seemed, must surely 20. but at
ll4S NAiIlt Tue " ttltI Cii@IItN ana liIOugD
the brewery WAS surrounded 10y wooden
buildings il WIS saved, and it is the only
structure between Sixth avenue and Ihir-
teenth avenue northeast, and from the
river back to MARSHALL street, a distance of
three blocks. that escaped the fire
saved the West side, Also.
The big brewery acted as a'Sort of shield
and in Il measure protected the property
| to the north. Had it burned, nothing
could have prevented the fire from running
north as far as it could find anything to
burn. Along the river are. situated the
sawmills and wood and lumber yards and
! these would have gone the way of the
| others and nearly the entire sawmiil in
! dustry of the city would have been des-
stroyed. The change in the direction of
wind imperilled the lumber yards and
mills on the west side of the river, and in
| spite of the work done by citizens with
garden hose, buckets and otherwise, the
| fire got a footing in that part of the city.
But very fortunately it was squelched be-
| fore it did much damage.
Two Fatal Casualties Reported.
1t is reported that Mrs Thomas SaIone.
an old lady who was bedridden, was
| burned in her home. The charred remains
of boy =, ers also found in the debris.